Welcome to the first edition of The Sustainability Circle Newsletter, your bi-weekly inside look at TSC, filled with curated insights, real-world experiences, and actionable strategies from and designed for global leaders in sustainability.

The Sustainability Circle is an invite-only, global peer-support community for sustainability leaders. Our members gain access to a trusted network and unique insights, empowering them to drive the sustainable transformation in organizations worldwide. Learn more at www.tsc.earth.

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What a Pressure Cooker Can Teach Us About Driving Sustainability in Organizations

In a recent chat with one of our members, Julien Weyl—an engineer turned sustainability leader—he shared a fascinating analogy. For him, driving sustainability in an organization is like using a pressure cooker. Much like a pressure cooker with its three main components—the body, the base, and the lid—sustainability efforts within a company thrive on three key elements working together seamlessly.

Julien built the sustainability department from scratch at a 1,000-person last-mile delivery scale-up. Want to dive into his insights? 🎧 Tune in to the full episode here.

Let’s break it down:

Top-Down Engagement 💼
The “lid” of the pressure cooker represents the leadership level, where targeted, strategic engagement with key figures like shareholders, C-suite members, and department heads is crucial. By speaking their language—whether it's about growth opportunities, cost efficiencies, or customer expectations—companies can align sustainability with their broader business goals.

Empowering the Workforce 🙌
At the base of the cooker, we find the employees, the driving force that can crank up the pressure for change. Engaging employees through education and regular dialogue empowers them to ask the right questions, challenge old habits, and push sustainability up the agenda. These individuals aren’t just workers—they're citizens, too, with a vested interest in the company’s sustainable future.

Embedding Sustainability in the Core Structure 🏗️
Finally, the body of the pressure cooker represents the organization’s processes. By embedding sustainability into the very structure of how the company operates—such as integrating it into OKRs and KPIs—the transition to sustainability becomes a seamless part of the organization. The more it’s integrated, the more powerful the results.

➡️ The Takeaway
Whether engaging top leadership, empowering employees, or embedding sustainable processes into your company’s core structure, the pressure cooker analogy reminds us that sustainability needs to be a coordinated effort. By combining top-down initiatives with bottom-up empowerment, we can work together to accelerate the transition to a more sustainable future.

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Our Latest Episodes

Episode #2: Becoming a Thought Leader in Sustainability with Antonio Vizcaya Abdo

In this episode, Max interviews Antonio Vizcaya Abdo, a sustainability consultant, professor at two leading Mexican universities, and a LinkedIn Top Voice with 70k followers. Antonio shares his strategies for becoming a thought leader on LinkedIn, overcoming the fear of posting, and creating engaging, impactful content that fosters sustainable practices. Whether you're just starting your sustainability journey or aiming to grow your influence, Antonio's insights are invaluable.

They cover:

• Antonio's dual role as a sustainability educator and consultant
• Overcoming the fear of sharing ideas on LinkedIn
• Building community and thought leadership through impactful content creation

🎥 Watch the Episode Now on YouTube

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Episode #3: Consulting and Corporate: Different Views on Sustainability Leadership with Dr. Kaushik Sridhar

Join Max, co-founder of The Sustainability Circle, as he interviews Dr. Kaushik Sridhar, a former tennis pro turned sustainability expert. Kaushik shares his remarkable journey from professional athlete to big-4 consultant, business coach, global speaker, lecturer, and author, eventually founding his own sustainability consulting firm. Together, Max and Kaushik dive into the key differences between consulting and corporate sustainability roles, the skills required for each, and their distinct impact on driving sustainable change.

They cover:

• Kaushik's journey from professional athlete to sustainability thought leader
• Contrasting perspectives between corporate and consulting sustainability leadership
• How sustainability is approached differently across various geographies
• Practical tips for building a sustainability career across sectors
• Finding your voice and building a personal brand through thought leadership

🎥 Watch the Episode Now on YouTube

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News

TSC has joined ClimateX

We’re excited to announce that TSC has joined the prestigious ClimateX Accelerator Program, supported by funding from the European Union and the European Social Fund, with the Berlin Innovation Agency as our implementation partner. The 8-month program is designed to support young, innovative companies like ours in tackling today’s urgent climate challenges. Our founders will be working alongside 8 other climate-focused startups, all committed to driving meaningful impact.

The Berlin Innovation Agency—ranked by the Financial Times as one of the top 10 startup hubs in Germany and the #1 in Berlin—brings unmatched expertise and a powerful network to the table, providing us with invaluable mentorship and support.

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Inside TSC

Why Curating Our Community at TSC Matters

We’ve all been there—you join a working group, attend a community event, or meet people at a casual gathering, only to feel it didn’t quite live up to your expectations. More often than not, the issue is clear: the people weren’t thoughtfully curated.

Without careful selection, groups can struggle to find common ground. Expectations vary, and in the worst-case scenario, what one person wants could be the complete opposite of what someone else needs. When this happens, building meaningful connections becomes difficult, and the community’s value declines.

In the sustainability space, we’ve seen this challenge often. For example, communities without a specific target audience or clear member categories—students, founders, scientists, and corporate professionals all in the same room. While diversity is valuable, mismatched professional realities can make it tough to provide practical support, especially when people face vastly different challenges.

Another common issue is misaligned incentives. Corporate sustainability professionals and consultants typically have conflicting priorities. One group may focus on open knowledge-sharing, while the other needs to sell services based on what’s shared. If these dynamics aren’t managed well, engagement suffers, and the community culture takes a hit.

At TSC, We Do Things Differently:‍

Our membership is specifically designed for sustainability leaders tackling complex challenges within organizations. Each applicant goes through a personal interview and survey, allowing us to understand exactly what they’re looking for and how they can contribute. This ensures every member gains real value while also using their strengths to benefit the community. If someone’s goals don’t align with our values, they simply aren’t admitted.

We see TSC as a catalyst for knowledge-sharing and building strong connections. To make that happen, we take the time to know each member personally and create tailored mechanisms that support their unique needs.

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Members in the Spotlight

Denise leads Global Sustainability at Marelli, a leading global supplier in the automotive industry, specializing in advanced technology solutions for electrification, autonomous driving, and connected vehicles.

Julia leads Sustainability at Doka, a global leader in developing, manufacturing, and supplying formwork solutions for the construction industry.

Johannes leads Sustainability at HiPP Group, a well-known German company specializing in the production of organic baby food and infant nutrition products, recognized for its commitment to organic farming and sustainability.

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Join Us

If you're leading sustainability efforts at your organization with a title like CSO, Director, or Head of Sustainability, then TSC could be the perfect fit.

We’re now inviting a carefully curated group of new members to join us. As a new member, you’ll gain access to diverse perspectives, a global network, and a close-knit group of like-minded leaders driving sustainability forward.

Limited spots are available by invitation only. Existing members can nominate sustainability leaders whom they believe would be a great fit for TSC. Selected new members will receive three months of free membership, no strings attached, along with an exclusive founding member title.

If you don’t know a current TSC member, you can sign up to the waitlist via our website, or just reach out directly by replying to this email.

Once invited, you’ll go through a streamlined application process, including a personal session with the TSC team to verify your eligibility. It’s a great opportunity to ask any questions you may have.

Act now, as spots are intentionally limited to keep the experience personal and the culture strong.

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