Our second in-person session of Creative Boardroom: Collaborate4Climate took place on 9 April where participants sought to ‘define’ their understanding and assessment of systems challenges ahead and prioritise key pain points to tackle for change. The group were welcomed by Anna McHugh, Head of Corporate Communications at An Post to their beautiful new HQ in The EXO Building in Dublin’s docklands.

The morning consisted of an information session with guest speakers and an expert panel discussion. This session began with Ilektra Kouluumpi, Expert Doughnut Economics who gave an introduction to Doughnut Economics – Keeping Materials and People at their highest potential. This was followed by Morgane Veillet Lavallée, Senior Lead CGR Ireland, Circular Economy who gave an introduction to the concept of the Circular Economy exploring the current state of the world and circularity on a growing planet. 

This section of the day finished up with a panel discussion chaired by Laura Magahy with Ilektra, Morgane and additional expert guests Dr. Geraldine Brennan, Head of Circular Economy, Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and Philip Nugent, Assistant General Secretary in the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications about the subject of circular economy and doughnut economics.

For the midday session, the group were delighted to welcome Dr Lorraine D’Arcy, TU Dublin’s Sustainability Action Research & Innovation Lead and Brian O’Brien, MRIAI Registered Architect, Solearth Design, Open Plan Design Ltd to join existing facilitators Gwen Cummingham (NCAD) & Lara Hanlon (IADT) to lead the introduction to the different systems which the group will be exploring over the course of the programme. An overview of design thinking tools that will be used was given and the group was divided into these 4 system teams: Textiles, Food, Mobility and Built Environment for breakout sessions. 

After lunch a host of experts and innovators from the various systems were welcomed and introduced. Participants had the opportunity to work in their respective system teams once more, providing them with the opportunity to interview the experts related to each system.  These were professional experts came from a variety of industries with the Textiles, Food, Mobility and Built Environment spheres. Topics discussed included the key issue and challenges recognised within the system from a sustainability perspective, the underlying trends, patterns, structures and mindsets that create or perpetuate these challenges and where do they see the biggest opportunity for meaningful change.

The day finished with an invitation to the teams to cluster and map their expert interviews onto their research wall and advise on homework for the next session later this month.