We are the leading sustainable development organisation in Wales –
Enabling action towards a fair and just society, a low carbon economy and a thriving natural environment.
With our charitable aims at our core, we provide advice, training and connections to help organisations take bold decisions for a fairer and more secure future.
Our mission
We believe that every organisation can take steps to respond to global challenges in ways that benefit them, and the people around them.
Whether it’s paying the real Living Wage so that workers can live and not just exist, reshaping business practices to minimise environmental harm, or engaging with employees, supply chains and customers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – we believe that raising ambition benefits organisations in Wales and beyond now and for the future.
Our vision
Our vision is a world with a stable climate, a society which respects and protects the planet’s finite resources, and every person is respected, valued and able to meet their needs.
If you share these aims, you’ll know that making the necessary changes can be hard. There needs to be bold decision-making and urgent action. That’s where we can help.
Who we are
We’re sustainability experts who help organisations create a fairer and more secure future. Since 2002 we’ve been part of Wales’ journey to end short-term thinking and become a leader in sustainable development.
From our beginnings as a membership network, our role has evolved. Having played a key part in developing the ground-breaking Well-being of Future Generations Act, our focus has shifted to enabling practical action towards realising the Well-being goals and the sustainable Development goals.
Today, we’re a non-profit enterprise and registered charity, providing advice, training and networking opportunities.
Our team delivers wide-reaching work touching on many agendas and policy areas including climate change and decarbonisation, sustainable travel, renewable energy, utilities, affordable housing, the Foundational Economy, in-work poverty, management of natural resources and much more.
We have worked with some amazing people and organisations over the years and our current roles and areas of expertise include:
- Real Living Wage accreditation and support
- A Carbon Literacy Training Organisation delivering Carbon Literacy training for organisations
- Nature Wise – Eco literacy training
- Climate change, environmental and decarbonisation strategies and support
- Creating and facilitation communities of practice – including for social Housing Decarbonisation and the Foundational Economy in Wales
- Secretariat for the Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water Customer Challenge Group
Every project we work on helps us grow and understand even more about sustainability—and about people. We love what we do.
Our values
We strive for constant improvement
We are not afraid of change and we are always learning. We strive to adapt and respond to achieve the best results for the people we work with.
We are optimistic
Despite the scale and complexity of the challenges we work on, we believe that positive change is possible, and everyone has a role to play.
We are collaborators and doers
We actively seek to work with others to bring out the best ideas and outcomes.
We are nimble and energetic
We respond quickly and creatively to new challenges faced by our members and clients.
We promote diversity and inclusivity
We champion the principles of fair work and believe the transition to a low carbon economy should reduce inequality. We are working on expanding the diversity of our staff team and Board and providing more opportunities for anyone wanting to work in sustainability and the third sector.
We are ambitious for Wales
We champion the goals and principles in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and believe Wales can lead the way to a more sustainable future, whilst also continuing to listen and learn from the rest of the World.
Our story
In 2002 we began as the ‘Sustainable Development Forum for Wales’, set up by the then Welsh Environment Minister, Sue Essex.
We started as a membership-focused network, but from 2012 we provided more support for Welsh Government, including running The Wales We Want – a ‘National Conversation’ involving over 6000 people. This project shaped the development of the Well-being of Future Generations Act. It was the first law of its kind in the world, placing a duty on public bodies to act in the interests of our children and grandchildren.
With the Act passed and a Future Generations Commissioner appointed, our Welsh Government contract ended. Our focus changed and we became the Cynnal Cymru we are today – sustainable development experts, helping organisations take practical action for a fairer and more secure future.
Get in contact
If you have any questions or would like to find out more, please get in touch.
General Enquiries
shwmae@cynnalcymru.com
+44 (0)2294 0810
Training & Consultancy
training@cynnalcymru.com
+44 (0)2294 0812
Membership
membership@cynnalcymru.com
+44 (0)2294 0810
Living Wage for Wales
livingwage@cynnalcymru.com
+44 (0)2294 0814
