What could you do before the age of 30?
Meet Emma Sayle.
Emma recently won the UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man and Net Zero Sustainability category at the Gef 30 Under 30 2024 Awards. In total, there were 10 Categories and thirty young visionaries receiving recognition for their hard work and positive changes to the Isle of Man.
What I do
After finishing my master’s degree in business and Sustainability Implementation, Hansard Global reached out to me and offered me a Project Officer role within the business with the hope that I would transition into a sustainability-based role when the time was right. During this period, I chaired, and continue to chair, the Green Team within Hansard. I also had the opportunity to undertake my Agile Project Management exams which have also aided me within my current role.
My current role within Hansard is as a Sustainability Officer, which is a pretty broad role and one which is hard to define because sustainability is such a broad topic but some of my main responsibilities include community engagement, driving internal initiatives, horizon scanning for changes in regulation and monitoring of sustainability-related risks, representing the business in sustainability-related matters, attending sustainability events and workshops which are relevant to my role.
A day in the life
Each day looks very different, depending on the month and what the priorities of the business are. There are so many aspects to sustainability, and with the Sustainability Officer role still being relatively new within Hansard I’m still trying to understand how everything sits together across the business. Every day I learn something new that I have to tie into the rest of the work I’m doing.
Research forms a large part of my working week, looking at upcoming regulation changes, new ways of working, emerging ideas around how to address sustainability issues, theories around climate change, etc. This is part of the role I really enjoy and looking into how other businesses are addressing and solving issues is really motivating.
Another aspect of my week is engaging with and maintaining the relationships we have formed with external charities and ongoing commitments. This is probably the most fulfilling part of my role and seeing how the work we do helps to support the local community and it feels like, personally, I am giving something back. With the support of the Green Team, we try to come up with ideas and proposals around how we can support the local community and what internal initiatives we can drive each year, so organising those meetings and ensuring we have the right governance in place also falls within my remit.
What led me to a career in sustainability
Sustainability has always featured in some way throughout school, maybe not directly in primary school, but within secondary and throughout university the topic of sustainability was always present. As part of my A-level product design project, I designed a recycling bin that was more ergonomic than the current boxes. Whilst the project focussed on the design of the bin, I had the opportunity to see how Douglas Borough Council sorts their recycling, where it gets shipped to, and what challenges they face. I think this is what started the sustainability journey. Whilst at university I undertook a 5-week placement within the Sustainability Unit at the University of Chester, designing a learning module for new members of staff, introducing them to the work the university was doing to address sustainability-related issues. I then chose to focus my undergraduate dissertation on the barriers businesses on the Isle of Man face when it comes to addressing sustainability issues and finally undertaking my Master’s, again focusing on sustainability which is how I have got to where I am today.
Why I believe focusing on business is important
Businesses have a responsibility to look after their employees, the communities they operate within, and the wider world. They are often the drivers of change and have the power, influence, and often the finance to do this, the larger businesses anyway. A large proportion of our Island economy is made up of business-driven activity and in order for us to create a sustainable economy that has a positive impact on society we need businesses to be transparent and engage in more sustainable practices for the sake of the Island as a whole. It is positive to see that so many businesses are already taking action, whether directly or indirectly, and more purpose-driven organisations and social enterprises are being set up which are addressing sustainability issues head-on.
The workplace is also where we spend the majority of our adult lives so ensuring that we feel supported and fulfilled in the workplace is vital. There are also associated business benefits to meeting the needs of those employees, such as a more motivated and productive workforce and the attraction and retention of employees, as well as it being just the right thing to do.
How my manager would describe me
Without asking directly, I would like to think my manager would describe me as hardworking and probably a bit of a perfectionist with a lot of potential. They would also probably say I’m the best cutter outer in Hansard but that’s a separate story…
My strengths and weaknesses
Strengths:
- Generally good at time management and knowing what I need to prioritise.
- I don’t tend to get overly stressed by anything, a little bit of pressure or a deadline normally motivates me to get something done.
- This could also be seen as a weakness, but I normally say yes to things which has led to some amazing experiences and I love being able to help people.
Weaknesses:
- I get distracted easily if I’m enthusiastic about something so if I’m focussing on one task but something else really interests me I’m likely to get sidetracked.
- I say yes to most things…so sometimes this means I get roped into things I might not necessarily enjoy but I try and take a learning from it.
- I still lack confidence in certain things as I’m more of an introvert but this is something I’m working on.
My nomination for the award
Jo Overty, who was the Project Officer at UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man when I undertook my placement nominated me for Gef’s 30 under 30 within the Sustainability category. I was honoured to be nominated but didn’t think I would win so when I got the email through, I was a bit shocked. The process was very much outside of my comfort zone but I’m glad I’ve pushed myself and it has given me more confidence in the work I am doing, and I have met some great people and new opportunities on the back of it. The toolkit provides businesses with context around what sustainability is, small steps businesses can take, and provides case studies of businesses on the Island that have already taken action.
Future projects and goals
From a work point of view:
The next project I want to focus on is creating a sustainability learning module and workshop sessions to educate and engage colleagues in sustainability and create a culture where people are more considerate and conscious about their actions. I think we have already made a good start internally with implementing more sustainable practices and getting people starting to think more about sustainability but there is always more we could be doing and my list of work is ever-growing!
From a personal point of view:
My current short-term goal is to re-fit the inside of my van, Dory so that I can continue to explore. Longer term I want to find a way to help organisations that are maybe stuck on the next steps or don’t have the resources or capacity to think about how to create a more sustainable business.
Advice for people starting in sustainability
The world of sustainability is a very dynamic environment, with new regulations and ideas emerging as the topic is researched and understood more. As it is more understood, demands on businesses to use their impact for good and provide transparency to stakeholders are becoming more prevalent. Regulation will make it mandatory for businesses to embed more sustainable practices, making individuals with knowledge of sustainability highly sought after. There is opportunity for growth within this and as roles around sustainability are relatively new, there is scope to make the job your own. You may often be the only person within the business who understands the subject and wants to drive the change, which will present a challenge, but if it is something you are passionate about and want to make changes then people will listen to you.