A conversation with Merlina Missimer on Formal Education for Social Transformation

In this episode, I get to talk to my former "teacher" Merlina Missimer, co-director of the Master's in Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability (MSLS) program in Karlskrona, Sweden, and a researcher with nearly 20 years of experience in sustainability leadership and social sustainability. We explore what makes a sustainability leader, why formal in-person education still matters in a world of online learning, and what the MSLS programme does differently to create truly transformational experiences. We discuss the vital skills sustainability professionals need today, from strategic thinking to social skills to inner development, and why understanding the problem is never enough without the ability to act on it. We also dive into the ongoing debate around sustainability versus regeneration, especially on the social side, and why defining what a healthy social system looks like (or not) is both possible within context and urgently needed. A key theme throughout is that you do not need a formal title or a senior position to be a sustainability leader, but you do need allies and a community to sustain the work. This episode is for anyone who cares about driving change, whether you are considering formal sustainability education, already working in the field and feeling isolated, or simply wondering what skills to build. The core lesson is that sustainability leadership is about agency, collaboration, and the courage to work within systems while creatively pushing their boundaries. If you take one thing away, let it be this: never do it alone. 💡 HIGHLIGHTS of this Episode ✨ No official "role title" is needed to be a leader in sustainability ✨ In-person learning builds what online never can ✨ Strategic and social skills beat technical knowledge ✨ Inner work keeps change agents from burning out ✨ An unsexy but practical definition of social sustainability 👋 ABOUT Merlina Missimer (she/her) Merlina's work focuses on research and education in sustainability with 15+ years of experience in the field. She is the Director for the Master's in Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability and has worked with the programme for nearly 20 years. Merlina enjoys sharing her own learning and understanding of sustainability with others, as well as creating learning environments that allow people from diverse backgrounds to quickly grasp essential concepts and work with them on a deep, transformational level. 🔗 CONNECT & follow Merlina's work 👉 LinkedIn 👉 Instagram 👉 MSLS Programme (Applications open! 📮) 👉 Department of Strategic Sustainable Development 💌 CONNECT & engage with Pia Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn to follow and support each other’s work. 🤗 If you consider yourself an #impactjobseeker or aspiring #impactpreneur at the beginning of your journey, jump on my Newsletter “Impact Insights” where I regularly share tools and best practices from my work as a sustainability consultant and system change facilitator. 🤓 For daily insights “behind the scenes” and event updates, join the extended community on the @work.with.impact Instagram account. 🧐💓 👉 If you want to work with me, reach out to me via my website: impacthills.com 🤗 Take care of yourself and others! Pia 🤍 P.S. You can also watch this Episode on our YouTube Channel to see our faces 👋 🙂 #sustainability #regeneration #leadership #socialsustainability #systemsthinking #changemakers #education #innerdevelopment #climateaction #sustainabilitycareers #impact #community

Why acknowledging grief and using humour & stories matters

In this conversation with Climate activist and Philanthropy Advisor Raysa França from Impatience Earth, we talk about what it really means to work in climate action without sacrificing ourselves in the process. We reflect on how many people in the social and environmental impact sector are deeply motivated, yet constantly overstretched due to a lack of resources, structural inequalities, and unrealistic expectations. Raysa shares how her journey from Brazil to Finland shaped her understanding of access to nature, activism, and belonging, and why empowering people to act without exclusivity has become a core driver of her work. We discuss how burnout is not a personal failure but a collective symptom of how impact work is currently funded and organised. We explore why honesty, humour, and emotional openness can be more transformative than polished performance in climate conversations. We also dive into Raysa's work at Impactience Earth in climate philanthropy advisory, where education, learning journeys, and accountability help funders make better decisions. And last but not least, Raysa gives insights into her creative writing project, a book for children to teach about interconnectivity, loss and love. ➡️ This episode is for climate professionals, funders, activists, and anyone who wants to contribute to change without losing themselves. The key lesson is that action becomes more powerful when we connect on a human level, acknowledge grief, and learn to set boundaries. 💡 HIGHLIGHTS of this Episode ✨ Climate work without disposability ✨ Resources as care infrastructure ✨ Action beyond performance ✨ Humour as a bridge, not a distraction ✨ Small windows to meaningful change 👋 ABOUT Raysa França (she /her) Raysa França works at the intersection of climate action, creativity, and philanthropy. Like a tree with many branches, her impact career has grown across research, education, corporate, and nonprofit settings, each branch reflecting her commitment to enabling others with resources, knowledge, and opportunities so that they can contribute to sustainability transitions. Originally from Brazil and living in Finland for the past seven years, Raysa currently advises funders and donors on deploying climate finance where it can have the greatest impact. The project closest to her heart these days is a book she is writing for her nephew and niece - an attempt to shrink the distance of more than an ocean between them and capture the magic of connection across time and space. Outside of work, she enjoys exploring the outdoors, dancing, karaoke, and experimenting with plant-based cuisine. 🔗 CONNECT & follow Raysa's work 👉 Raysa's Website 👉 Impatience Earth 👉 Raysa on LinkedIn

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📣 YOU want to take Climate Action and make a positive social impact? Get your impact project off the ground without burning out! I accompany and support purpose-driven professionals on their journeys towards working in alignment with their values. 👉 Check out the Mentoring Programmes on the work.with.impact website 📅 Book a Free Exploration Call with me personally. Take care of yourself and others! Pia 🤍 P.S. You can also watch this Episode on our YouTube Channel to see our faces 👋 🙂 #climateaction #philanthropy #socialimpact #burnoutculture #fundingchange #funding #climatejustice #regenerativework #systemschange #collectivecare #impactwork