Michelle Gilding

I am a social entrepreneur, philanthropist, activist and mum. In recent decades I have been focused on raising 3 children, developing a number of new sustainability focused business ventures and non-profits with my husband, while living on a farm in Tasmania. I am passionate about ensuring economic and market activity enhances people’s quality of life broadly across society and pursue this through our family’s ventures, both within our community and globally. Locally this is expressed through: • a mixed farm which operates on principals of regenerative agriculture; • a food and tourism venture in a converted fruit cannery, aimed at supporting and promoting local agriculture; • investing in low to medium cost rental housing for local workers. The global manifestation of our vision is expressed through: • The Changing Markets Foundation in London, which supports campaigns that accelerate market solutions for the global sustainability challenge; • the sponsorship of a Prince of Wales’s Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge’s Institute for Sustainability Leadership, focused on radical innovation for sustainability; • work to develop an intellectual framework around the growing activism of the Climate Emergency; • Co founder of 1 Million Women (1MW), a movement empowering women to act on climate change. Now in its 10th year, 1MW boasts over 550,000 members, who have collectively pledged to cut over 250 million tonnes of CO2. Living in a rural farming community which is increasingly dependent on tourism for economic development, I am currently focused on the idea of repurposing tourism. The aim is to: • protect and enhance the ambiance of the region; • provide visitors with an authentic local experience that celebrates the work and history of the people of the area; • develop a sustainable tourism model the supports the community’s quality of life rather than threatening it. I live on a farm, in a small rural community an hour south of Hobart, in Tasmania. In my free time I indulge my love of bushwalking, gardening and all things outdoors.

Regenerative Agriculture

We’re in a Climate Emergency

Joined TED when my husband Paul Gilding gave a talk at TED2012 "The Earth is Full"