Experiencing the Journey to Sustainability Leadership

This research seeks to explore the journey to sustainability leadership and aims to understand how this is experienced. Sustainability leaders represent a distinct group of leaders who apply critical thought innovation by applying equal weighting to numerous stakeholders, including the natural world, to synthesize the pillars of sustainability. Against this backdrop, this research seeks to throw light on the journey to sustainability leadership with a view to understanding how and why sustainability leaders are shaped. This research employs an adaptation on transcendental phenomenology with thematic analysis of unstructured interviews with authentic sustainability leaders. The research uncovers the key themes experienced by sustainability leaders in their journey. It demonstrates the importance of an environment which is conducive and contributory to experiences of sustainability leaders through emotional and cognitive association. Furthermore, the research highlights how the awareness of one's own presence and the ability to develop spatial focus is key and that sustainability leaders' reflective view is that of being part of a movement and not as a leader. Recommendations are made for individual leaders, organsiations, educational facilitators and policymakers alike.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

phd

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Wales Trinity Saint David

Year dc:date.issued

2026

Author dc:creator

• James, Laura

• H Gwyddorau Cymdeithasol (Cyffredinol)

Dc Identifier Grantnumber

UWTSD

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.uwtsd.ac.uk:4103