Homeward Bound Antarctica trip for SBS Enterprise Fellow
Enterprise fellow at Strathclyde Business School Wendy Pring is about to embark on an adventure of a lifetime with a group of 100 women from a STEMM background who will see first-hand the global sustainability problems the world currently faces when they travel to Antarctica.
Wendy will observe first hand the influence of human activities on the environment as part of the Homeward Bound group which will start the 20,000 mile round trip on November 8 with 99 other women from around the globe.
Homeward Bound was founded to create a global network of women with a background in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine) with the ability to lead and able to solve our world’s greatest challenges. They were selected because of their passion and vision to recognise the importance of adding female leadership to the mix to enable positive change in our planetary management.
This is achieved through the delivery of a unique leadership development programme that seeks to change the current leadership model by equipping STEMM women from around the world with the skills to lead for the greater good, to be inclusive, collaborative, legacy-minded, and trusted with assets. The initiative was set up to focus on women as research finds women in STEMM tend not to stay in the field; that they don’t do so due to social or interpersonal factors and they are less visible in science research and STEMM awards. Homeward Bound wants to enhance participants’ leadership, strategic and visibility skills; and build a global and expanding network of deeply skilled women with a background in STEMM.
Each graduating cohort of participants becomes part of a global network of like-minded women committed to demonstrating a model of leadership that will influence outcomes for men and women towards a healthier planet - and a sustainable future for all.
Wendy, an engineer, has a background in wastewater management and a strong interest in the circular economy and circular business models. She is also the Founder and Circular Architect of The Way Forward 2045 which looks to embed wellbeing and circular economy practices into organisations in a practical and useful way.
Of Homeward Bound, Wendy said, “Individual leadership and reflection were the focus of a 12-month online learning and reflection with world class global experts and accredited coaches. Now is the time to move beyond that focus and towards the collective influence and co-creation of strategic capability with our trip to Antarctica.
“We will be at sea for around twenty-one days, returning home to the UK on December 7, taking in stops at the Falkland Islands and South Georgia; as well as landings in Antarctica, where we will be based for around seven days, immersing ourselves in the conditions, recognising the way nature cycles, the katabatic winds (and how these affect our global temperature patterns), understanding the local ecosystem and how the poles are pivotal in understanding the reality of our changing climate.
“This is an opportunity to share - with nearly 100 other exceptional women in STEMM - the space, mindset and environment to focus on our climate leadership; what this looks like and how we can build on this network. Isolation and exploration can create the space for new thinking and support reflection on how we tackle a deteriorating climate; how can business achieve a new kind of economic model and lead in the application.
“I feel we all know this; what is harder is the how and the consistency of the how alongside a burning desire to be a sustainable business. We only have one planet after all.”
Wendy has pulled together a number of ‘perks’ or offers which can be used to support her journey: https://chuffed.org/project/antarctica-leading-change-in-your-climate-journey
A previous blog written by Wendy about the Homeward Bound initiative can be found here: https://rb.gy/0wf69
Published: 2 November 2023
