44 Creative Boardroom: Collaborate 4 Climate

Louise Allen presented Creative Boardroom: Collaborate 4 Climate, an intergenerational programme that brought together 24 company directors and 20 design students from NCAD and IADT to explore climate action through design thinking. Funded by Creative Ireland’s Climate Action Fund and delivered through the Creative Futures Academy, the project partnered with the Institute of Directors north and south of the island.

The initiative addressed how climate change and the circular economy can be integrated into board-level decision-making. Directors and students engaged in five workshops covering key systems—food and agriculture, textiles, mobility, and the built environment—supported by experts from SEAI, the EPA, and international sustainability organisations. Using the UK Design Council’s double diamond methodology, participants co-created prototypes and actionable strategies.

Students contributed 18 design proposals, focusing on textiles and food systems, while directors identified five major barriers to climate action in boardrooms. Solutions ranged from building shared understanding of climate challenges to incentivising sustainable practices and elevating climate as a central boardroom agenda item.

The project culminated in an exhibition at NCAD Gallery showcasing key climate statistics, student concepts, and board-level commitments. Designed with a low carbon footprint, the exhibition communicates urgent challenges through clear, relatable facts (e.g. the water footprint of a pair of jeans), and is now touring workplaces across Ireland.

Ms Allen highlighted that the programme fostered reverse mentoring, with students’ creativity and optimism influencing directors’ perspectives, while directors provided mentorship on organisational realities. This innovative collaboration demonstrates how design education can shift boardroom culture toward systemic climate action.

About the author

name: Louise Allen

institution: National College of Art and Design

Louise Allen is the Director of the Creative Futures Academy at the National College of Art and Design.