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WORTH Partnership Project
News article30 July 2018European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency

WORTH AMBASSADOR INTERVIEW: BLANKA KOLAGO-SZYMCZAK

POLAND

WORTH AMBASSADOR INTERVIEW: BLANKA KOLAGO-SZYMCZAK

This week we had the great pleasure of interviewing our very own WORTH Polish ambassador Blanka Kolago-Szymczak. Blanka is the founder and editor-in-chief of Slow Fix blog and has been a writer and activist with 10 years of experience in PR for professional services including law firms, executive search and private banking.

She is a great advocate for sustainability through her blog as well as green living, so we were interested in finding out more about her inspiring work and about her advice for past and future WORTH Partnership Project participants.

Through your vast career you’ve had experience in both creative and very business-related positions, do you think it helps to understand both realms to succeed?

As a matter of fact I’ve been always on the supporting side of business development. As a PR advisor for companies and now founder and editor-in-chief of Slow Fix Blog, advocating sustainable and conscious businesses I’m always trying my best to understand their targets and help them reach their audience. I have very specific education – primary archaeologist and secondly PR specialist. These two determines my way of work. I’m going deep down to see the roots and only then I can be advocating for good. It also makes me a truly passionate about the businesses I work for. Additionally I’m up-to-date with news from the world, especially concerning sustainable development. I believe in myself and persuade others that it is the way to succeed now and in future.

We encourage sustainability with the WORTH Partnership Project, this is something your advocate through your blog and media platforms, why is it personally important to you?

First of all I would like to put my definition of sustainability once heard from business philosopher; Sustainable means CREATED/ABLE TO LAST as the word consists of two basis – SUSTAIN + ABILITY I still remember times of my childhood when everything around us was able to last – fashion, appliances, food packages etc. It was gone with the outcome of FAST businesses. We all got used to it and saw it as a convenience. Within years it turned into overconsumption. But I personally didn’t take it this way, A few years ago my work mates persuaded me to support their efforts to organize Business and Biodiversity Forum. I had to admit I hadn’t been so conscious and planet-friendly before. But since I went through heaps of business cases proving we are able to operate sustainably and it is mutually beneficial for business, people and planet, I started to believe in it. What’s more I’m totally convinced there is no way to keep ‘business as usual’ If we want to live healthy, it’s not only work-life balance, our diet and staying fit, it’s first of all preserving the planet and its ecosystems. If we ruin it with landfill, air and water pollution there is no future. Thereof I’m cooperating with passionate experts from around the world to cover the latest in green intelligence aiming at being a force to create a better world.

For creative Entrepreneurs and Partnership Project winners, what would be your best advice in ensuring the sustainability and environmentally friendliness of their projects?

Like I said before – sustainable means products able to last so you can use and enjoy it for a longer while or even be able to hand it to the next generation. But to be truly environmentally friendly you need to ensure the whole process from a scratch to the final product is done in a green way which means committing to the following objectives: – To comply with all applicable environmental regulations and strive to exceed compliance – To conserve water, energy, and other natural resources – To develop and implement practices that prevent pollution and waste – To be an environmentally responsible business within your community.

What are some trends within the industry that interest you and would like to see further developed?

My biggest enemy is PLASTIC which is like sugar in our food. It is present everywhere and it’s one of the worst items of waste that is destroying our planet’s ecosystem. And even though there are great ways of recycling it it’s not endlessly recyclable. I saw great solutions while being at the zero waste fairs about how to replace it with biodegradable products but these are mostly utensils (boxes, containers, dishes, straws) I hope to see them soon more commonly used, but what I’d love to see more plastic replacements in other products like e.g. shoes or cosmetic packages.

The WORTH Partnership Project is based on collaborations to produce a mutual outcome, what would be your advice to ensure successful team work?

What I see as a force is COOPERATION or as you call PARTNERSHIP with people who are like your friends. You can develop products and ideas which are able to last when you are supported by people who believe in it as much as you do. You should also recognize your role to play in the common business. There is a product less known by the broad audience called Bionic Yarn. It’s a yarn made out of plastic waste collected from our oceans. You can make textiles and materials out of it, which can in turn be used in fashion, luggage, furniture, boat covers and even art! It was started by two men who were eventually joined by pop-star Pharell Williams. All of them strongly believe in sustainability and fit themselves to the roles in their business and that unites them in successful efforts. 

Find out more about Blanka Kolago-Szymczak click here.

Details

Publication date
30 July 2018
Author
European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency
News Type
Worth News