Solitaire Townsend

"For me sustainable development doesn’t mean maintaining the status quo – it means positive disruption, improving the environment and quality of life. Because maintaining the status quo is not motivating and will not bring about the change we need."

Since Solitaire’s "crash course in sustainability" she has become responsible for Futerra’s mission – to make sustainable lifestyles so desirable that they become the norm. From school children to chief executives, to the Chinese government, Solitaire has been communicating the sustainability message. For positive change Solitaire believes creativity is key, and harnessing London’s creative sector and the city’s "buzz" is Solitaire’s next challenge as a London Leader.

Futerra Sustainability Communications is one of the largest worldwide communication agencies specialising exclusively in sustainable development and Solitaire believes that "six years ago London was the only city where an agency such as Futerra could have been born, and it’s still the best city in the world to do what we do".

For Solitaire the concept of sustainability is a personal one, " I grew up on a council estate in a poor physical environment and know how important a good environment is for well-being. It’s difficult to respect yourself in an environment that is disrespected and people still don’t understand this fundamental link between environmental and physical well-being. Small changes make huge differences".

Sustainability is Solitaire’s professional life: she never works on an account that doesn’t directly contribute to environmental or social sustainability. She came to London to study a Masters degree in sustainable development with Forum for the Future and over the last 10 years Solitaire has been communicating sustainability to a wide diversity of audiences. "Definitions of sustainability are not always useful. It means different things to different people but, communicated in the right way, it’s important to everyone."

Founding Futerra has opened up some fantastic opportunities for Solitaire, "I couldn’t name just one highlight, being asked by Tony Blair to speak at the launch of the UK Sustainable Development Strategy in 2005 was not only an honour, it really demonstrated the growing recognition that communication is key to our sustainable future. Being part of the recent ‘Lights off’ campaign with Capital Radio was also a real sign of the changes happening in our city and that’s something that really encourages and motivates me."

My commitment
"London has one of the world’s most exciting and dynamic creative sectors. Design, art, advertising, film and music can be harnessed in the challenge of making sustainability exciting and desirable. My commitment is to demonstrate London’s creativity and innovation for positive change. This will entail forming a Creative Roundtable which will act as the sounding board and think tank for a series of campaigns, events or awards that will help stimulate debate, raise awareness and instigate the kind of partnerships needed for large scale change. Sustainability needs creativity."