Meet Meryl Sukumar, a trailblazing Sustainability & Circular Economy Expert and the visionary Founder & CEO of Subcinctus Consulting, recognized as one of the Top 15 Firms To Watch in 2021. Co-author of “The ABCs Of The TCFD,” Meryl simplifies the complexities of a pivotal financial framework reshaping our economy.
Driven by a lifelong passion for sustainability, Meryl’s journey began at the tender age of 5, rooted in a profound connection to the environment and a deep appreciation for the synergy between nature, human capital, and societal prosperity.
Navigating the challenges of a COVID-induced redundancy in 2020, Meryl turned adversity into opportunity, leveraging her background as an engineer with expertise in energy, carbon, corporate strategy, and business development to establish her own consultancy. With a steadfast commitment to integrity and ethical practice, Meryl envisions Subcinctus Consulting as a global leader in Sustainable Business Models.
Her leadership ethos extends beyond mere consultancy; Meryl is dedicated to inspiring and empowering others to recognize and harness their potential for impactful action.
Below are highlights of the interview:
What is your leadership philosophy, and how do you implement it within your company?
For me, leadership is about inspiring new ideas within people and creating the space needed for each person to step into the required transformational change. Being natural and human is everything as a leader because people don’t buy the goods/services; they buy into you and your message. Seeing you as a flawed, honest person with integrity is much more appealing than a stoic, perfect ideal.
Having understood myself so much better in the last few years, I have flourished in my position as a leader to bring the right people forward and encourage transformational change in organizations. Some of the ways I do this are by empowering, inspiring, and having deep gratitude.
- Empowerment: not identifying as the key leader but facilitating the expansion of the team, clients, and community as leaders in their own right.
- Inspiration: giving others a way to move forward and take action in any small or large way towards a sustainable life, business, or economy.
- Gratitude: unwavering gratitude for the contributions being made and the opportunities that are opening up through our influence and service. It is easy to get caught up in the negativity of what isn’t happening or taking long to happen, but it is much more rewarding to focus on the positive, even incremental changes.
Can you describe a challenge that you faced in your role and how you overcame it?
The biggest challenge is showing up daily and believing I deserve to build this dream. When you own your own business, it is only you to start with; all failures are reflected in you. Ultimately, there is no business in the background to buffer your mistakes. So many entrepreneurs face the challenge of showing up through all the uncertainties and fears.
This challenge of showing up was especially strong during the prolonged, uncertain months and years of business where the pipeline was empty, the interest was lacking, and the demands of running a business increased.
My approach to overcoming this encompassing challenge was to always check within myself. To acknowledge the failure, understand my emotions around it, and accept the feelings without letting them take over. This isn’t a process of logic but about inner mindfulness and deep spirituality; this has made me a better business leader and person.
Can you describe the company’s unique products or services and how they set you apart from competitors? And how does the company differentiate itself from competitors in the industry?
We are a collective of specialists and experts experienced in strategic governance, the circular economy, decarbonization, risk and enterprise management, disclosure and reporting, and complex and technical systems design. Our team brings niche, top-level expertise in sustainable thinking. We work closely and collaboratively to develop corporate and enterprise-level solutions that embed sustainable principles at a fundamental level.
We have worked with multi-faceted organizations across manufacturing, industry, service-based firms, and government. Our experience is unmatched in combining strategy and technical solutions, inspiring and empowering companies to take action in their own hands.
Our team has significant experience in ESG frameworks, with disclosure and reporting at small to large-scale organizations. This includes considerable experience supporting Campbell Arnotts, ALSCO, and the various governments with their ESG agenda and action plan.
What helps us stand apart from our competitors is that we bring diverse thought leadership, subject-matter expertise, high-achieving people and human systems intelligence to shift the business culture from within and drive truly sustainable change.
What do you see as the biggest opportunities for growth and development for the company in the next 5 years?
The most significant growth area is helping businesses comply with ESG standards as they gain rapid tracking in the private market and fall in line with international standards and legislation. The way to do this is a combination of smart consulting and technology solutions to embed the changes effectively.
How does the company prioritize sustainability and environmental responsibility in its operations?
This is the area we consult in, and it is a part of everything we say and deliver.
How does the company ensure a high level of customer satisfaction, and what steps does the company take to address any issues or concerns?
We involve our customers throughout the engagement process, have continuous feedback systems, and will always take immediate action, especially on customer or client concerns. The steps we take start with inviting them regularly into meetings, opening up feedback loops, capturing and tracking the concerns, and working with our team and theirs (if needed) to resolve the issues. Then, we will engage in a debrief and lessons learned session to embed the learnings for improving our processes in the future.
Could you provide an overview of the leadership team and their impact on the company’s success and the industry?
The leadership team is made up of my strategic experts who are fundamental to our clients’ adequate conceptualization, design, delivery, and support. We have a relatively flat hierarchy within the business and intend to maintain that culture of thinking. My team bring diverse skills covering various areas of sustainable business models and frameworks for change.
What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to enter the same industry?
Without a doubt, if you have an apparent reason for your “why” for doing business and serving the market in a way that aligns with you, then you should find a way to pursue it. This may mean taking a scary leap, changing how you live your life, getting a loan with a plan to build the business, surrounding yourself with people with something to teach you, and looking after yourself daily.
Website: subcinctus.com.au
