Thalia Czarkowska

Green Economy

Give us a brief description of your background

I grew up in London and moved to Manchester for university to study Environmental Management. I have always taken keen interest in the idea of sustainability, personally and professionally, and have stayed on the green path, working in the low carbon sector for the last seven years.

I am now a Green Economy business advisor, working on a 1-2-1 basis with businesses operating in the Green Technology and Services sector, providing them with support to help them grow. This has provided me with a good knowledge of different types of green technologies/services that are out there as well as giving me an understanding of the challenges these businesses face.

Who/what inspires you?

With inspiration comes admiration and the following fit the bill:

I work with an inspiring senior leadership team made up of women who I greatly admire. Seeing them leading and representing our business in a male dominated sector has encouraged and motivated me to develop my own voice.

I also can’t go without mentioning my mum, a Polish immigrant, who has always had an answer for any question I ask and continues to challenge me and is responsible for my attention to detail.

What does the word leadership make you think of?

When I think of leadership, I imagine someone who is reliable and professional, but also empathetic and supportive and who positively challenges those around them. Leadership for me means benefiting all, not just the individual.

How do you feel about taking part in the Future Leaders programme?

I feel so happy to have been considered and then chosen to be a part of the Future Leaders programme. The experience will provide me with an opportunity to develop my confidence and learn from peers with mutual values.

What do you think are the keys to a sustainable future?

In order to accelerate progress to a sustainable future, it has to be the easiest choice, not just the right choice. Through innovation, we can drive down costs and make green tech/homes/travel more accessible.

We need to drive behavioural change through education for all generations and continue to push policy and legislation to align with the UK target to be net zero by 2050.

We must acknowledge that those who are least responsible for climate change will be impacted the most. Therefore, it is important that the responsibility to drive change/take action on net zero is resting with the appropriate people, although everybody has a part to play.

Finally, we must be strong in our commitment with a long term perspective, resist the greenwashing and watering down of principles, and build up resilience both in our efforts and in our environment for years to come.