The Scottish Managed Sustainable Health Network (SMaSH) was formed in 2012 to establish a public health focus on climate change and sustainability. The Network aims to provide effective public health leadership in protecting the health of Scottish and international communities from the impacts of unsustainable practice, and exploiting the co-benefits to human wellbeing by mitigating and adapting to climate change. Five years on, with a step-change in achieving environmental sustainability in Scotland now being sought, SMaSH determined to re-evaluate the appropriateness of its focus and its ability to protect health and complement work in other sectors. methods We recognized that SMaSH needed to use an approach to the review that could facilitate change in a community of professionals, united by a common interest rather than as a group with a common professional base. After careful consideration we opted to use an appreciative inquiry (AI) approach to guide the work. Cooperrider and Whitney describe AI as “the art and practice of asking questions that strengthen a system’s capacity to apprehend, anticipate, and heighten positive potential.” results We led an AI workshop with SMaSH members in January 2017 in which the group recognized and valued: past achievements; individual member and network strengths; and strengths of other professionals and groups with an interest in climate change/sustainability. This helped SMaSH members refocus the long-term vision for the future and identify steps as to how this could be achieved. Identified work streams included: advocacy including promoting the importance of sustainable/unsustainable development for health; workforce development, including creating environmental sustainability leaders; networking and facilitation of partnerships; conducting/commissioning research relating to sustainable health and healthcare; and reviewing, collating, interpreting and disseminating evidence relating to sustainable health and healthcare. conclusions Mitigating and adapting to climate change requires multidisciplinary, multi-sector action. As a result it can be difficult to establish what the unique public health value can be in this agenda. We used an AI approach to ensure SMaSH’s future work program utilizes public health strengths, motivates the public health workforce and complements the strengths of other professionals, groups and sectors.