What can we learn from neurodiverse thinking to create sustainable behaviour change?

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Sitting front row at last year’s GoodFest Enviral founder Joss Ford had a lightbulb moment: 

“It was during a small breakout session with several leaders in the UK sustainability movement that we discovered we all had dyslexia and ADHD. It was a magical moment when we realised our different ways of thinking have enabled us to see unique pathways of doing things.” 

Joss’ story is not uncommon. Solitaire Townsend, co-founder of change agency Futerra, herself dyslexic and autistic, noticed a high number of neurodiverse people working in the industry. 

Her LinkedIn poll backed this up – 57% of respondents said they were either diagnosed or felt neurodiverse. Could there be a connection between sustainability and neurodiverse thinkers? 

“I believe there is a HUGE overlap between the neurodiverse and climate communities,” she said in a recent Linkedin post. “Autistics often exhibit high pattern recognition, a strong sense of social justice, frustration at damaging social conventions and low deference to authority. That’s a pretty good description of the climate community, too.”

In this blog, we’ll explore why so many neurodiverse changemakers have taken a similar purpose-led path, the strengths and challenges of neurodiverse thinking in ethical communications. 

 

Understanding neurodiversity

Just as the term ‘biodiversity’ encompasses the innate variations in the natural world, ‘neurodiversity’ acknowledges the differences between our inner worlds. 

Common neurodiverse conditions include Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia, ADHD, OCD, Tourette Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC). 

According to the British Psychological Society, 1 in 7 people in the UK are neurodiverse. As awareness increases and diagnoses are on the rise, the actual number could exceed 20% of the population.

 

Strengths of neurodiverse thinking in sustainability 

Neurodiverse conditions have traditionally been perceived as disorders, but it is now widely acknowledged that they can bring a wealth of cognitive strengths

Research from Birkbeck University found that hyperfocus, creativity, innovative thinking, detail processing and authenticity are key strengths of neurodiverse people

Professor Nancy Doyle, who co-led the research, said, “These qualities speak directly to the World Economic Forum’s reported top skills for 2025. The world of work needs people who can create and are divergent thinkers – neurodiverse workers bring exactly this!”

Nick Dean, an advocate for workplace gender equity and cofounder of HeyFlow and Motherboard, credits his Autism and OCD for his own hyperfocus, deep learning and logical pathways, which help him “stay on mission”.

Key qualities required to be a changemaker – including boldness, innovative thinking, creativity, authenticity and a keen sense of justice – align with strengths possessed by many neurodiverse people. 

Is it any surprise, then, that the founder of an ethical agency shares neurodiverse thinking with other purpose-led creatives?

The Overlapping Skills and Strengths of Neurodiversity

Credit: Created by Nancy Doyle, based on work by Mary Colley.

Creative thinking

Dyslexia has long been considered a learning disability, with ‘symptoms’ including difficulty spelling, reading and writing. 

However, Dr Helen Taylor, the lead author of a 2022 Cambridge University study, explains that “the deficit-centred view of dyslexia isn’t telling the whole story”. The findings conclude “that people with dyslexia are specialised to explore the unknown” and often have “enhanced abilities” in areas such as discovery, invention and creativity. 

This could explain why a high percentage of changemakers and entrepreneurs are neurodiverse – they’re creative, adaptable, and often unafraid to take risks or fail. 

Thinking outside the box

Conservationist Chris Packham, who was diagnosed with Autism in his 40s, believes that neurodiverse people “have been shaping civilisation”. In an interview with the BBC Chris explained, “There’s an expression… ‘that a person sees outside the box’. I don’t see a box. In a time of crisis, whether it’s climate, biodiversity…cost of living, we need people who don’t see boxes.”

Neurodiverse people think differently because they’re wired differently, both through design and experience. This certainly rings true for Joss, “Thinking against the grain is what people with dyslexia and ADHD often feel a bit more comfortable doing because we’ve had to do it often all our lives. When we’re giving motivational talks for new business pitches or campaign ideas, we remember to push the boldness scale a little bit further.”

A strong sense of justice 

Neurodiverse people often feel a strong sense of justice. Their inbuilt radar for fairness and authenticity is a powerful tool keeping them on track, fighting climate misinformation, championing human rights or clamping down on greenwash.

Greta Thunberg, one of the most powerful figures in the fight for climate justice, is autistic and believes that “given the right circumstances – being different is a superpower.” With her neurodiversity comes a stark clarity that powers her fight: “If the emissions have to stop, then we must stop the emissions. To me that is black or white.

 

We’ll be talking more about neurodiversity in ethical communications – this is just the beginning of our journey. We’d love to hear about your experiences so please do connect with us. If you’d like to work with us to create more inclusive communications for your organisation, then get in touch.

 

*We’ve used ‘neurodiverse’ as we recognise ‘neurodivergent’ can appear pejorative and imply a deviation from what is considered ‘normal’. Enviral continues to reflect, learn and understand current thinking around this terminology.

 

Written by sustainability writer and communications consultant Zoe Robinson.
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Enviral