Climate Action Retreat

Green Skills in the Green Hills

Recap

Green Skills in the Green Hills

ClimateVoice hosted our first in person employee climate action retreat focused on three key elements of influence: systems thinking, coalition building, and collective action. We convened employees from 9 companies, across multiple sectors, to explore how they could hone their influence skills to be more effective climate advocates.

Our extraordinary instructors guided professionals from the automotive, consulting, financial services and tech industries through a series of presentations, discussions, and exercises around:

  • Why business can still do the right thing in a turbulent world with Alison Taylor, NYU Stern School of Business
  • Countering fossil fuel propaganda by building coalitions with Genevieve Guenther, author of The Language of Climate Politics
  • Power mapping to influence up with Neil Yeoh, OnePointFive Academy
  • AI data center policy with Madeline Dyke, Climate Reality Project
  • State policy with a case study on NY with Danny DeBare, Environmental Advocates NY
  • The inside scoop on your company’s lobbying influence with Kendra Haven, InfluenceMap

Spending time at a beautiful location in New York’s Hudson Valley provided for an inspiring couple of days full of dialogue and reflection on how to be more informed and catalyze climate action at work.

The Experience

Hosted on a verdant campus in the scenic hills of the Hudson Valley.

The Pocantico Center has been host to some of the most influential leaders, thinkers, and creative minds of the last century. Today, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund continues to bring together people at Pocantico through a robust slate of conferences, artist residencies, tours, performances, exhibitions, and educational programs.

Alison Taylor offers opening remarks on “A Clear-Eyed View of the Moment We’re In: Why Business Can Still Do the Right Thing in a Turbulent World
Campaign Director Jennifer Allyn presenting what climate leadership looks like.
Employees do a small group exercise during a breakout session on ‘Power Mapping and Influencing Up'
Participants tour the Pocantico grounds during one of the many networking, collaboration and social breaks during the retreat

Would 1000% recommend...already looking forward to part two!

Testimonial

This is a retreat that I would 1000% recommend to a colleague. I learned a tremendous amount, engaged in incredible conversations, and walked away feeling energized to pick up the mantle and continue this work. Thank you for the opportunity to participate, be in community, and learn from such an inspiring group of peers. I'm already looking forward to part two!
- Employee Attendee
Dr. Genevieve Guenther, author of The Language of Climate Politics, Neil Yeoh, CEO of OnePointFive and Deborah McNamara, ClimateVoice Executive Director prepare for a session on ‘Power Mapping and Influencing Up’

Key Outcomes

Systems thinking, coalition building, and collective action.

The retreat was designed to maximize employee impact in several key ways including:

  • Shifting power dynamics by teaching employees how to move opinions and inspire corporate action without needing formal, hierarchical authority.
  • Building cross-company alliances by connecting participants with peers -outside their companies.
  • Exploring collective action opportunities for companies to shape climate policy.

Our Speakers

Facilitated by Experts

Thank you to our extraordinary instructors for leading our employee participants through dynamic lectures and interactive exercises addressing key elements of influence. Speakers provided insights into the current state of corporate sustainability, the policy debates surrounding AI data centers, and strategies for crafting persuasive messages.
Danny DeBare
Environmental Advocates NY
Madeline Dyke
Climate Reality Project
Dr. Genevieve Guenther
End Climate Silence
Kendra Haven
InfluenceMap
Alison Taylor
NYU Stern School of Business
Neil Yeoh
One Point Five Academy

Testimonial

Great job mixing messages and practical skills...

Testimonial

I really enjoyed some of the very practical breakouts and worksheets that we can take back with us and build on. All of the speakers and sessions did a great job mixing messages and practical skills.
- Employee Attendee

Session Spotlight

AI, Data Centers, and Hyperscaler Accountability

Madeline Dyke of Climate Reality Project hosted a session on ‘What’s Powering Your Prompts? Data Center Policy in the Age of Electricity,’ which offered a deep dive into the rapid expansion of AI and the unprecedented surge in energy demand. Currently, much of the data center growth is being fueled by natural gas rather than renewable sources. The group considered the barriers to and opportunities in powering data centers with clean energy, including the aging power grid in the United States that relies heavily on fossil fuels to meet new capacity needs.

Employee teams across companies broke into groups to consider solutions to infrastructure strain and how hyperscalers could be part of the solution. Key levers for change discussed include:

Large Load Tariffs
Ensuring that data centers account for the full cost of grid upgrades and transmission, rather than socializing these costs among residential ratepayers.
Clean Energy Procurement (BYONCE)
Adopting "Bring Your Own New Clean Energy" models, including behind-the-meter generation, to power facilities without straining the public grid.
Demand Flexibility
Implementing requirements for data centers to reduce energy usage during peak load times, preventing grid instability.
Virtual Power Plants (VPPs)
Leveraging distributed energy resources—such as home batteries and EVs—to coordinate energy usage and stabilize the grid.
These discussions build upon ClimateVoice’s ongoing work hosting the Cross Company Alliance for Employee Climate Action, a monthly online convening where employees collaborate, share resources and advocate for clean energy powered and responsible AI and data center buildout. ClimateVoice continues to leverage inside relationships in order to shape our AI and data center accountability campaign work.

Learn More

Contact us to learn more about future events.

If you or someone you know would be a good fit to attend future retreats, please fill out the form below to get in touch with our team.
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*Disclaimer: Participants will attend this retreat as individuals and not as official representatives of their companies.

Testimonial

Such a memorable experience

Testimonial

The weekend was incredible—not only because of the beautiful setting, but because of the thoughtful, inspiring people who made it such a memorable experience.
- Employee Attendee