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Join us for the GRONEN Workshop on "Insider Social Change Agents: Research, Education, and Impact" on October 10, 2025, at Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ.

The 2025 workshop of the Group for Research on Organizations and the Natural Environment () takes place at Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ and will dive into the pivotal role of insider social change agents—individuals within organizations who drive initiatives addressing societal and environmental challenges.

Together with topic experts Katrin Heucher (U Groningen) and Sara Soderstrom (U Michigan), we will collaboratively explore:

• Research: Examining the diverse identities, motivations, and organizational roles of insider social change agents and how their efforts can aggregate to catalyze broader societal transformations.
• Education: Discussing strategies to equip current and future practitioners with the skills to act as effective change agents within their organizations.
• Impact: Understanding the activities and outcomes of insider social change efforts, including the challenges they face and the broader social impacts they aim to achieve.

The workshop will provide a collaborative space to co-create new insights and materials, fostering a deeper understanding of how insider change efforts can lead to significant social impacts. This event is open to all interested individuals, from PhD students to full professors, as well as practitioners eager to contribute to the conversation. 

We are thrilled to announce Maureen Scully, UMass Boston, as our keynote speaker. We take the 30th anniversary of Meyerson and Scully’s pioneering work on tempered radicalism (Meyerson & Scully, 1995) as an opportunity to further explore the critical role of committed individuals in driving systemic change from inside organizations. 

An editorial panel (incl. Christopher Wickert, Journal of Management Studies & Minna Halme, Organization & Environment, and Grace Augustine, Organization Science) discussion will follow her keynote. More program information will be released in due course.

We have spots available for both presenters and participants who want to attend without presenting a paper:

• If you would like to present your work on research, education, or impact, please submit an abstract of 200-400 words via the link below. You can also send in a proposal for an entire panel or other setup as a team. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application soon after the submission deadline.
• If you would like to attend the workshop without presenting, please submit a 200-300-word statement of your background and motivation via the same link. 

As spots are limited, we will notify you as soon as possible after August 15 whether we can offer you a spot in the workshop. 

We look forward to welcoming you!

If you have any questions, please email GRONEN Workshop Coordinator Christina Bidmon (c.m.bidmon@uu.nl)