On 1 March, Blackheath High School held its biannual Women in Leadership Conference, this year with a focus on sustainability. The event was designed to drive empowerment and leadership among the young leaders of tomorrow on some of the most important issues of our time. 

Aimed at Sixth Form students and neighbouring schools including The John Roan School, the event brought together an impressive panel of speakers drawn from the school community and beyond. Speakers’ expertise reached far beyond the traditional ‘green’ sectors into areas as diverse as ESG & ethical investing, global social sustainability, environmental activism, healthcare and how to build a career around sustainability. 

After some inspiring keynote speeches and a panel debate, students participated in a series of interactive workshops, designed to provoke thought and inspire action. Highlights included junk modelling transition towns to explore the most useful elements for a sustainable future; working with Blackheath High’s Textiles teacher to upcycle old pairs of jeans into new denim skirts; an exploration of social, cultural and economic impact of climate change on healthcare and careers sessions designed to get students thinking about the many ways sustainability can be built into their futures

In time for International Women’s Day, students also explored how climate change has a significant impact on women, from gender discrimination in the ‘fast fashion’ industry, to the impact of climate change on healthcare, to the increased domestic workload caused by our changing environment. A key element of the conference’s Change Manifesto, entitled Radical Collaboration, will focus on addressing these inequalities. 

Carrying on the sustainability theme, this week in assembly we were delighted to welcome one of our parents, Mr Hunt, and his consulting firm Turnkey Consulting to talk about carbon offsetting and ways organisations can address the climate crisis. With Mr Crozier facilitating a debate, students could vote for the best recipient of an offsetting project.