NSW Premier’s Award for Woman of the Year
Natalie Isaacs is the founder and CEO of 1 Million Women (1MW), a global movement of women and
girls changing the way they live to fight the climate crisis. Since launching in 2009, Natalie has grown
1MW to more than 700,000 women and counting.
As a former cosmetic manufacturer, Natalie’s life was all about over-packaging. She thought climate
change was someone else’s problem – until she had an epiphany. She realised, ‘how we live, the choices we make every-day and the influence we have in our households, workplaces and communities are key to solving the challenge of climate change’. And with that, she launched 1MW.
Natalie’s own journey from apathy to action delivers the simple message that real behaviour change, however small, begins with personal action. And that women are powerful leaders of change.
Through Natalie’s inspirational advocacy, 1 Million Women has become one of Australia’s largest networks acting on climate. More than 40,000 Australian women have participated in a 1MW event. Over 100,000 have taken the 1MW carbon challenge; and Natalie has inspired thousands of schoolgirls to be climate leaders for their generation.
Natalie is a pioneer in the gender and climate change arena. She is a sought-after presenter and recognised and supported by some of the United Nations’ most influential women climate leaders.
In 2017 Natalie was named the Australian Geographic’s Conservationist of the Year.