Working in Sustainability: Challenges, Realities & Co-Creating What Comes Next

What are the realities of working in sustainability and how can wen navigate them together?

Many of us entered this field hoping to contribute to positive change, yet the work comes with challenges: balancing idealism and practicality, navigating complex organisations and resistance, dealing with uncertainty, managing burnout, communicating across different perspectives, and more.

Through a survey, we asked our community about the realities of working in sustainability. One theme stood out clearly: What are the challenges of this work, and how do people navigate them?

Based on this, we are starting with this pilot event which is not only about discussing these challenges, but also about exploring what we can do about them. Together, we'll identify the issues people face, discuss which ones can be addressed through peer support, skill-sharing, mentoring, or collective action, and help shape future community events around these needs.

Over drinks, we'll share experiences, identify common themes, and share ideas for how this community can better support people working in sustainability. The goal is to move beyond simply recognizing challenges and begin building constructive responses to them.

Questions we can potentially explore

What challenges do people working in sustainability face most often?Which challenges can we address through peer support and skill-sharing?

Which challenges require broader institutional or systemic change?

What kinds of future events, activities, or initiatives would be most valuable for this community?

Agenda

Introductions

Key insights from the survey

Share experiences & clustering key challenges as the 'deep dive' themes

Share ideas for future support, skill-sharing and community activities

Next steps

Date: 30 June

Location: Subcult, Amsterdam

(3 min bike and 12 min walk from Centraal Station - Buiksloterweg ferry stop. 1 min bike and 7 min walk from Ijplein ferry stop).

Format: Informal discussion over drinks. Free event; order your own drinks.

This is not just a place to talk about challenges. It is a first step in building a community response to them.

Come share your experiences and help co-create what comes next!

If you haven't yet, please consider completing our survey. Your input will help shape future events and activities. Thanks! https://forms.gle/oaJuzGZ7hRzf5aaZ7

Matty & Seunghye from Circular Amsterdam