An Interview With Monica Sanders
Focus on incremental improvements: Making significant changes to become more sustainable can seem daunting, but focusing on minor, incremental improvements can make a big difference over time. One example is when we worked with a school to implement a recycling program. We started small by placing recycling bins in the classrooms and gradually expanded the program to include composting and reducing waste. Over time, the school significantly reduced its waste and became a model for other schools in the area.
According to the University of Colorado, “Those who are most affected and have the fewest resources to adapt to climate change are also the least responsible for the greenhouse gas emissions — both globally and within the United States.” Promoting climate justice is an incredibly important environmental responsibility that is slowly becoming more and more recognized. In this interview series, we are talking to leaders who are helping to promote sustainability and climate justice. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Weronika Czaplewska.
Weronika Czaplewska — strategist, expert on ESG and carbon footprint management of companies, organizations and local governments. co-founder and vice president of Envirly — a platform for managing the sustainability of organizations. She has extensive experience in building business strategies and developing pro-environmental projects. President of the Quantitative Finance Professional Development Foundation. She is involved in education on sustainability in finance and coordinates the AI in ESG Investing competition, which aims to build ESG indexes based on non-financial data of companies. Her mission is to popularize knowledge about responsible consumption. She is a graduate of the London School of Economics (Economics, Philosophy) and the University of Warsaw (Economics, Mathematics). She gained experience on international scholarship and training trips (China, Singapore, United States, Czech Republic).
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a little about how you grew up?
Hi, my name is Weronika, and I grew up in Warsaw, the capital city of Poland, in the 90s and early 00s. From a historical point of view, it was a great place and time to grow up in, during the social and economic transformation from a communist regime towards capitalism. Interestingly, things that at that time in Poland were cool and modern, like single-use bags, are now considered redundant and unsustainable. A way of mindset changes.
Everyone has a cataclysmic moment or marker in their life which propels them to take certain actions, a “why”. What is your why?
While studying economics, I read about “Tragedy of the Commons” by Garrett Hardin. It is a situation in which individuals, acting in their self-interest, use a shared resource (such as a common pasture or fishery) in an unsustainable way, ultimately leading to its depletion or degradation. The tragedy occurs because each individual assumes their resource use will have a negligible impact and therefore feels justified in using as much as they need. However, when everyone takes this approach, the resource is eventually depleted, and everyone suffers. And then I thought: wow, we, people, are about to exercise “tragedy” on a massive scale. When I realized it, I decided that I want to take action in my professional career after university to counteract such situations.
You are currently leading an organization that makes a difference to our planet. Can you tell us a bit about what you and your organization are trying to change?
At Envirly, we strive to positively impact our planet by helping organizations manage sustainability. We aim to show that green, sustainable transformation can go with cost-efficiency and return on investments.
We have created a comprehensive B2B SaaS Sustainability platform, which allows companies to easily manage their sustainability efforts, including carbon footprint reports, product carbon footprint analyses, and ESG reports. Our platform is designed to simplify sustainability management, enabling companies to achieve their sustainability goals regardless of their knowledge or resources. By helping companies reduce their environmental impact and meet their regulatory obligations, we hope to create a better future for everyone.
Can you share the most interesting story that has happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
I often talk to investors and business partners about potential cooperation. They are from varied backgrounds and with different experiences, only sometimes connected with sustainability and ecology. Sometime after an auspicious meeting, I heard a question, “ But do you guys believe in this climate crisis?”
Initially, it was quite shocking that people interested in working with us did not treat climate issues seriously. But now I see that it is about proper education. Some people might still be confused with the so-called fake green claims and greenwashing in the media. Our (people and institutions sensitive to issues related to sustainability) role is to promote reliable knowledge about climate change.
None of us can be successful without some help along the way. Did you have mentors or cheerleaders who helped you succeed? Can you tell us a story about their influence?
I don’t have one person who inspired and motivated me to act. I surround myself with many interesting people whom I observe and appreciate. These are my friends, other founders, and people with many years of work experience in large international corporations.
Their hands-off approach to leadership taught me the importance of learning from our failures and the continuous drive to improve. It also helped me develop my leadership style, which emphasizes empowering and trusting my team.
In addition to specific individuals, I have found inspiration and guidance through various networks and communities. These include industry associations, mentorship programs, and online communities of like-minded people. Through these networks, I have been able to learn from others’ experiences, share my knowledge, and find support and motivation when facing challenges.
Overall, we all need a community of mentors and cheerleaders to succeed. I am grateful for the many people who have played a role in my personal and professional growth.
Thank you for that. Let’s now move to the central part of our discussion. Let’s start with a basic definition of the terms so that everyone is on the same page. What does climate justice mean to you? How do we operationalize it?
Climate justice means addressing the unequal distribution of the negative impacts caused by climate change, particularly the effect on historically marginalized communities that have contributed the least to the problem. It also means recognizing that the solutions to the climate crisis must prioritize the needs and voices of these communities and that a just transition to a sustainable and equitable future must be at the forefront of our efforts.
In order to operationalize climate justice, we must incorporate it into all decision-making aspects and the implementation of its policy. This includes ensuring that climate policies and solutions do not perpetuate or exacerbate existing social and economic inequalities but rather work towards addressing them. We must also prioritize the inclusion and leadership of communities affected by climate change in decision-making and provide them with necessary resources and support to lead the transition to a sustainable future. It requires a holistic and intersectional approach to addressing the climate crisis and social injustices.
Science tells us that we have 7–10 years to make critical decisions about climate change. What are three things you or your organization are doing to help?
At Envirly, we recognize the urgency of the climate crisis. We are taking concrete steps to help address it:
- Providing cost-effective sustainability management solutions: As I mentioned, we developed a comprehensive B2B SaaS Sustainability platform, which helps companies manage their sustainability efforts cost-effectively. By making sustainability management accessible and affordable, we hope to encourage more companies to take action toward reducing their carbon footprint and minimizing other environmental impacts.
- Supporting carbon reduction initiatives: Besides our platform, we also work directly with companies to support their carbon reduction initiatives. We provide expert guidance on sustainability strategy development and implementation, as well as the accounting of carbon footprint and the planning of its reduction. We also offer tailored training and workshops to help organizations build their in-house sustainability knowledge and expertise.
- Educating and raising awareness: Education is critical to driving change. That’s why we have been actively participating in sustainability-related events and webinars, sharing our knowledge and experience with others, and contributing to the global conversation on climate change.
- Partnering with other organizations: Collaboration is essential for achieving meaningful impact. That’s why we have partnered with several organizations to promote sustainable practices and support initiatives that align with our mission.
Are there three things the community, society, or politicians can do to help you in your mission?
Yes, absolutely. Here are three things that the community, society, or politicians can do to help us in our mission:
- Advocate for policies that support sustainability: We need policymakers at every level of the government to promote sustainability and address climate change. This can include incentivizing renewable energy development, promoting public transportation and electric vehicles, and implementing coal pricing mechanisms.
- Support sustainable businesses: Individuals can support sustainability by purchasing products and services from businesses committed to sustainable practices. Society can also support sustainable businesses by offering tax breaks or incentives to companies that meet certain environmental standards.
- Raise awareness and educate others: Education is a key to creating a more sustainable future. The community can help us by raising awareness about the importance of sustainability and climate change and educating others about how they can make a difference. This can include sharing information on social media, attending community events, or volunteering with environmental organizations.
How would you articulate how a business can become more profitable by being more sustainable and more environmentally conscious? Can you share a story or example?
This is a crucial question. Thank you for that. It is essential to show companies that being ECO-friendly comes with ECOnomic benefits. For example, implementing energy-efficient practices and reducing waste can lead to significant cost savings over time.
We work with a company that produces energy-efficient heating systems. One of their solutions is a smart heating system that adjusts the temperature in buildings at night when it’s not occupied, which leads to lower energy consumption and costs. This not only helps to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings but also provides significant cost savings for businesses and individuals.
Investing in sustainable and environmentally conscious solutions has helped protect the planet and increased companies’ profitability. Their innovative solutions have earned them recognition and awards.
This is one of many examples showing that businesses can benefit financially from being sustainable and environmentally conscious and that such practices can benefit both the planet and the bottom line.
This is the signature question we ask in most of our interviews. What are your “5 things I wish someone had told me when I first started promoting sustainability and climate justice” and why? Please share a story or example for each.
1 . Sustainable change takes time and effort: When I started promoting sustainability, I wish someone had told me that making a real, sustainable environmental impact takes time and effort. It’s easy to get discouraged by the enormity of the challenge and the slow progress, but every little bit counts. One story that illustrates this is when our organization started working with a local business to implement more sustainable practices. It took several months of meetings and planning. Still, eventually, the business was able to reduce its carbon footprint and save money by using more energy-efficient appliances and switching to renewable energy.
2. Collaboration is key: I wish I had known earlier how important collaboration is in promoting sustainability and climate justice. Each organization or individual can make a significant impact on their own. It’s crucial to work together, share resources, and learn from one another. One example of successful collaboration is when we partnered with other local organizations to organize a community-wide sustainability fair. Together, we were able to reach a larger audience, share knowledge and resources, and inspire more people to take action.
3. Communicating the benefits of sustainability is crucial: Many people still see sustainability as an added cost or inconvenience rather than a beneficial and necessary change. It’s important to communicate the benefits of sustainability clearly and compellingly. For example, when working with a restaurant to implement sustainable practices, we highlighted how reducing waste and using more energy-efficient appliances could save the business money in the long run. That helped to shift the restaurant owner’s mindset and motivate them to take action.
4. Focus on incremental improvements: Making significant changes to become more sustainable can seem daunting, but focusing on minor, incremental improvements can make a big difference over time. One example is when we worked with a school to implement a recycling program. We started small by placing recycling bins in the classrooms and gradually expanded the program to include composting and reducing waste. Over time, the school significantly reduced its waste and became a model for other schools in the area.
5. Don’t give up: Finally, I wish someone had told me how important it is to persevere and not give up. Promoting sustainability and climate justice can be frustrating and challenging, but it’s essential to work on. Even when progress seems slow or setbacks occur, it’s urgent to keep pushing forward and advocating for change. One story that illustrates this is when our organization faced resistance from a local government official who was skeptical of our sustainability initiatives. We persisted, provided evidence and data, and eventually convinced the official of our work’s benefits.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? They might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
Hmm.. A time traveler from 2123 🙂 I would like to know what will happen: how people will live, what nature will look like, and if we will manage to address climate change and biodiversity issues.
How can our readers continue to follow your work online?
You can visit our website at envirly.com to learn more about our work and the solutions we offer for sustainable business practices. You can also follow us on Linkedin to stay updated with our latest news, events, and initiatives. We regularly publish well- thought-out leadership content, case studies, and success stories on our website and social media channels to inspire and educate individuals and organizations on the benefits and importance of sustainability.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
About the Interviewer: Monica Sanders JD, LL.M, is the founder of “The Undivide Project”, an organization dedicated to creating climate resilience in underserved communities using good tech and the power of the Internet. She holds faculty roles at the Georgetown University Law Center and the Tulane University Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy. Professor Sanders also serves on several UN agency working groups. As an attorney, Monica has held senior roles in all three branches of government, private industry, and nonprofits. In her previous life, she was a journalist for seven years and the recipient of several awards, including an Emmy. Now the New Orleans native spends her time in solidarity with and championing change for those on the frontlines of climate change and digital divestment. Learn more about how to join her at: www.theundivideproject.org.
How Weronika Czaplewska Of Envirly Is Helping to Promote Sustainability and Climate Justice was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.