“Sustainability for businesses has become more than
a PR practice, it’s about engineering. Businesses
and governments have to work hand in hand to offer
the ultimate solution—ensuring we stop living be-
yond our means.”
That’s a serious ambition. Is it feasible?
JCS
It’s definitely feasible—study after study has proven it. A lot of the solu-
tions are there, and yes, some sectors are more difficult than others. But
we’re seeing a changing momentum, from more engaged consumers to
a passionate Gen Z on the streets showing they care. What will define
whether we’re going to hit those targets is pace. It’s all about pace. Are
we going fast enough? That’s where the focus should be.
H
How influential is Gen Z right now?
JCS
They are definitely part of what is driving companies to change. Let’s
not forget, a lot of change is about cost-reduction; if you use less ener-
gy, your bottom line is going to benefit. But we have to look at holistic
approaches. We have a climate crisis, an emissions crisis, but we also
have a biodiversity and resource crisis. Although the recent climate
protests have been global, it’s not the same everywhere. In a lot of
countries, this issue is not front of mind. There are still many areas in
the world without energy access or sanitation. That’s where you’ve got
to look at solutions that work for these pressing issues that are, at the
same time, sustainable.
H
So how does the layperson do their bit?
Does it really matter if we use a paper straw over a plastic one?
JCS
I go back and forth on this all the time. Can individual actions have a
big impact? Of course. But again, we get back to pace. This is where we
need what I call forced behavior change, either through legislation or
through clever product development. If you ban single-use plastics by
law, for example, people don’t have a choice, and behavior changes
overnight.
H
In the face of two crises and much adversity, do you believe we can limit global warming in our lifetime?
JCS
I’m a realistic optimist. The challenge is huge, and we see the impact
on a daily basis. We are living beyond our means as a population—we
have been for a while, and our population is growing. But I’m optimis-
tic for various reasons. One is consumer sentiment and public engage-
ment. Two, there is a whole lot of bottom-up climate action, and money
flows are slowly shifting. There are a lot of new technologies,
whose costs are coming down massively. Sustainability for businesses
has become more than a PR practice, it’s about engineering. There are
a lot of good signs. And humankind is amazing! We’ve done so much
already: reduced extreme poverty, increased our life expectancy, tack-
led major issues. We shouldn’t underestimate the power of us as a
species, and that gives me a lot of hope.
Reading List
Development as Freedom,
Amartya Sen
Ufolo is a social enterprise determined to bring beauty back to Luanda, Angola’s cap-
ital city. Cara Regier, Elizabeth Queta, and Laura Wittka met as undergrads and
competed in the Hult Prize with their business idea. The team works to implement a
clean tech waste management system—all the while engaging entrepreneurial youth
to join the sustainable revolution.
This book inspired our name,
Ufolo, our company, and core
values.
H
The Little Book of
Going Green, Harriet Dyer
Perfect for quick insights on
pollution and how to prevent it.
Co-founders
Bachelor of Business Administration
Angola, Dubai, London
21 Lessons for the
21st Century,
Yuval Noah Harari
There are multiple urgent
environmental issues at play
in 2019—why tackle waste?
HULT
UFOLO
The Mom Test,
Rob Fitzpatrick
Helps to identify how you can
make your big idea work.
aste pollution connects several
W
global issues. Single-use products, in
particular, have a huge impact on our
biodiversity (marine, air, and land),
on climate change, our health, and
economies. In Angola, the leading
causes of death are from stagnant
water in waste-blocked sewage sys-
tems. Both suppliers and consumers
need to see and understand the ugly
reality of their choices.
What’s your hope for our planet in
years to come?
H
Become a mentor
Interested in sharing your knowledge? Hult pairs aspiring mentors with individual
students and project groups. JC, above, has been mentoring Hult Prize team
Ufolo, whose members share his same passion for the planet. Interested in paying
it forward through mentorship? Show you’re willing via Hult Connect.
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Changing Planet
Fresh takes on global problems
and how they are being solved.
TEDx Talks
Of course!
ufolo.co.uk
Ufolo
An overview of everything
happening in the world right now.
Videos by the
World Economic Forum
Class of 2019, 2020
U
According to the UN we have 12
years left before climate change be-
comes irreversible. Forbes tells us 18
months. Whichever the case, these
numbers should be shocking to
everyone. We hope that social en-
terprise becomes common practice:
Changing Planet
for stabilized weather, for improved
urban health standards, and for so
much more to be done to restore the
earth’s balance.
How important are young people in
solving the earth’s problems?
H
U
Extremely! Just look at Greta
Thunberg. We are the catalysts of
change. To build a world that we
want to live in, we have to be the
ones creating it.
How has mentorship helped build
your business?
H
U
Every mentor and program that has
worked with us at Ufolo has brought
unique knowledge and ideas to our
startup. It has helped us to share a
global and modern brand that repre-
sents our core values without com-
promise. Mentorship has helped us
to understand our focus and gain in-
sights from those with hands-on
experience in the field.
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