What brought you to this moment in your career where the Sustainability Excellence Associate (SEA) made sense for you?

I completed a Diploma of Sustainable Practice and began implementing sustainable strategies in a small business in 2021. The internal and external benefits were immediately perceptible, and I committed to a career furthering sustainability goals. I joined ISSP and began attending the monthly webinars, which have all been exceptionally informative. The opportunity to solidify my core knowledge whilst studying for the SEA exam was attractive, and the credential has given me the confidence to operate as a sustainability professional.   

How are you putting the knowledge, skills, and ability demonstrated in the SEA to work in your career (or work) today?

The knowledge and skills I continue to gain whilst maintaining my SEA credential have enabled me to partner with businesses and map pathways towards embedded sustainability. Focus areas often include the business case for sustainability, systems thinking, theories of behaviour change and innovative tools and technology. 

I work with nano, micro, and small businesses — listening, observing, and assisting where possible to understand the operation and the people as best I can. The sustainability journey is seldom linear, and flexibility is key. Outlining a path forward can be a helpful start, but I am always prepared to walk off the beaten track.

For those starting out in the sustainability field, what advice do you have for them?

Make a commitment to lifelong learning. Investigate the principles of sustainability as general concepts, and then find your own style — your own way of applying what you know, to where you are. The world needs different individuals with contrasting views from diverse backgrounds working on complex problems.