Straight Talking Sustainability – Shifting Mindsets with Charly Cox

In this episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, Emma welcomes Charly Cox, Executive Director of Climate Change Coaches and a pioneer in the field of climate coaching. Together, they explore the psychological aspects of driving sustainable change in organizations, the unique challenges faced by sustainability professionals, and practical strategies for overcoming barriers to effective climate action.

Key Takeaways

• Sustainability is a people-centered job: Technical skills are important, but communication, influence, and psychological insight are critical for success.
• Belief leadership matters: Executive sponsorship must translate to active participation, not merely delegating responsibility to underpowered teams.
• Coaching skills enable action: Learning to ask powerful questions and adopting a strengths-based approach helps “stuck” professionals and organizations move forward.
• You don’t need to be the font of all knowledge: Focusing on being a “thought partner” and building organizational belief in change is more effective than relying solely on technical expertise.
• Make change accessible: Breaking actions into small, reversible, and familiar steps can help overcome overwhelm—both for sustainability professionals and organizational decision makers.