Did I make the right decision?

Just over two years ago I took the unusual decision to walk away from leading Hubbub a charity I had founded which was flourishing, well resourced and widely applauded. Instead, I started from scratch setting up Sizzle intent on exploring whether new forms of collaboration could deliver long-term systemic change. Was it the right decision?

Thanks to the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation I was able to explore whether a collaborative approach could successfully stop peat being used for growing plants and food. Whilst the ultimate ambition has not been delivered, do I feel that I have made a difference, or would I have been better off staying at Hubbub?

Whilst things have moved much slower than hoped, I am starting to see positive trends. A new partnership has been created aiming to better educate gardeners on how to choose and use peat free compost, an increasing number of diverse organisations are aligned behind a new circular economy legislative ask, retailers are starting to collaborate looking at how they can reduce peat in their supply chains and there are a growing number of inspiring and successful initiatives demonstrating the viability of a peat free future. One of these initiatives is a potential new business I am developing seeking to disrupt the sector and generate a new funding for a charitable venture in this space.

On the downside, I have missed the resource and skills that were available at Hubbub and consequently have not been able to exploit some of the opportunities that exist. It has been difficult heading into a subject which is largely undiscussed, despite the significant environmental benefits of peatlands. It has also felt strange stepping out of the spotlight from a leading environmental charity to an unknown community interest company.

Assessing whether I could have made a bigger impact at Hubbub is difficult, but I am confident that the decision was the right one for me. I knew that I was getting stale in my previous role, that I couldn’t spend time doing what I am best at and consequently was no longer providing the organisation with the level of dynamism and energy required. I knew I needed to create a healthier work life balance able to spend more time pursuing different interests and reconnecting with friends.

Fundamentally though I had grown to realise that achieving lasting change requires systemic change. The only way to enable people to live prosperous lives within safe environmental limits is to make it the natural, easy and best choice.

The work on peat, which should be a relatively easy transition, has demonstrated the complexity of achieving this systemic change. I believe that in the next five years the change will occur and that our work will have played a small part in helping it happen in a way that is just and sustainable. 

If this assumption is correct then it is obviously to be celebrated, but I hope that work I am doing will have a wider impact. Ideally, it can offer new evidence for funders helping them to assess a range of options for delivering long-term impact, it can highlight new ways for organisations to collaborate on systemic change and I can use the insights gathered to work in different sectors. Watch this space for news on that!