Meet your fellow community members.

Name: Michel du Preez
Location: Durban, South Africa

Tell us a little about yourself: I was born and raised in a rural sugar farming district in the Kwa Zulu Natal province and was privileged to receive a quality education. I used sport scholarships to further tertiary education in the Cape Province and later started working in the Sports and Leisure industry, Financial Services industry and Research fields in South Africa’s financial hub Gauteng. I love the outdoors, gardening, travel and most music.

What motivated you to join the community? During the pandemic, realizing the possibility of food shortage, it felt necessary to build a sustainable urban garden, which has yielded valuable techniques in permaculture design, circular economy, and building innovative solutions. Joining the Impaakt community reinforces these values, and learning from the global sentiment toward making change for good makes me optimistic about the future.

What have you learned since joining Impaakt? I have learnt much about how corporate responsibility really does hold serious weight toward the sustainable development goals (SDGs). I did not know that much about certain SDGs that were outside of my niche or specialization. I also quickly learnt that this battle of the actual truth is going to require a large collective intelligence, and this climate change question isn’t going away anytime soon, and autonomous agents are not enough to curb this dilemma.

Tell us a famous motto or quote that inspires you: “Isn’t it funny, how little we know about the game we have been playing our whole life!” - Mickey Mantle

Name: Ardit Naka
Location: Prishtina, Kosovo

Tell us a little about yourself: I like to think of myself as an ever-evolving person and spare myself from attachment to certain identities. I have a very diverse background, shaped by my experiences of working in various industries and projects. From business to journalism to cultural projects, from social enterprises to corporations to NGOs, my life and career have always been a constant rollercoaster of mind-expanding experiences, which lead me to understand myself and my mission in life better. I have a strong interest in writing and storytelling, and my goal is to make people's life easier by bringing clarity through my work. My life makes more sense and gets more enjoyable when I get to spend time with the people I love, visit new places, and experience spontaneous adventures.

What motivated you to join the community? After I came across Impaakt and its mission of making companies accountable and improving the environment and society, I immediately felt drawn to check it out and see what that is all about. Turns out it was a fantastic decision!

What have you learned since joining Impaakt? Since joining Impaakt, my worldview and outlook on the globe have been enriched profoundly, alongside my professional skills in researching and writing. For that, I will be forever grateful!

Can you tell us a famous motto or quote that inspires you? “If we climb high enough, we will reach a height from which tragedy ceases to look tragic.” - Irvin Yalom

Name: S. Chandrakant Reddy
Location: Bailadila, India

Tell us a little about yourself: Being born in the hills, I have always had a genuine curiosity and affinity toward animals, plant life, and the natural environment around me since childhood. I am an introverted person by nature who prefers silence and simplicity in life, but I speak up when necessary. I love being with and helping people who are honest and genuinely looking to learn and understand life for self-growth and development.

What motivated you to join the community? After completing my bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering, I went through a career search and exploration journey in the mechanical design, recruitment, and staffing industries, only to come back to the point from where I started (hills). With all my experiences in those industries, I realized that even when I had almost everything I wished for, something was still missing, and so I decided to go with my inner calling of doing something worthwhile for the animals around me, the environment, and the world. Later on, this search led me to Vedanta, a truly sustainable life philosophy, and Impaakt, a sustainable mission.

What have you learned since joining Impaakt? After joining impaakt, I learnt a lot about the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) and various ways of gauging the impact of various companies on our planet. And also how those companies can be made more accountable for their impact by impacting their financial expenditures.

Can you tell us a famous motto or quote that inspires you? "There is fire in man's mind, and there is fire in the forests. One is visible, one is not. But both are the same thing. Extinguish the former, and the latter will naturally subside. Not otherwise!" – Acharya Prashant

Name: Michael Strauss
Location: Nyon, Switzerland

Tell us a little about yourself: I’ve been working on the investment side for a long time, and in the past decade, it became clear that my work had to get closer to my values, i.e. taking care of our planet and humanity. I decided to learn about sustainable management and develop responsible investment as much as possible. Beyond professional duties, I love life with my family, getting involved in my community by working for a participatory grocery store, watercolor painting, swimming, hiking.

What motivated you to join the community? I wanted to have a more incredible feeling that I’m part of a movement that tries to change how the financial industry and society operate by helping to highlight the companies’ impact on their environment.

What have you learned since joining Impaakt? I’ve learnt to look at any given impact with a well-thought-out process and the ability to put a company’s actions in the proper context.

Can you tell us a famous motto or quote that inspires you? "Every drop of water matters."