Sustalent Hub Talent Networking Night: How Can We Improve Work Efficiency in Sustainability?

Why did we want to host this Networking Event?

In recent years, more and more people have started working in the sustainability field.

Some work on disclosure, GHG inventories, sustainability reports, and supplier management within companies. Some work on the consulting side, helping companies build methodologies, collect data, and align with standards. Others work in government, research institutions, or solution providers, tackling sustainability-related issues from different positions.

But we have also noticed that many sustainability professionals do not often get to meet people who truly understand what they are working on.

Some of the work is detailed and hard to explain in just a few sentences. For example, pushing a project forward often means coordinating across different departments again and again. It may involve spending a lot of time organizing data, confirming boundaries, and following up on progress. It may also mean repeatedly explaining within the company why something needs to start now.

So for this Networking Event, what we wanted to do was simple: to create an evening where everyone could step away from their usual work setting and talk with others who are also working, learning, or exploring in the sustainability field.

The theme this time was “How can we improve work efficiency in sustainability?” Sustainability work is rarely just one thing. It often involves data, communication, regulations, tools, cross-department collaboration, and project management all at once. How to make the work flow a little more smoothly is a very real challenge for many people.

How did the event work?

At the beginning of the event, we invited two speakers to share the tools and working methods they use in their own work.

Their sharing covered how to organize data, manage tasks, and speed up information gathering. They also discussed which parts of sustainability work can be made less repetitive through better tools or process design.

For many people who are busy in their day-to-day work, this topic was very practical. Sustainability work is often not just a question of whether we want to do something. In reality, there are many scattered, detailed tasks that require constant checking and follow-up. Finding more efficient ways of working can make things feel a little less stuck.

After the speaker sharing and Q&A, we arranged table discussions. We originally hoped that through different table groups, participants could meet people from different backgrounds and talk about their experiences in work, career transitions, learning, or industry observations.

From table discussions to free-flowing conversations

As the event went on, the atmosphere started to move beyond our original plan.

We had designed a rhythm for table discussions, but people soon began moving around naturally. Some changed tables, some stood up to chat, and some went directly to the people they had wanted to meet even before the event.

We found this really interesting.

Before the event, we had prepared a simple participant list so that everyone could get a rough idea of who they might meet that day. To our surprise, some people had actually read it in advance and went straight to the people they wanted to talk to once they arrived.

This made the event feel less like a fixed agenda and more like a space where people came with questions, curiosity, or the intention to connect with partners from specific areas.

There were also some very timely shared topics that day. For example, on the morning of the event, the iPAS Net Zero Carbon Planning Manager intermediate-level exam had just taken place. Many people realized on site that they had just taken the same exam, and the conversation naturally picked up from there.

Sometimes, what gets people talking is not necessarily a big theme, but a small thing that happened on the same day and that many people can relate to.

Participant backgrounds

Most of the participants in this event were already working in sustainability-related fields, while some were preparing to enter the field.

The group included people from corporate sustainability, consulting, finance, energy, government-related organizations, design, and solution providers. Everyone came from a different position, and the questions they cared about were also different.

Some were more interested in how to promote sustainability projects inside companies. Some wanted to understand the industry trends seen from the consulting side. Others were thinking about their next career step and hoped to meet more people already working in different roles.

This mix of backgrounds made the conversations richer and less limited to one perspective. Participants could start from their own work experiences, share the problems they were dealing with, and hear how others viewed similar issues.

For Sustalent Hub, this is also the kind of event we hope to continue building: not only a place to listen to talks, and not only a place to exchange business cards, but a space where people in different positions can actually sit down and have a real conversation.

Thank you to everyone who joined us

Thank you to every partner who joined us on the evening of April 11.

After this event, we became even more certain that Sustalent Hub needs not only online discussions, but also in-person spaces like this.

Whether you are already working in sustainability or preparing to enter the field, we hope you will continue to follow Sustalent Hub’s upcoming events.

Want to join Sustalent Hub’s upcoming events?

If you would like to meet more people in the sustainability field, feel free to join the Sustalent Hub community, follow us on Instagram, or keep an eye on the latest event updates in the community.

We look forward to seeing you at our next event.