Climate change has been covered in many ways (though perhaps not enough since we seem to be stalled). What’s different about the white paper, The Time Is Now: Association Resilience and Adaptation and the Anthropocene Climate Disruption by Elizabeth Weaver Engel, MA, CAE, and Shelly Alcorn, is the question: what is the role of associations in the climate change conversation?
And one surprising observation is that strong chapters are essential.
“Your chapters could not be more important to your long-term survivability and your ability to service members in ways you never dreamed of as conditions continue to destabilize.”
In what ways? For starters, chapters can more effectively convene critical conversations and working groups to be responsive to local conditions.
Next, chapters often already have a culture of gathering in person and thus have the logistics of doing that already figured out making associations more agile to experiment with innovative models for education.
And finally, chapters can be a bulwark against single points of failure. If an association has a robust network of healthy chapters that have a significant degree of autonomy and authority, and something either climate change driven or climate change intensified happens that takes out the national office for a while, the association can continue to function while the national office comes back online.
These are just a few insights shared by Engel and Alcorn as they explore how climate disruption can affect associations and those they serve as well as offer steps to help associations become more resilient and able to adapt to the changes.
To learn more, we spoke with the two authors regarding some of their key discoveries. Of course, we couldn’t cover it all here so be sure to download the full conversation. Listen in on this podcast. And better yet, get your free copy of the white paper.
Highlights:
Recognize that local is key: Localization is critical to both resilience (the ability to bounce back after a crisis) and adaptation (the ability to change the ways we live, work, and play). And for associations, strong chapters – the locus of localization – are essential when facing the impacts of climate change.
As Engel explains, the impacts of climate change vary from region to region making it a challenge to develop a national plan to help members and businesses adapt to what’s happening in their individual communities. On the other hand, “chapters can more effectively convene those conversations and working groups, responsive to local conditions, than their “parent” national organizations,” says Engel.
Build climate solutions into events: One critical area that associations might need to rethink is in-person opportunities. For example, offering more regional and virtual events is one way to reduce an association’s carbon footprint. Engel notes that since most chapters are already planning in-person events, associations can take advantage of the opportunity to experiment with innovative ideas, such as a hub-and-spoke model (content presented at a central “hub” and broadcast to various “spoke” locations) or a “nodes” education model (live education sessions were available at multiple sites).
Alcorn also recommends that associations incorporate climate-related content into professional development programs focusing on how climate disruptions impact members’ industries. The content should be presented in small, easily digestible segments, including downloadable guides with practical solutions to help members navigate these challenges.
Become partners in climate initiatives: Another important area to consider is the bond between National and its chapters. Associations can treat chapters as partners in sharing their philosophy and commitment to being part of the climate solution. After all, as Engel reminds us, “one of the main reasons people associate in the first place is to solve problems that have proven to be otherwise intractable.” As smaller entities, chapters are a natural and less risky place to try out ideas on how to respond and adapt to climate change.
Associations excel at coalition building and leadership, making them well-suited to addressing complex, “wicked” problems, adds Alcorn. These challenges do require a trans-disciplinary approach, with multiple organizations collaborating to share ideas and develop solutions. Chapters once again play a crucial role in these efforts, contributing valuable insights and intelligence to the broader discussions.
Heed the call to action: The climate change conversation could be a call for action to address chapter programs and strengthen the bond between HQ & chapters. Engel and Alcorn agree that if an association has a strong network of autonomous chapters, it can continue functioning even if the national office is temporarily disrupted by climate-related events. This resilience is a compelling reason to invest in strengthening chapters. Additionally, people want to feel their time is well-spent and meaningful, and avoiding important but potentially controversial issues can make chapter meetings feel inauthentic.
Chapters don’t die because of lack of time or revenue. Nobody has ever had enough time or enough money. They die because of a lack of vision and an inspiring call to action.
While the white paper makes a compelling argument for action, knowing where to start can be confusing. Their advice: Start small. Do your homework. Find articles, studies, and videos to share. Keep it focused on the members, not politics. Find volunteers who care and see if they want to set up a task force.
Or maybe just join with Engel and Alcorn in their work to create an association community of practice to assist in these efforts. Their goal is to provide a space for association executives to share insights into the conduct, actions, and practices they are undertaking. Visit Association Climate Action Coalition for more.
About the authors:
Elizabeth Weaver Engel, M.A., CAE is the Chief Strategist of Spark Consulting. Contact Elizabeth at ewengel@getmespark.com.
Shelly Alcorn is a Principal of Michelle Alcorn and Associates. Contact Shelly at ceo@shellyalcorn.com.
*Featured Photo by William Bossen on Unsplash