One Step at a Time Toward the Circular Economy that Benefits All Freshly-graduated Livia El-Khawad is the newest member of our SIPS team. She has placed a special focus on circularity and resource management during her studies and is driven by the goal of making circularity not only work, but to do so in a socially responsible way. How did you decide to join the CSCP? My decision to pursue a job at the CSCP was rooted in the belief that only through hands-on approaches would I be able to further comprehend what sustainability really means for society, organisations and individuals. Having just finished my studies at the Leuphana University in the field of Environmental Sciences, I felt that I needed a ‘reality check’. Through the diverse projects that I am working on and the numerous collaborations with various stakeholders, I can better grasp the opportunities at hand and think of creative solutions that move things forward. My main focus will be our circularity projects, a key objective being not only accelerating the transition but also ensuring that it is a fair one for all parties involved. What are you looking forward to the most in your new role as a consultant for the SIPS team? A great approach at the CSCP is that no one is put into a thematic box in which they have to spend most of their time. By showing interest and motivation, there are excellent opportunities to explore new areas, grow beyond one’s core expertise, think creatively and connect the dots. That’s exactly what I am looking forward to the most: expanding my horizon. Tapping into knowledge and belief systems beyond one’s comfort zone is, in my view, key for the professional as well as the personal development. In your view, what are the main ingredients for a sustainable life? Leading a sustainable life requires perseverance, openness towards new ways of doing things, and on many occasions, creativity. We still live in a world in which the norm is pretty much an unsustainable, resource-intensive way of living. Not choosing the default option always necessitates extra effort on the part of the individual, but it also comes with little joys – like moving to toothpaste tablets, which I proudly did recently. I do sometimes get frustrated if I can’t find sustainable alternatives for perfectly simple things, but then I am so heartened by seeing all the creative solutions already out there. For further questions, get in touch with Livia El-Khawad.