Here's how you can showcase your value and expertise to your boss in the realm of Sustainable Design.

Showcase your value and experience in Sustainable Design to your boss by showing tangible results from prior projects, such as energy savings and trash reduction. Demonstrate your understanding of the most recent sustainable technology and industry norms. Provide case studies and examples of effective sustainable designs that you've executed. Propose creative, environmentally friendly solutions for current projects. Certifications or courses might help you demonstrate your dedication to ongoing learning. Emphasise the long-term financial savings and environmental effect of your sustainable design approaches.

Credibility is earned , and sometimes that means volunteering or doing work that is not always the most profitable option. Especially when you are new this helps get your name out , and once word spreads that your work is good quality your credibility will naturally rise. Being responsive and dependable is another way that not only in sustainable design , but all industries appreciate and help improve your name.

Establishing credibility extends beyond the interview stage; your first 90 days in a role are pivotal for demonstrating industry expertise, showcasing past achievements, and presenting innovative ideas, positioning yourself as a valuable resource within the organization.

Besides the obvious education on the topic, in my experience building credibility and owning the topic of sustainable design, comes from evidencing the alignment between the professional practice [methods, tools, frameworks] and the everyday life of the designer. You can't live under one philosophy of living and sell another.

Understand and map your service/project impact in a 3D way, ie looking at environmental impact along the 9 planetary boundaries -not just climate change - and social impact in terms of how your business impact social needs. A good framework we use is the one from Doughnut Economics Action Labs. The 3rd dimension is time, you have to evaluate those impacts and risks in the short, mid, long-term. If you’re designing innovation for the food business, are your supply chains ready for the decreased agricultural yields? Will your infrastructure be impacted by sea level rise? Mapping those impacts helps make design decisions to mitigate risks, create resilience and be part of the solution.

Is your organization sustainability-focused? Lead with sustainable design features. Is your company lagging behind? Start with ROI.

There is no innovation without collaboration across silos and disciplines. Often this is the hardest part on the path to sustainable design. Changing ways of working, designing, producing, distributing etc, requires people to change their mindset and approach to collaboration. Often people are the problem.

Something I have learned in the projects I've contributed to, is really the value of brining in what I call 'unusual experts'. People who might not be sitting in the R&D room, the board room, or the studio, but have tacit knowledge on the ground. Bring them in. Include them in the process. Give them a voice. Bring diversity into design methodology.

Tailor your presentations to your audience. Ask your manager if it's appropriate to loop in other teams for feedback. When you're ready to present to the C Suite, you'll have a polished presentation that aligns your sustainable designs with overarching organizational goals.