About

My main interests are in sustainable business, system leadership and how people learn to become leaders.  I lead the Sustainable Business and Clean Growth research group which strives to develop robust, applied and impactful (place-based) research and develop trans-disciplinary, cross University and wider stakeholder knowledge exchange. I also lead the Low Carbon Business Network that offers business support to SMEs supplying eco-friendly, low carbon and sustainable goods and services across the East Midlands. Between 2016-2022, I led the Derbyshire Net Zero Accelerator, Low Carbon and DE-Carbonise Smart Factory projects.

Teaching responsibilities

• PhD/DBA Supervisor
• Module Leader for MSc Sustainable and Ethical Business Management
• Invited lecturer on sustainable business on a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate Modules
• Research Methods supervision for Independent Studies postgraduate dissertations

Professional interests

Leading the Low Carbon Business Network involves collaborating with a variety of regional bodies that include local Councils, Chamber of Commerce, Local Enterprise Partnership, skills providers and non-governmental organisations. My specialist interests:

• Sustainable business support
• Systems innovation, sustainability and change leadership
• Leadership Learning - coaching, action learning and communities of practice

Research interests

My research activity includes mapping the growth of the Low Carbon Sector in the D2N2 region and studying the features of enterprise support for pro-environmental business.

I am also interested in the role that leadership plays in supporting sustainable transformation, the skills and qualities required to lead this transition and how businesses and other organisations collaborate to accelerate the shift towards a low carbon economy.

Membership of professional bodies

• Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Member of the British Academy of Management

Qualifications

• PhD in professional learning - University of Nottingham. 1999
• MEd Open Programme - University of Sheffield. 1992
• Postgraduate Certificate of Education - Kingston Polytechnic. 1987
• BSc (Hons) Civil Engineering - University of Nottingham. 1983

Recent conferences

• Paterson, F (2019) Accelerating the Shift to a Low Carbon Economy. Instituto Politecnico Nacional. Mexico City. October 2019
• Paterson, F. (2019) Building a dynamic model of change for sustainability leadership. British Academy of Management Conference, University of Aston, Birmingham. September 2019
•  Paterson, F (2018) Leadership for Sustainability. British Academy of Management. Responsible and Sustainable Business SIG. Feb 2018
• Paterson, F. & Baranova, P. (2018) Competitiveness through responsible supply chains and resource efficiency: A regional outlook. Derby, East Midlands Chamber of Commerce
• Paterson, F (2014) Accelerating the shift to a Low Carbon Economy: What kind of local leadership do we need? Sustainable Innovation Conference. Copenhagen. November 2014
• Paterson, F., Delight, P. & Carlier, J (2014) Conversation in the round – group learning through interactive dialogue with experienced witnesses. Derby University Learning and Teaching Conference
• Sutherland, S & Paterson, F (2011) Creating an online network for school leaders in England. Presented at KMUK Conference, London. June 2011
• Paterson, F & Ireson, G (2010) Taking a Local Solutions approach to a national challenge, BELMAS. Warwick. October 2010

Experience in industry

For most of my career I have worked in public sector organisations: Schools, Local Authorities, Universities and the National College for School Leadership where I held senior roles in research and leadership development for ten years in the schools and Children’s Services sectors as well as in the private sector.

Before my role at University of Derby, I was Head of Knowledge and Learning and a senior researcher at the National College for School Leadership between 2001-2011; where I was a Lead Coach and co-authored 'Leading Coaching in Schools'. I was also an Associate of the Virtual Staff College (who provide leadership development nationally for Directors of Children's Services) where I co-facilitated the national Mentor Induction for Directors of Children's Services Programme and provided coaching and action learning training for senior managers in several local authorities in the East of England.

I also run my own consultancy (Accelerate the Shift) which is a social enterprise dedicated to creating a healthier, fairer and more sustainable future through collaborative learning experiences.

Recent publications

• Paterson, F., Baranova, P., & Gallotta, B. (2022). Towards a conceptual framework of enterprise support for pro-environmental small and medium-sized enterprises: A contextualised review of diverse knowledge domains. Local Economy, 37(3), 142–168
• Paterson, F., Baranova, P. & Gallotta, B. (2020). 'Pro-environmental business and clean growth trends for the East Midlands 2020'. Derby: University of Derby
• Baranova, P., Paterson, F., Gallotta, B. (2020). 'Configuration of enterprise support towards the clean growth challenge: a place-based perspective'. Local Economy, pp. 1-25
• Paterson, F et al. (2018)' Key skills and training needs of the D2N2 low carbon and environmental goods and services (LCEGS) sector'. Abridged final version. Derby: University of Derby
• Knight, B & Paterson, F (2018) 'Behavioural competencies of sustainability leaders: An empirical investigation', Journal of Organizational Change Management. Vol. 31 Issue: 3, pp.557-580
• Baranova, P and Paterson, F (2017) 'Environmental capabilities of small and medium sized enterprises: Towards transition to a low carbon economy in the East Midlands.', Local Economy: The Journal of the Local Economy Policy Unit', Local Economy, 32 (8), pp. 835-853
• Paterson, F (2017) Leadership and the Low Carbon Economy in Baranova, Conway, Lynch & Paterson. The low carbon economy: Understanding and supporting a sustainable transition. London. Palgrave Macmillan.
• Pearce, W & Paterson, F (2017) The influence of policy, public service and local politics on the shift to a Low Carbon Economy in the East Midlands in Baranova et al. (ibid.)
• Paterson, F & Delight, P (2015) A study into how senior leaders learn to lead from experience. Critical Perspectives in Business Management Journal. University of Derby
• Sutherland, S & Paterson, F (2012) Creating an online network for school leaders in England. in Making knowledge management work for your organization, (Ed) Hawley, T. London, Ark
• Creasy, J & Paterson, F (2005) Leading Coaching in Schools, Nottingham, NCSL
• Paterson, F & West-Burnham, J (2005) Developing Beginning Leadership in Southworth, G & Coles, M (Eds) Developing Leadership. Maidenhead. Open University Press