My Sustainability Career Journey started in my early twenties when I studies at Stellenbosch University. In 2002 I was exposed to the first World Summit on Sustainable Development, held in Johannesburg, South Africa. I completed my undergrad degree in Consumer Sciences in 2005 ready to take on the work place, but I knew that there was more to be discovered and that my career needed to be aligned to creating positive impact in Africa. Since a child, I was drawn to issues of equality, female empowerment and protecting children`s rights. My father was an organic subsistence farmer and my mother a social worker.

Together, these two role models inspired me to follow a career where I can offer a meaningful contribution to #buildinbackbettergreener. In 2006 I registered as a student at the Sustainability Institute, to start by BPhil degree in Sustainable Development on a part time basis. I continued to complete my Masters Degree in this field and I was very fortunate to have Professor Mark Swilling as my study leader. My research followed career paths of the first 200 graduates that studied at the Sustainability Institute from 2003 to 2013. The findings let me to understand the need to offer career guidance in sustainability related fields. This is how the concept of Green Talent was born in 2010, a boutique sustainability career consultancy.

At this point. there were limited green job opportunities for sustainability professionals in South Africa. Thus I started in 2014 to coach entrepreneurs to start green business to respond to pressing SDG challenges in South Africa. I coached green entrepreneurs at The Innovation Hub, Sarebi, Future Females Business School and Youth Bridge Trust.

I currently work for Trade Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS) as a Sustainable Growth Researcher and consult to Just SA to manage the Just Transition Digital Portal and to set up a Community of Practice (CoP) for Just SA.

From 2024. I am serving on the Green Economy Coalition`s steering committee.

Past work experience includes:

Green Economy Literacy Program Developer for Youth Bridge Trust

Green Tech Curriculum Developer and business coach for Future Females Business School

Course Assessor: GetSmarter, Oxford University Said Business School

Green Careers Consultant: University of Stellenbosch Business School

Online Course Development on Just Transition Policy for Trade Industrial Policy Strategies

Connect via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hattinghelize/