Shaheer Hafeez left university and started studying for his accountancy exams with a view to going into a career in audit.

But volunteering with the social enterprise Generation Success, and meeting its founder James Adeleke showed Shaheer just how far a can-do attitude can take you.

He shifted his focus to work in Environmental Social and Governance and climate risk, applied for a job with Big 4 consultancy firm KPMG and has risen to be a director.

Not only does Shaheer now head up a team advising companies about their own ESG and climate strategy, he also mentors social enterprises on scale up. Earlier this year Shaheer become a member of Generation Success's advisory board. The social enterprise empowers young professionals and drives the principles of social mobility, equality, and diversity.

At a panel discussion when he was asked ‘What truly defines a green job?’ Shaheer pointed out the complex nature of the answer, something he goes on to explain more about in the podcast.

Useful links

The ICAEW audit qualifications

Generation Success

St Mungos

KPMG careers

You might also like to listen to:

Lydia Carrington, sustainability manager, Edgbaston Stadium (S2 Ep 1)

Sanjukta Jitendhar, architect, Mikhail Riches (S1 Ep 9)

Sarah Daly, Climate champion and sustainability expert (S3 Ep 1)

About ProGRESS

Host Sandra Kessell invites guests to discuss their pro- Green, Ethical, Sustainable and Socially responsible jobs, courses or activities and asks for real-world insights into the pathways and careers that led to them.

Instagram ProGRESS

Content © Sandra Kessell

Original music © Lyze Kessell

Email: hello[at]mypro-gress.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah Daly is a climate champion and independent sustainability consultant who advises organisations, businesses and agencies. A TEDx speaker, Sarah is a leading LinkedIn sustainability influencer, and is named in the 2023 Unlock Net Zero Climate Champions' Power List.

Sarah's varied workload includes discussing responsible supply chains and procurement, or advising City of London businesses on decarbonising offices, or talking to local government about social housing, or lecturing at universities, or advocating sustainability strategies with charities and overseas development agencies…

Originally in marketing and communications, Sarah found herself working with former miners who had bought a disused coalfield for £1 with plans to turn it into an energy efficient village. Sarah dubs it her Al Gore moment.

Listen in to hear why Sarah:

• makes an effort to lead by example

• sold her car in favour of an e-bike (and how she's getting on with that choice)

• has swapped long-haul flights for rail-accessible holidays

• has given up meat and fish.

A friend of hugely respected climate change activist Jonathan Porritt, Sarah offers tips for finding and creating a job role that meets your ethical and green values, and emphasises the importance of hiring next generation employees to ensure fresh thoughts and young voices shape future company success.

"I think you can be respectfully vocal," she says.

Follow Sarah on LinkedIn and see what's been happening since her six-week summer break.

You might also like to listen to:

Lydia Carrington, sustainability manager, Edgbaston Stadium (S2 Ep 1)

Sanjukta Jitendhar, architect, Mikhail Riches (S1 Ep 9)

Jamie Osborn, the Green Party and MCS Foundation (S1 Ep2)

Kurt Henderson, senior product designer, Byway Travel (S2 Ep 5)

About ProGRESS

Host Sandra Kessell invites guests to discuss their pro- Green, Ethical, Sustainable and Socially responsible jobs, courses or activities and asks for real-world insights into the pathways and careers that led to them.

Instagram ProGRESS

Content © Sandra Kessell

Original music © Lyze Kessell

Email: hello[at]mypro-gress.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Imogen Overy is a personal trainer (PT) at the UK’s first carbon neutral gym chain. As a vegan, she chooses a plant-based diet, but she encourages clients to eat to be healthy, meat included if they want it.

Imogen was studying classical civilisations at the University of Warwick, with a view to going into law, when she decided in her second year that she didn't want an office job.

Working in a café, Imogen reconsidered her options – she had achieved academic success but she liked being active, variety in her day and meeting different people. Then she hit on a career as a personal trainer (PT) even though she was not an avid gym goer at the time. Her parents fully backed her decision, partly, Imogen says, because her dad worked for years in a job he didn't love.

After gaining an accredited level 3 PT qualification, studying modules such as anatomy, writing gym programmes and teaching people how to perform the exercises, Imogen joined her first gym. Now she works as a self-employed PT, Imogen points out that she's running a small business. She's in charge of marketing, scheduling and managing everything that brings in clients and income.

There's plenty of variety in her life now, but another of Imogen's jobs is next level excitement. Her alter ego, Lady Bella Van der Velt, is a professional wrestler with the World Association of Wrestling – that's entertainment wrestling not the Greco-Roman style recently seen at the Olympic Games – and despite her small size, Imogen has loved it since her first day.

Imogen's advice if you want to follow in her footsteps:

• Commit to the job
• Be adaptable, because you will be working with all kinds of people
• Invest in your knowledge, whether that's how to improve a squat technique, or expanding your business knowledge
• Be your authentic self, with clients, at work and on social media.

Useful links

Personal trainer apprenticeships

The Gym Group

World Association of Wrestling

Greco-Roman Wrestling

Imogen on Instagram

You might also like:

Glen Burrows, photographer, disrupter, regenerative food entrepreneur

Lydia Carrington, sustainability manager, Edgbaston Stadium

Sanjukta Jitendhar, architect, Mikhail Riches

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

He shelved his ambition to be a chef, went to university and for 25 years ate no meat. Then Glen Burrows became an omnivore.

Glen discusses his high-octane, interesting and hugely successful career as a globally sought-after professional photographer and videographer, and his very intriguing personal choices around food.

Having been the 'awkward veggie one' among his meat-eating friends, Glen found himself having to square his change of heart with his long-standing community of vegetarians, which he admits wasn't easy. And then Glen took everything a step further by co-founding The Ethical Butcher, selling regeneratively farmed, ethical, high quality meat direct to consumers. He also founded Regenuary, a January campaign to encourage sustainable food choices.

Glen's latest venture is as head of knowledge exchange for New Foundation Farms, a radical natural food and farming enterprise based in Devon. The foundation aims to democratise access to affordable food without compromising quality or depleting the environment.

In the podcast Glen discusses:

• a career in photography

• the lessons he learned leaving his 'tribe' of vegetarians

• food, farming, and marketing

• maintaining optimism about the planet and the people within it.

Mentioned in this podcast

New Foundation Farms

The Ethical Butcher

George Monbiot

Not the end of the world by Hannah Ritchie

Glen Burrows portfolio

You might also like to listen to:

S1 E8 Jake Fiennes director of the Holkham Nature Reserve and general manager, conservation, at Holkham Estate in Norfolk

S1 E7 Rachel Warren professor of global change and environmental biology

S2 E2 Mark Harvey managing director of Fielden Whisky

About ProGRESS:

Host Sandra Kessell invites guests to discuss their pro- Green, Ethical, Sustainable and Socially responsible jobs, courses or activities and asks for real-world insights into the pathways and careers that led to them.

Instagram ProGRESS

Content © Sandra Kessell

Original music © Lyze Kessell

Email: hello[at]mypro-gress.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kurt Henderson is a polymath. Before Kurt landed at the B-Corps certified company Byway Travel he was an entrepreneur, starting his first venture while at school. He began studying architectural technology at Brighton University but switched to digital media and design, a move he describes as "one of the best decisions I've ever made."

Now he's a senior product designer at Byway, which coordinates 100% flight-free options for customers who want to travel sustainably and enjoy the journey as much as the destination.

A year into working for Byway Kurt talks about the company's sustainable, ethical approach to travelling and working within a company culture that is respectful and inclusive. He goes on to talk about about "tech for good" and "it's important to give back while you are still growing yourself."

But there's so much more to Kurt besides work and true to the 'giving back' ethos Kurt serves on the advisory board of ERIC, and guest lectures at Brighton University. He has been involved in youth businesses schemes and he advocates for diversity practices and policies. To unwind he plays tag rugby and basketball and music is still a big thing in his life.

In this episode Kurt discusses:

• working in a role you feel passionate about

• freelancing and corporate culture vs start-ups

• being patient and not expecting change instantly

• consistency

• finding time for yourself.

• giving back.

Mentioned in this podcast

Byway Travel

Eric ceative careers app

B Corps UK

University of Brighton

You might also like to listen to:

Lydia Carrington, sustainability manager at Edgbaston Stadium S2 E1

Sanjukta Jitendhar, architect, Mikhail Riches, S1 E9

Duncan Goose, CEO and founder of One Water and Global Ethics S1 E10

Host Sandra Kessell and her guests talk about how they progressed into their Green, Ethical, Sustainable or Socially responsible jobs and offer real-world insights into courses and pathways for following in their footsteps.

Instagram ProGRESS

Twitter ProGRESS Careers

Content © Sandra Kessell

Music © Lyze Kessell

Email: Hello[at]myPro-GRESS.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After leaving school and studying fashion design Nicki Black joined a PR firm. She hated it.

But a friendly stylist took Nicki under her wing and helped her navigate into the world of fashion shoots. Over the last 20-plus years she has carved out a stellar career as a fashion and creative director, working on campaigns for big-name brands such as Adidas, Under Armour and Next, as well as in-house for glossy magazines.

A pivotal moment came in the quiet days of lockdown, when Nicki had time to explore her growing interest in sustainability. She started studying MOOC modules in sustainable fashion management with Future Learn, and this year (2024) she gained a Masters in the subject, an achievement over three years of juggling assignments with long working hours and family commitments.

In the podcast Nicki talks about

• securing a career in the world of creative direction
• the challenges associated with sustainability in fashion
• changing attitudes to waste on shoots.

Nicki also reveals some of the big name stars she has styled over the years and her hopes for a new venture that brings a greener outlook to creative direction.

Also mentioned in this podcast:

FutureLearn

The Sustainability Management School (SUMAS)

The Great British Sewing Bee

You might also like to listen to:

Mark Sumner, Leeds School of Design at Leeds University S1 E6

Jamie Osborn of The Green Party and MCS Foundation S1 E2

Glen Burrows S2

Host Sandra Kessell and her guests talk about how they progressed into their Green, Ethical, Sustainable or Socially responsible jobs and offer real-world insights into courses and pathways for following in their footsteps.

Instagram ProGRESS

Twitter ProGRESS Careers

Content © Sandra Kessell

Music © Lyze Kessell

Email: Hello@myPro-GRESS.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Harvey is the managing director of Fielden Whisky of England. Fielden puts emphasis on the heart of its whisky, ancient grains grown on chemical-free land, planted with an under-storey of white clover. Everything starts from this point of regenerative farming and the grain is grown across England, from Cornwall to Norfolk. But as Mark says in the podcast, if the whisky didn't taste good the methods would only be interesting and Mark assures listeners it's delicious!

Mark's career story started out in luxury brands, including Cartier and LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy) allowing him to grow his experience and knowledge in different countries.

But after a number of years Mark could see that his job would start to become repetitive and before long found himself meeting the board of English wine producer Chapel Down and being appointed its managing director.

Leaving corporate life and working for a smaller organisation came with its own challenges, but Mark highlights the impact a smaller company can have on the environment. Following a seven year stint at Chapel Down, during which the wines won acclaim and the brand thrived, Mark joined Fielden Whisky, at the time still known under its Oxford Artisan Distillery label.

It's not hard to see how sustainable a product like Fielden is, but Mark retains an interest in luxury goods as a board member of Walpole, the membership body for over 200 UK luxury brands. Mark also talks about how those companies are developing sustainable practices and mentions one in particular that offers a repair service*.

Listen in for more tips about finding a green career and Mark's thoughts on working for a small producer versus a job for a corporate organisation. Mark also shares the best piece of career advice he's ever received.

Fielden Whisky of England

Fielden Whisky on Instagram

Cartier

LVMH

Chapel Down

Walpole

*The business Mark highlights that repairs and revitalises luxury goods is no longer operational but its founders have started Circulo making tech repair accessible and universal.

Other episodes you may find interesting

Jake Fiennes - Holkham Estate S1 E8

Rae Wilkinson sustainable garden designer S1 E1

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lydia Carrington works as the sustainability manager for the iconic cricket stadium Edgbaston, which is something of a beacon when it comes to promoting green sporting events. Edgbaston Stadium's commitment to changing its carbon emissions for the better is particularly noticable on match days, when as many as 25,000 people watch from the stadium and hundreds of thousands (if not millions) more watch or listen through media channels.

By encouraging spectators – and staff – to be greener about how they travel, what they eat and even by simply bringing along a refillable water bottle, Lydia and the team have seen huge reductions in Edgbaston's CO2 emissions.

But Lydia admits she had no clear career plan when leaving college and wasn't sure she wanted to go to university. She loved geography but was clear on one thing – she didn't want to to be a teacher.

Despite those reservations Lydia studied for a degree in geography and enjoyed taking modules in international development and Scope 3 greenhouse gas tracking.

Her first job after graduating was as a project controller assisting with documentation – nothing to do with sustainability but she knew there were environmental roles within the company and one day asked her boss if she could write environmental management plans for a couple of the sites within her own job and her career took off from there.

Her second job used more of her training, and she came across her current role at Edgbaston Stadium through her network on LinkedIn. Interview rounds successfully completed, the job was hers.

Lydia emphasises that she has been able to make her own mark on what was a brand new role. And to anyone wanting to follow in her footsteps Lydia says:

• stay open-minded about where you'll work at first – provided it meets your values

• the number of sustainability jobs is rising

• green opportunities lay in all sectors

Mentioned in this podcast:

Edgbaston Stadium

Pledgeball

BASIS

MITIE

Scope 3 Greenhouse Gas protocols

Host Sandra Kessell and her guests talk about how they progressed into their Green, Ethical, Sustainable or Socially responsible jobs and offer real-world insights into courses and pathways for following in their footsteps.

Instagram ProGRESS

Content © Sandra Kessell

Music © Lyze Kessell

Email: Hello(at)myPro-GRESS.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.