When most people think of sustainability in business, they picture boardrooms, presentations and strategy decks. But what happens when you take those conversations out of their usual context and into the water?
That’s the idea behind Leafr, the UK’s network of vetted sustainability consultants. Co-founders Gus Bartholomew and Nick Valenzia have organised a summit at The Wave in Bristol, bringing together more than 100 CEOs, sustainability leads and consultants to exchange boardrooms for surfboards.
“I put out a tongue-in-cheek LinkedIn post about holding a (surf)board meeting, and the response was overwhelming,” says Gus. “Within 24 hours, we had a waiting list. People are hungry for a different way of coming together – one that’s more honest, more human, and ultimately more effective.”
Nick adds: “We’ve spoken with hundreds of sustainability leaders through Leafr. Time and again, they tell us the same thing – they spend more energy fighting for budgets, translating jargon, and overcoming internal politics than on the actual work of reducing emissions or building sustainable supply chains. Taking people out of the boardroom strips away some of that weight. It’s about making space for conversations that matter.”
Alongside the event, Leafr is preparing to launch its True State of Sustainability Report, based on more than 400 conversations with business leaders.
Leafr’s message is clear: tackling sustainability requires fresh thinking – and sometimes, a willingness to get fall off the board and get back on.
