Natural Catalysts 2026: A New Approach to Environmental Leadership
The environmental sector faces a persistent challenge: leadership roles do not reflect the diversity of society. Despite growing awareness of inclusion, many environmental organizations still lack representation from various racial and ethnic groups in their decision-making positions. To address this systemic issue, a new leadership program called Natural Catalysts has been launched. This initiative aims to transform how leadership is understood and practiced within the environmental field, with a specific focus on advancing racial equity.
Applications are now open for the Natural Catalysts Programme 2026, a 12-month initiative designed to support Global Majority Leaders and Senior Leaders working together to create lasting change. The program is a partnership between Common Purpose and Makani Cambridge, with support from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. Unlike programs that focus solely on individual career growth, Natural Catalysts takes an ecosystem approach, seeking to influence individuals, organizations, leadership structures, and sector-wide systems.
What is the Natural Catalysts Programme?
Natural Catalysts is a leadership development program focused on several key areas: racial equity, leadership transformation, organizational change, systems thinking, and inclusive environmental leadership. The program’s design involved a year-long research and co-design process with input from Global Majority Leaders, Senior Leaders, environmental organizations, equity practitioners, and community stakeholders. This collaborative approach ensures the program addresses the real challenges and opportunities within the sector.
The program’s core belief is that the lack of racial representation in environmental leadership is not due to a shortage of talent. Instead, it is deeply connected to how leadership is defined, how opportunities are distributed, existing power structures, informal networks, and systemic inequities. Natural Catalysts aims to challenge and change these underlying issues by fostering organizational commitment, shared accountability, honest conversations about race and power, and structural change.
Programme Vision and Goals
The overarching vision of Natural Catalysts is to increase equitable leadership opportunities and support Global Majority Leaders. It aims to encourage institutional accountability and shift the leadership culture within the environmental sector to build long-term systemic change. The program seeks to move organizations beyond simple representation towards genuine access and influence for diverse leaders. It also aims to transition from basic mentoring to active sponsorship and increased visibility for underrepresented leaders, ultimately fostering collective transformation rather than just individual progression.
Who Can Apply?
The Natural Catalysts Programme is open to organizations operating within the environmental sector. Each organization is invited to nominate a “duo” of participants to complete the program together. This duo structure is a critical component of the program’s design.
Required Participant Structure
The program requires two types of participants from each organization:
- Global Majority Leader: This individual must be in a paid role, have lived experience of racialization in the UK, and identify within communities racialized as Black, Asian, Brown, or Arab. They should be operating at a mid-management level or above and actively navigating leadership pathways within the environmental sector.
- Senior Leader: This individual must hold a paid senior role with significant decision-making power and influence over organizational direction. They should be part of the senior management or executive leadership team. Examples include CEOs, Directors, or other executive leaders. The organizers emphasize that titles can vary, but the key is the level of influence, strategic authority, and decision-making power.
An important rule for participation is that a Global Majority Leader cannot participate without senior leadership involvement. However, if an organization does not currently employ a Global Majority Leader, a Senior Leader may participate independently. This rule underscores the program’s focus on creating organizational change.
Additional Participation Opportunity
Organizations can also nominate professionals from Human Resources (HR), Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), or Learning and Development (L&D) departments. These individuals will join a dedicated Community of Practice, helping their organizations embed program learning into policies, systems, and workplace culture.
What Participants Will Learn
The Natural Catalysts program delves into critical themes such as leadership, race, power, equity, organizational systems, and community-centered change. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of power structures and explore leadership beyond traditional hierarchies. They will learn from diverse lived experiences and roles, build supportive professional communities, and strengthen their organizational influence. The program also encourages reflection on accountability and responsibility, helping participants develop sustainable leadership practices.
Programme Structure and Components
Natural Catalysts is a 12-month program designed for 40 participants: 20 Global Majority Leaders and 20 Senior Leaders. It combines in-person residential learning with online sessions, peer communities, collaborative reflection, and systems-change approaches.
The program includes several key components:
- Online Onboarding Session: A two-hour session to build initial connections, understand program expectations, and explore themes of leadership and systemic change.
- Global Majority Leaders Track: This specialized track includes a three-day in-person residential gathering for community building and leadership reflection, along with ten one-hour online sessions for peer support and collaborative learning.
- Senior Leaders Track: This track focuses on organizational leadership reflection, discussions on power and accountability, and learning about influence and systems change through online sessions and one in-person day.
- Joint Learning Track: Participants from different leadership levels will engage in shared discussions, collaborative exercises, and explorations of organizational change and leadership practice.
- HR, DEI, and Leadership Professionals Track: This specialized track supports professionals focused on workplace culture, equity systems, and leadership development frameworks through online sessions.
- Final In-Person Gathering: A 24-hour residential gathering to conclude the program, allowing participants to reflect on learning outcomes, share insights, and discuss change implementation.
Time Commitment
The program requires a meaningful commitment from participants and their organizations. Global Majority Leaders will dedicate approximately 4 in-person days and 18 hours online. Senior Leaders will commit to 20 hours online, 1 in-person day, and shadowing/visibility activities. HR/DEI participants will engage in 4 hours online. The organizers emphasize that the program is intended to directly influence participants’ work, not to be an activity separate from it.
Benefits of Participating
Natural Catalysts offers significant benefits at personal, professional, and organizational levels. Participants will strengthen their strategic leadership skills, systems thinking, and cross-boundary leadership capabilities. They will gain access to supportive peer networks and cross-sector relationships. Organizations can expect more inclusive leadership practices, stronger equity frameworks, and improved representation pathways. Participants will also experience increased visibility and sponsorship opportunities, contributing to broader sector-wide transformation towards more equitable environmental leadership.
Cost and Financial Support
The program fee is £500 for organizations that are able to pay. However, bursaries are available, and the organizers stress that financial limitations should not prevent organizations from applying.
Information Webinar
An information webinar will be held on June 23, 2026, from 12:00 to 13:00 BST via Zoom. This session will offer program insights, application guidance, and an opportunity for questions.
About the Organising Partners
Common Purpose is an international leadership development organization founded in 1989, operating in over 100 cities worldwide with more than 130,000 alumni. They focus on cross-boundary leadership development and collaborative problem-solving.
Makani Cambridge CIC is a community-rooted organization established in 2024, focusing on racial equity, leadership, collective care, and community-led systems change. They have delivered over 70 programs and events, reaching more than 1,000 participants across the UK, centering lived experience and equity-focused systems change.
Deadline for Applications
The deadline for applications is midnight UK Time on Sunday, July 12, 2026. Interested organizations can learn more and apply through the official Common Purpose platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main goal of the Natural Catalysts Programme?
The main goal is to increase equitable leadership opportunities and support Global Majority Leaders within the environmental sector, aiming for systemic change in leadership culture.
Who is eligible to apply for the Natural Catalysts Programme?
Environmental organizations can apply by nominating a duo consisting of a Global Majority Leader (mid-management or above, from racialized communities) and a Senior Leader (with significant decision-making power).
What if an organization doesn’t have a Global Majority Leader currently employed?
If a Global Majority Leader is not currently employed, a Senior Leader may participate independently to encourage organizational change.
What is the time commitment for participants?
Global Majority Leaders will commit about 4 in-person days and 18 hours online, while Senior Leaders will commit 20 hours online and 1 in-person day, plus shadowing activities.
