Opening Doors at GreenBiz 25: Perspectives from an Emerging Leader

“If there were 1,000 people in a room, what do you think you can do better than all of those 1,000 people?”

GreenBiz.org Program Manager Bryan Lewis posed this question to the audience during his keynote at GreenBiz 25, Trellis Group’s premier annual conference for sustainable business leaders.

In a jam-packed hall of corporate sustainability’s brightest minds, I didn’t have an answer to the question. As an early career sustainability professional, I was already honored to simply be in the room. Notably, my attendance was made possible through GreenBiz.org’s Emerging Leaders program, which rewards emerging sustainability leaders with a professional network and all-access scholarship to attend Trellis Group’s premier conferences.

Of course, there was intentionality behind this question. Lewis then went on to reflect on what the Emerging Leaders program does best is create space for people to feel like they belong, notably sharing that one of the most prominent challenges that Emerging Leaders experience in their field is imposter syndrome.

Lewis’s question prompted me to reflect: In this room of sustainability masterminds bringing decades more of experience than us, what can Emerging Leaders do best?

1. Open the doors for others

“The part that we’re missing in the movement is how to bring the entire world in. If we can unify ourselves and connect the dots, then we could be in a position to not only save the only planet we know, but also save humanity itself.” -Rev Lennox Yearwood, President & CEO, Hip Hop Caucus (at GreenBiz25 Keynote: Reel Change: Entertainment's Decarbonization Journey)

The Emerging Leaders program, much like the words of Rev Yearwood, aims to open doors in the sustainability industry for emerging talent who have typically not had a seat at the table in this industry. What I’ve noticed is that Emerging Leaders are naturally inclined to also open doors for others to expand the sustainability circle—like a ripple effect. I see Emerging Leaders embrace this ripple effect in their professional networks, personal communities, and most notably, in their career paths. Many of us see ourselves as connectors and bridge builders in this industry that oftentimes finds itself siloed across generations, cultures, and sectors.

Working for the Consumer Engagement team at WWF, I currently partner with companies on public-facing campaigns that engage consumers on environmental education, fundraising, and behavior change. What drives my passion for this work is the opportunity to reach new consumer audiences who are not typically engaged by sustainability narratives. One of the highlights of my Emerging Leader experience was the opportunity to actually be interviewed on the GreenBiz livestream about my work at WWF and the importance of consumer engagement in corporate sustainability strategies. In my interview, a key theme was bringing inclusivity and belonging to the forefront of sustainability discussions—whether through Trellis Group’s Emerging Leaders programming or WWF’s consumer engagement offerings.

2. Pose innovative questions and ideas

“Sustainability is all about innovation, and those ideas are hidden inside some of our Emerging Leaders—those on the frontlines, those closest to the challenge, those closest to the customer.” -Archie L. Jones, Jr., Founder, NxGen COACH Network (at GreenBiz25 Keynote: Calling Up Your Estimated Leaders)

Emerging Leaders might have not been the ones speaking on panels or the mainstage, but many were influencing discussions, ideation, and strategy-building from the sidelines. Notably, Emerging Leaders were hosting lunch roundtable discussions across a wide range of intersections, and I noticed many of the topics focused on stakeholders typically overlooked in corporate sustainability, ranging from small business owners to elementary school students. I was honored to host a roundtable discussion focused on how companies can more effectively engage Gen Z audiences in their environmental initiatives, an increasingly important market for many companies. Naturally, the majority of my roundtable’s participants identified with the Gen Z demographic, as many of them were fellow Emerging Leaders or student volunteers at the conference. What became of the roundtable was an eye-opening discussion on how engaging younger generations on corporate environmental initiatives is a win-win for both sustainability and marketing teams, and the more senior leaders at the table were excited to take these learnings back to their companies.

One of the notable takeaways from my Emerging Leader experience was witnessing the innate, inquisitive nature of younger generations in the sustainability industry. I noticed many Emerging Leaders would pose thought-provoking questions to the panels they attended, to the point where it would be a regular occurrence for my cohort members to be complimented in passing for a question they asked in a session. Ultimately, as those closest to the challenge and customer, emerging sustainability professionals bring a fresh, needed perspective to an industry that thrives from innovative and out-of-the-box solutions.

3. Shape (and shift) sustainability culture

“We need to reclaim culture for ourselves. It is not just for our entertainment—it is for our survival.” -Tom Chi, Founding Partner, At One Ventures (at GreenBiz 25 Keynote: State of the Planet)

As someone who hopes to shift sustainability culture through consumer education and behavior change, I deeply resonated with Chi’s words during his opening keynote. Research proves that younger generations are increasingly fostering a culture that favors sustainable practices. In fact, three out of four Gen Z consumers prioritize sustainability over brand name when making purchasing decisions (First Insight). While environmentalists have championed sustainability for many decades, Gen Z is uniquely positioned to build a pro-environment culture that infiltrates the mainstream at unprecedented levels, which is key to unlocking the environmental change needed at scale.

Another area where younger generations can be engaged to shift cultural and societal norms towards sustainability is through the education system. A particular highlight from GreenBiz was reconnecting with Green Bronx Machine (GBM), a Bronx-based organization equipping K-12 students with the training and skillsets to be pioneers of their local food production systems—presenting an environmental, economic, and nutritional win for communities. This was a full circle moment as I had originally met GBM at a food sustainability summit in Italy back in 2017, and a few years later, actually produced a mini documentary on GBM’s food relief efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. What makes GBM’s model so unique is their approach to integrate food security themes across all school subjects, ultimately fostering a next generation of leaders who understand that sustainability intersects across all aspects of culture and community success.

A heartfelt thank you to Trellis Group and WWF for opening the door for me and countless other emerging professionals in the sustainability industry. Here’s to shifting sustainability culture – one door at a time, one idea at a time.

About the author:

Francesca Edralin is an Associate Specialist on the Private Sector Engagement Team and supports corporate partnerships that focus on consumer engagement, environmental education, and behavior change.