Sustainability is a Team Sport: How Coaching Skills Are Helping Sport Lead the Way

An interview with: Laura Lahiff, Sustainability Lead at Munster Rugby, Ireland

Interviewed by Charly Cox, Co-Founder, Climate Change Coaches

Laura Lahiff is someone who brings heart, purpose, and strategy to the world of sport and sustainability. As an Independent Sport Sustainability Consultant — and the in-house Sustainability Lead at Munster Rugby — she’s helping clubs, athletes, and organisations bring sustainability to life in ways that are real, relatable, and rooted in action.

“I’ve always loved sport, and I care deeply about the kind of world we’re passing on,” Laura says. After a career in structural engineering and project management, she made the shift into sustainability — driven by a powerful belief that sport has the ability to reach people not just through logic, but through emotion.

“Sport connects people. It brings us together, shifts mindsets, and shows what’s possible when we act as a team. That’s the kind of energy we need in the climate space.”

At Munster Rugby, Laura works alongside the COO and leadership team to embed sustainability into every corner of the club — from daily operations to staff engagement, supporter campaigns, and community impact. “We’re known for our deep roots and passionate supporters, and we want our sustainability work to reflect that same authenticity and connection. We’re still early in the journey, but we’re committed to using our platform for good.”

But working in sport isn’t without its pressures. “Time is always tight,” she says. “There’s a packed calendar, high-performance demands, constant movement. And yet, sport also delivers huge social impact — a sense of belonging, identity, and pride. The challenge is using the energy that’s already there and linking it to sustainability in a way that feels meaningful, not like just another task.”

And the challenges ahead are growing. From cancelled matches and heatwaves to flooded pitches and rising operational costs, the impacts of climate change are being felt across every level of sport — from elite athletes to grassroots clubs. “There’s also a growing risk of greenwashing,” Laura adds. “Sport connects emotionally, and that power can be misused if there’s no real action behind the message. We have to be brave enough to do this properly — and that’s not always easy.”

That’s what drew her to the Green Transition Coach programme. “If I want to help sport organisations lead, I need to be brave enough to influence them — and support them effectively.” For Laura, it wasn’t just about having more knowledge. It was about being able to show up differently.

“I wanted to help people connect their everyday actions to the bigger picture. Coaching gives you tools to listen better, ask more powerful questions, and help others see their own agency — and that changes everything.”

Learning with the Climate Change Coaches was, in her words, “brilliant.” She joined a group of likeminded peers and found the guidance both challenging and supportive. “I brought my sport metaphors into the mix, of course — they always go down well when you’re talking about teamwork and momentum! But seriously, it helped me develop real skills I could use right away.”

One of the big takeaways? “Listening differently. Asking questions that actually unlock something. It’s amazing how just shifting the way you engage with someone can help them take a step they didn’t think was possible.”

Since the course, Laura has put the skills to use in meaningful ways. From designing purpose-driven workshops with rugby staff and players to launching e-training tailored specifically for sport, her approach is clear: meet people where they are, speak their language, and help them see how sustainability connects to who they already are.

“It’s not about adding more to people’s plates — it’s about showing them that sustainability is already part of how they lead, how they play, and how they live.”

Her message to others considering coaching skills? “You can have all the data and strategy in the world, but if you can’t bring people with you, it won’t land. The best coaches in sport aren’t the ones with the flashiest tactics — they’re the ones who connect, who inspire, who help others believe in what’s possible. That’s the kind of leadership we need in sustainability.”

Because, as Laura says, no one wins a match from the sidelines.

“Sustainability is a team sport. We need everyone on the pitch.”