Role-Play
Introduction and Purpose
Role-Playing for behaviour change is a strategy in which participants simulate new behaviours in a scenario before adopting them in the real world. The scenario could include problem-solving, challenging situations, or mimicking a new way of carrying out daily activities or a specific duty. Role-Playing offers participants a chance to prepare, practice, rehearse, discuss, evaluate and gain familiarity, understanding, perspective and (where applicable) confidence in performing the behaviour before real-world adoption (Woodhouse, 2007).
Role playing can be used to help participants connect more deeply with biodiversity and to encourage behaviours that support it. It can also serve as a way to rehearse specific biodiversity related actions or decisions. For instance, participants might be asked to take different positions in a discussion about whether to reduce the size of the staff car park to create a wildlife area.
Examples include:
- Oliver (2016) asked participants to engage in scenarios involving biodiversity crises such as climate change and impact on wildlife, to facilitate a connection with other species.
- Chen & Martin (2015) embedded Role-Playing within a broader environmental education programme to generate behaviour change towards sustainability.
- Gordon and Thomas (2018) examined the use of role play in higher education sustainability programmes, showing that it fosters deep learning and helps students build essential competencies for sustainability practice.
- The Participatory Theatre and PATHBREAK Game
Key Features
Timeframe:
- Role-play exercises can range from a single one or two hour session, to a series of workshops over several months, depending on the number of staff involved and the behaviours targeted.
Materials Required:
- Role play scenarios or scripts that outline the context, objectives, and clearly defined roles for participants. Scenarios should be realistic and relevant to workplace biodiversity themes, such as decision-making around green infrastructure, procurement or community engagement.
- A suitable location or setting that allows participants to engage comfortably and without interruption. This may be an indoor meeting space, training room or an outdoor site linked to the topic being explored.
- Prompts or visual aids such as cue cards, briefing sheets, or props to help participants understand their roles and immerse themselves in the scenario.
- Debriefing materials including flipcharts, whiteboards or reflection templates, to record key insights, observations and learning outcomes during post role play discussions.
- Ethical consent forms and participant information sheets, explaining the purpose of the exercise, voluntary nature of participation, and how data, reflections or recordings will be used. Confidentiality should be maintained, and all feedback gathered handled responsibly.
- Incentives such as recognition certificates, small rewards or inclusion in sustainability communications to acknowledge participation and encourage ongoing engagement.
- Internal communication channels, for example newsletters, intranet pages, or team meetings, to promote the role play strategy, share learning outcomes and embed its messages into wider organisational culture.
Skills Required:
- Facilitation to guide the role play session, manage group dynamics and create an open and inclusive environment where all participants feel comfortable contributing.
- Interpersonal and communication to engage employees effectively, encourage participation, and ensure that instructions, objectives and reflections are clearly conveyed throughout the process.
- Creativity to design realistic and engaging scenarios, develop compelling roles and adapt the activity to different organisational contexts or biodiversity themes.
- Marketing and internal promotion to communicate the purpose and value of the role play strategy across the organisation, securing buy-in from employees and leadership.
- Evaluation and assessment to collect and analyse feedback, measure learning outcomes and behavioural impact and refine future sessions for improved effectiveness.
- Financial and budgeting to plan resources efficiently, conduct cost–benefit analysis and ensure that delivery remains feasible within organisational constraints
Potential Impact:
- Enhanced protection and restoration of biodiversity through more informed and engaged workplace practices at both an individual employee and collective (organisational) level.
- Greater awareness, understanding and empathy among staff, regarding biodiversity and relationships with nature.
- Transformation of employee attitudes and behaviours, leading to more consistent and proactive support for biodiversity initiatives.
- Strengthened relationships and collaboration across the workforce as staff engage collectively in shared learning and decision making.
- Improved staff morale and sense of purpose through meaningful participation in environmental action.
- Progress towards achieving organisational biodiversity goals and wider sustainability commitments.
Case Study
Instructions
A Role-Playing exercise in a workplace can be rolled out using the following steps:
- Identify the behaviours to be promoted or changed by clarifying the learning or behavioural goals. These might relate to communication, decision making, empathy or specific biodiversity and sustainability practices.
- Develop realistic scenarios that mirror challenges employees might face in their daily work. Scenarios should invite participants to explore dilemmas, test strategies and express the target behaviours in context.
- Assign roles thoughtfully such as Sustainability Lead, Facilities Manager, Community Outreach Officer or Sceptical Colleague. Provide short role briefs so participants understand their perspective and objectives but still have room for improvisation.
- Facilitate the role-play session by creating a supportive atmosphere where experimentation and discussion are encouraged. Allow space for dialogue, negotiation and creative problem solving, rather than rigid performance.
- Guide post-role-play reflection through group discussion or written debriefs. Encourage participants to analyse what worked, what was challenging, and how insights can inform real workplace practice.
- Provide organisational reinforcement by connecting lessons from the exercise to ongoing initiatives, incentives, or policy changes that support the desired behaviours.
- Repeat the exercise periodically to reinforce learning, build confidence and sustain behavioural change, adapting scenarios as new challenges and opportunities arise.
Rationale
Role playing provides an experiential way to explore and practise biodiversity related behaviours within a safe and creative environment. By simulating real world challenges, it allows participants to experiment with decisions, experience different perspectives and reflect on the social and ecological dimensions of their choices. The method is flexible, engaging, and suited to a wide range of organisational contexts, from team training to strategic planning.
Benefits:
- Adaptable for both individuals and groups across diverse workplace settings.
- Enables participants to practise new behaviours and responses before real world implementation.
- Encourages active learning through participation, dialogue and reflection.
- Builds empathy for biodiversity by helping people consider multiple perspectives and interdependencies.
- Motivates employees to think and act in environmentally and socially responsible ways.
- Reduces anxiety and builds confidence in adopting new values and practices.
- Can be delivered at relatively low cost with minimal resources.
- Stimulates creativity and innovation in both thinking and behaviour.
Links to Resources
Business Balls offer an explanation and application of Role-Playing in a business context.
