In May 2023, I pledged and committed to becoming an active member of Creatives for Climate, a network of creative professionals dedicated to climate justice. Recently, I volunteered to moderate their very first Berlin event, and boy it didn’t disappoint. What an inspiring evening!
On Thursday 02 November at 7:00 pm, a panel of creative professionals joined me at workish.berlin, including Nina Walloch, Caroline (Caro) Fischer, Maximilian (Max) Mauracher, and Neils Devisscher. Together, we discussed how to show up for change. I was so touched and inspired not just by the openness and honesty of the stories they shared but also by the uniqueness of all the speakers and their journeys.
The event provided a unique platform for like-minded people to come together and have a conversation about the very important issue of climate change.
The “Show Up For Change” panel
- Nina Walloch is a Marketing Team Lead at the Personal Branding Institut, giving purpose and sustainability a voice by empowering thought leaders with authentic communication and storytelling.
- Caroline Fischer is a Creative Director and Consultant focused on sustainable communications. She’s also the Creatives for Climate City Lead for Hamburg.
- Maximilian Mauracher is a Solutionist for the circular economy and degrowth. He’s also a Sustainability Communicator and Co-Founder of NEW STANDARD.S.
- Neils Devisscher is a communications strategist, writer, graphic designer, and visual artist dedicated to regeneration and vitality. He is a co-founder and Experience & Communications Designer at sympoiesis.world.
The top 5 event takeaways
These wonderful panelists were so inspiring. Here are the top takeaways from their talk that I think we can all learn from:
1. There is every reason to feel hopeful
There is great power in creativity and we can make use of that in marketing and communications. With such a talented and willful community seeking to inspire positive environmental impact, together we can be the catalyst for meaningful climate action.
2. It takes a village
From academia to personal branding, or corporations to NGOs, the diversity reflected in the panel and the questions presented by the audience demonstrated the depth and breadth of knowledge within the creative community who care about climate change. Each unique voice plays a part and we all have a role to play — together.
3. Don’t hesitate
Don’t wait to be perfect or successful before starting your own climate communications journey. While it’s absolutely important to upskill and remain informed on climate knowledge, there is a lot we can do with what we already have in our toolkits.
5. It’s often in the little things
Just start. It doesn’t have to be big, nor does it have to be perfect. It can be enough to simply inspire the people around you through meaningful conversations.
6. Take care of yourself and those around you
It’s not always easy. Climate anxiety and burn-out are real factors and it’s important to pay attention to your mental health. Knowing your values and setting clear boundaries with yourself and your work are good places to start. Seeking like-minded people and communities is also a great way to find and offer support.
In a recent video, I take a deep dive into climate anxiety. You can check it out here.
Let’s keep the conversation going — what the panelists are saying on LinkedIn?
And it doesn’t stop there. The conversation continued on LinkedIn with the panelists each offering further insights on the event.
Nina Walloch said, “Creatives can contribute to the climate agenda by emphasizing the diverse pathways to sustainability and working together to tackle creative challenges. In doing so, it’s still important to practice self-care and support the people around you.”
Caroline Fischer said, “The challenge of climate change requires a collective creative effort for positive impact. This discussion celebrated the vibrant creative community in Berlin and provided an opportunity for reflecting on the multi-dimensional and challenging journey towards positive change.”
Maximilian Mauracher said, “The event served as a source of inspiration and motivation, prompting reflection on the complexities of climate communications. While acknowledging the need for collective action, emphasis on the necessity of expertise and critical reflection in climate communication is important to reduce greenwashing and maintain credibility.”
Niels Devisscher said, “The panel discussion raised thought-provoking questions about ethical collaboration and balancing urgency with reflection, self-care, and catalyzing climate action within corporate environments. Avoiding misinformation in communications is crucial.”
Thoughts from the audience
“I don’t think I’ve been to a climate-related event that resonated with me so much. There is comfort in not feeling alone, and it’s exciting to see such talented and successful people working on this topic. It’s also a good reminder to not let our perfectionism get in the way of taking action.” — Carly Merrett, Freelancer, social and climate impact communications
A creative’s place in the Climate Movement
As I continue to reflect on this event with so much hope and gratitude, I cannot wait to keep the conversation going. Together we truly can inspire meaningful change in the creative space and be catalysts for climate action.
If you want to know more, head over to the Creatives for Climate website. Better yet, sign up and join the movement. We’d love to hear from you.
In May 2023, I pledged and committed to becoming an active member of Creatives for Climate, a network of creative professionals dedicated to climate justice. Recently, I volunteered to moderate their very first Berlin event, and boy it didn’t disappoint. What an inspiring evening!
On Thursday 02 November at 7:00 pm, a panel of creative professionals joined me at workish.berlin, including Nina Walloch, Caroline (Caro) Fischer, Maximilian (Max) Mauracher, and Neils Devisscher. Together, we discussed how to show up for change. I was so touched and inspired not just by the openness and honesty of the stories they shared but also by the uniqueness of all the speakers and their journeys.
The event provided a unique platform for like-minded people to come together and have a conversation about the very important issue of climate change.
The “Show Up For Change” panel
- Nina Walloch is a Marketing Team Lead at the Personal Branding Institut, giving purpose and sustainability a voice by empowering thought leaders with authentic communication and storytelling.
- Caroline Fischer is a Creative Director and Consultant focused on sustainable communications. She’s also the Creatives for Climate City Lead for Hamburg.
- Maximilian Mauracher is a Solutionist for the circular economy and degrowth. He’s also a Sustainability Communicator and Co-Founder of NEW STANDARD.S.
- Neils Devisscher is a communications strategist, writer, graphic designer, and visual artist dedicated to regeneration and vitality. He is a co-founder and Experience & Communications Designer at sympoiesis.world.
The top 5 event takeaways
These wonderful panelists were so inspiring. Here are the top takeaways from their talk that I think we can all learn from:
1. There is every reason to feel hopeful
There is great power in creativity and we can make use of that in marketing and communications. With such a talented and willful community seeking to inspire positive environmental impact, together we can be the catalyst for meaningful climate action.
2. It takes a village
From academia to personal branding, or corporations to NGOs, the diversity reflected in the panel and the questions presented by the audience demonstrated the depth and breadth of knowledge within the creative community who care about climate change. Each unique voice plays a part and we all have a role to play — together.
3. Don’t hesitate
Don’t wait to be perfect or successful before starting your own climate communications journey. While it’s absolutely important to upskill and remain informed on climate knowledge, there is a lot we can do with what we already have in our toolkits.
5. It’s often in the little things
Just start. It doesn’t have to be big, nor does it have to be perfect. It can be enough to simply inspire the people around you through meaningful conversations.
6. Take care of yourself and those around you
It’s not always easy. Climate anxiety and burn-out are real factors and it’s important to pay attention to your mental health. Knowing your values and setting clear boundaries with yourself and your work are good places to start. Seeking like-minded people and communities is also a great way to find and offer support.
In a recent video, I take a deep dive into climate anxiety. You can check it out here.
Let’s keep the conversation going — what the panelists are saying on LinkedIn?
And it doesn’t stop there. The conversation continued on LinkedIn with the panelists each offering further insights on the event.
Nina Walloch said, “Creatives can contribute to the climate agenda by emphasizing the diverse pathways to sustainability and working together to tackle creative challenges. In doing so, it’s still important to practice self-care and support the people around you.”
Caroline Fischer said, “The challenge of climate change requires a collective creative effort for positive impact. This discussion celebrated the vibrant creative community in Berlin and provided an opportunity for reflecting on the multi-dimensional and challenging journey towards positive change.”
Maximilian Mauracher said, “The event served as a source of inspiration and motivation, prompting reflection on the complexities of climate communications. While acknowledging the need for collective action, emphasis on the necessity of expertise and critical reflection in climate communication is important to reduce greenwashing and maintain credibility.”
Niels Devisscher said, “The panel discussion raised thought-provoking questions about ethical collaboration and balancing urgency with reflection, self-care, and catalyzing climate action within corporate environments. Avoiding misinformation in communications is crucial.”
Thoughts from the audience
“I don’t think I’ve been to a climate-related event that resonated with me so much. There is comfort in not feeling alone, and it’s exciting to see such talented and successful people working on this topic. It’s also a good reminder to not let our perfectionism get in the way of taking action.” — Carly Merrett, Freelancer, social and climate impact communications
A creative’s place in the Climate Movement
As I continue to reflect on this event with so much hope and gratitude, I cannot wait to keep the conversation going. Together we truly can inspire meaningful change in the creative space and be catalysts for climate action.
If you want to know more, head over to the Creatives for Climate website. Better yet, sign up and join the movement. We’d love to hear from you.
