Charities should be more risk averse in areas such as the impact of climate change, foundation and trust leaders have been told.

Speaking at a discussion at the Association of Charitable Foundations’ Leaders Forum in central London today, Julia King, Baroness Brown of Cambridge, said the speed at which change was needed to address climate problems justified the need for charities to take more risks.

During a question and answer session, King was asked about how the sector’s reputation for good governance meant it tended to be risk averse. 

King said climate sustainability deadlines and targets would be missed if more risks weren’t taken.

“If we don’t take more risks then what will happen in terms of climate, nature and people’s lives?

“So there’s an enormous risk that we’re heading straight into by being too cautious at the moment.

“I’m not suggesting that you should not have good governance but there should be some occasions where you are prepared to take more risk because there is a good chance of accelerating progress.

“The actual risk is that climate change continues to happen and get worse, not that we do something about it, and I think that’s got to change our thinking about risk in these areas.”

Other concerns were raised in relation to charities dealing with climate scepticism coming from disinformation and conspiracy theories.

King referred to trusts and foundations as “trusted communicators” and said they should use this trust to properly inform the public.

“We’ve seen governments aren’t particularly trusted and local councils are still reasonably trusted, the surveys tend to show,” she said.

“So I do think that collaboration to get people to understand this is for their children and grandchildren’s future and actually people are working to deliver the opportunities to them as well.”