Speaking to Global Sustainable Sport, co-founder Jess Silva (Co-founder of Carbon Jacked & TV Presenter) explained the origin of the story, which began, as many things do, at another event.

“It started at COP 28 in Dubai,” Jess recalls. She and co-founder Fi Morgan (Chief Purpose Officer at SailGP) were both there speaking on panels. “To be quite honest, we were quite fed up and uninspired. We were having the same conversations, and they were really kind of boring and stale”.

The tipping point came after Fi had just been on an all-male panel. We were having the same conversations with the same people. It was clear we needed to bring more amazing women together and add a little spice to things – and so we decided to create something ourselves and start a community for women. Fi and I are deeply passionate people, and we wanted to help other passionate women too.

From a Joke to a “Kick-Ass Community”

The idea started as a half-joke. “We joked that we could call it the Sustainability Spice Girls,” Jess laughs, “but then we were worried about being sued!”.

But the seed was planted. They recognised a genuine need. Many women in sustainability “are often the only women in their organisations working on sustainability and they feel quite lonely”. The goal was never “anti-men,” Jess clarifies, but “more the fact that we really feel safe and enjoy working alongside other women and want to lift each other up”.

Launched in April 2024, Second Nature Sisters is built on three core pillars, designed to be free and accessible for all women.

1. Community: This is the core of SNS. It’s a network for connection and collaboration, facilitated through in-person events, regular ‘spiceletters’ and a private LinkedIn group. But these aren’t your typical networking functions. “We do yoga events at Sustainable Ventures,” says Jess, who is also a yoga teacher. “We’ve done nature walks in St James’s Park, a hike on the Seven Sisters trail and a run around Sydney Opera House”. The aim is to develop a deeper connection with each other.
2. Inspiration: This pillar includes regular content, an interview series with leading women in the field, such as Chief Climate Officer at TIME Magazine, and a monthly ‘spiceletter’ with updates on the community, upcoming events and recommendations.
3. Careers: With the tagline “a kick-ass community for women who work (or want to work) in sustainability”, this is a key focus. SNS provides an inside scoop on job opportunities with their jobs board, hacks and tips for succeeding in the sector, and a monthly round-up of the spiciest jobs in sustainability.

A Vibe Shift That Resonates

The response was immediate and overwhelming. “We had like 250 women join in the first couple of days which was wild,” Jess notes. Today, the community has grown to over 1,250 members across 59 countries. While 75% are currently UK-based, the US and Australia are the next biggest cohorts.

A significant moment for Jess and Fi came when they reached 1,000 sisters and at the recent Blue Earth Summit. They hosted a “coffee and connection session” with an initial capacity of 30.

“We had 50 women turn up,” Jess says. “I got there and looked around, and all of these women were already chatting – it was like Second Nature Sisters was bigger than us. It was really beautiful because it was not about us. It’s about women wanting to get together”.

This, Jess believes, is the “secret sauce.” It’s “the vibe, the brand, the energy and the passion that we bring to everything which is very different to a lot of traditional women’s networks, they can be a bit more corporate and a bit more stale”. The community already includes a ‘who’s who’ of the industry, from athletes like Hannah Mills and Amy Turner to founders like Claire Poole (Sport Positive) and Arizona Muse (DIRT).

Commenting on their involvement in Second Nature Sisters Annie Langston, Event Coordinator at ASMALLWORLD, stated that “When I joined this sisterhood, I was standing at a crossroads in my career. What I found was so much more than community; it has expanded my passion for sustainability and gave me a sense of belonging when I needed it most. From inspiring conferences to peaceful park walks and meaningful connections, this sisterhood has helped me find job roles and become a true source of purpose and joy in my life.”, whilst Emily Barrett, Corporate Innovation Director at Sustainable Ventures added “Jess has the ability to make a room full of strangers feel immediately at ease and inspired. The community yoga events that SNS have hosted at Sustainable Ventures have been incredibly successful. These events have built connections, unlocked job opportunities and inspired participants to pursue their sustainability ambitions. I’m looking forward to welcoming Jess and SNS back for the next yoga session.”

What’s Next for the ‘Sisters’?

The rapid, organic growth has proven the concept. Now, the focus is on scaling that impact. “We’re looking for a few like-minded partners to help drive the growth further. Jess is clear they must be “the right partners” with “legitimate sustainability credentials”.

The growth plans include:

• More regular events: Such as “monthly online events and in-person meet-ups from wild swimming to coffee catch ups and career sessions”.
• Careers: Helping more women find jobs that are “second nature to them”.
• Local “Sisterhoods”: Creating local chapters in cities like Edinburgh, Manchester, Bristol and further afield in Lisbon, New York and Sydney.
• WhatsApp Communities: To foster “always on” local recommendations and connections.

Co-founder of Second Nature Sisters and Chief Purpose Officer at SailGP Fiona Morgan shared that: “I’m incredibly proud of Second Nature Sisters and what we’ve achieved in such a short time. The support and sisterhood within this community have energized me this year—it’s something I deeply believe in and am passionate about growing further. Sustainable leadership can often feel lonely, especially when we’re challenging norms and driving change, but this community is a vibrant, supportive space where women come together to lift each other up, connect, and inspire. This is only the beginning, and I’m so excited to see how we can scale our impact with great partners alongside us.”

The community’s strength lies in its diversity, with 10% of members being students and 40% being C-suite, executive, or senior leaders. This creates a powerful ecosystem for mentorship and talent-spotting, which SNS also plans to facilitate for organisations.

Second Nature Sisters is a passion project born from frustration, but it has clearly tapped into a deep-seated need for genuine connection, inspiration, and “spice” in the sustainability world.

To sign up for free to join Second Nature Sisters click here:

www.secondnaturesisters.com

or follow them on social media:

• SNS LinkedIn Page
• SNS Instagram
• SNS TikTok