Taking an intergenerational approach, the Creative Boardroom: Collaborate4Climate project aims to generate dynamic and creative solutions that can address complex climate challenges.
IoD Ireland is delighted to be one of the partners in this project, alongside the Creative Futures Academy, and the Institute of Directors in Northern Ireland. Funded through Creative Ireland's Climate Action & Shared Island fund. Since January, Chartered Directors (from across Ireland) and students (from NCAD and IADT) have come together to create solutions utilising design thinking methodologies.
This initiative aims to generate dynamic and creative solutions that can meaningfully address complex environmental and social challenges we're facing due to climate change. The project utilises an intergenerational approach to bring Chartered Directors and students from NCAD and IADT together. Using design thinking methodologies, Chartered Directors and student groups collaborate to design solutions to combat climate change challenges. Each group is split up between four core system teams: textiles, food, mobility and built environment.
Session One: DISCOVER
The first in-person session was held on Tuesday, 27th February with a group of 50 participants including Chartered Directors from IoD Ireland and Institute of Directors in Northern Ireland. The session included a panel of keynote speakers from the sustainability sector, such as Laura Burke, Secretary General, EPA; Niall McCaffrey, Director, Ipsos Ireland; Gwen Cunningham, Sustainability and Circularity Lead, NCAD; and Lara Hanlon, Design Thinking Lecturer, IADT.
Session Two: DEFINE
The second session encouraged participants to define their understanding and assessment of systems challenges ahead and prioritise key pain points to tackle for change. Keynote speakers during this session included Ilektra Kouluumpi, Expert, Doughnut Economics; Morgane Veillet Lavallée, Senior Lead, CGR Ireland; Dr Geraldine Brennan, Head of Circular Economy, Irish Manufacturing Research; Philip Nugent, Assistant General Secretary, Department of Environment, Climate and Communications; Dr Lorraine D'Arcy, Sustainability Action Research and Innovation Lead, TU Dublin; and Brian O'Brien, MRIAI Registered Architect, Solearth Design, Open Plan Design Ltd.
Session Three: DESIGN
The aim of the third session of the Creative Boardroom project was to get participant groups to articulate their 'design question' and work together to generate and develop ideas for their selected challenge and design. This session was the official launch of the design phase of this collaboration. Working within their systems teams, Chartered Directors and students explored drafting design content, stakeholder mapping, and visualisation of ideas and information. Keynote speakers for this session included Kate Lydon, Chief Design Officer, The Holding Co/ ex-IDEO and Dr Hilary Kenna, Lecturer in Design & User Experience, IADT.
Session Four: DELIVER
The fourth session launched participants into the delivery phase of the collaborative innovation process. Participants heard from keynote speakers including Karl Toomey, Lecturer, NCAD; Brian O'Brien, MRIAI Registered Architect, Solearth Design, Open Plan Design Ltd; and Kate Lydon, Chief Design Officer, The Holding Co/ ex-IDEO. Groups explored the practical impact and value of creative problem solving and design-led ideation across industries.
Session Five: CO-DESIGN
The fifth session of the Creative Boardroom project took place in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Participating Chartered Directors across Ireland focused on all the knowledge and skills they gained during the project and were asked to discuss how best to enact them at the board level and consider barriers to change within the boardroom. Lara Hanlon, Steering Member, Design Declares Ireland introduced the Chartered Directors to the 'Design Declares' model for harnessing tools of the industry to drive change. Caroline Spillane, Chief Executive Officer, IoD Ireland and Kirsty McManus, National Director, Institute of Directors in Northern Ireland were present to hear the deliberations of participating Chartered Directors before the closing out of this final in-person session of the project.
Creative Boardroom: Collaborate4Climate Exhibition
The Creative Boardroom: Collaborate4Climate project will now move into a phase of reflection and analysis on the key outcomes of the work across the five formal workshops. The director group will remain actively involved in giving expression to those outcomes supported by the Creative Boardroom team and the project will conclude with an exhibition in NCAD in November 2024. Details of the exhibition to be announced soon.
