Over 50 Leading NGOs Accelerating Sustainable Behaviour Worldwide @aochange_org The Academy of Change is our new programme on sustainable behaviour designed for future leaders working on climate change and sustainability in the NGO sector. This month we kicked off the programme’s first module with over 50 leading NGOs from all over the world. Over the course of the Academy, we will learn new and insightful approaches to accelerate change in sustainable behaviours that really matter. The Academy of Change is about unlocking the practical applications of behavioural theory to enhance the way environmental and climate change NGOs engage with their target groups, members and supporters. These efforts are aimed at assisting these NGOs in generating greater impact through their activities and campaigns. As we understand the challenges around the implementation of behaviour change knowledge, we are confident about the role tailor-made training, coaching and networking play as a decisive factor in integrating and scaling best practices within organisations. Through the integration of behavioural insights into their projects and activities, NGOs have the opportunity to boost their impact. This month we kicked off the first training module of the Academy for a group of over 50 leading NGOs from all over the world that have embarked on this 8-month training journey with us. In this first session we explored key principles of behaviour change, myth-busted common misconceptions around the topic and discussed why behaviour change is important in promoting sustainable behaviours. We also heard from Soenke Lorenzen, Research Manager for Global Engagement of Greenpeace International about their activities and strategies to shift mindsets towards a green and peaceful world. Despite concern for the environment being high among people, it is not yet on top of their list, as normally economic concerns and appearance take precedence. Besides, there is a gap between what people think and what they do, which becomes even more challenging as people tend to overstate their performance of pro-environmental behaviours. During the training module, we dicussed how to overcome these significant cognitive biases and the most effective tools and approaches to integrate behavioural insights into sustainability initiatives. In the coming months, Academy members will jointly explore these questions and implement their findings in their work. The Academy of Change is always looking for people interested in accelerating change in the sustainable behaviours and lifestyles that really matter. There are different ways to get involved. Are you an NGO? You can still apply here to our waiting list to join the programme. Are you interested in supporting or sponsoring the Academy beyond its current funding framework or to bring it to your organisation? Or are you looking for insightful and beyond state-of-the-art information related to sustainable behaviour and behaviour change? Drop us a message at contact@aochange.org. Academy of Change is a non-profit initiative of the Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production (CSCP) and Behaviour Change, funded by the KR Foundation. For further information, please contact Mariana Nicolau. Photo by Lukas Blazek on Unsplash