Name of Student:  Hannah Woodward

Degree Subject: BA Geography

Type of Internship: Green Consultants Scheme

Company Name: SageTech Medical Equipment Ltd.

Job Title: Green Consultant

Description Of Company: SageTech is a medical equipment company that has developed a comprehensive way to capture, extract and purify volatile anaesthetic gases to PhEur monograph standard.

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

The key aim of this internship was to improve SageTech’s corporate social responsibility (CSR). I looked into gaining B Corporate certification for SageTech and also investigated its engagement with the Sustainable Development Goals. Due to SageTech being a relatively small company without extensive policies in place, the corresponding questionnaires insinuated that the company was only 17% aligned with the SDGs; since SageTech’s technology is designed to reduce the NHS’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, I deemed this to be an inappropriate representation of the business. After further discussions with the client, the chosen method for improving SageTech’s CSR was to investigate the possibility of joining a carbon credit scheme. I looked at numerous options, including the UK government’s new cap and trade scheme that was implemented this year post-Brexit. However, ongoing communication with the client led to the decision that I would work on creating a methodology that would be required for SageTech to join the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), a voluntary carbon credit scheme.

What outputs and outcomes did you deliver for your employer?

I created a presentation for my client that outlined what information would be required from SageTech in order to join the VCS. I generated this after looking at previous accepted templates from other companies that joined the scheme. This presentation and all my sources were sent over to my client, who passed it on to the relevant team to begin putting the information together in the required format.

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

Helping a company like SageTech improve its reach was a significant achievement in my internship. SageTech’s technology is revolutionary for organisations like the NHS, which emits extensive of volumes of anaesthetic gas annually. If more hospitals install the technology to tackle this, encouraged by schemes such as the VCS, GHG emissions could be reduced significantly. The ability to join a carbon credit scheme would promote the technology on an even greater scale, encouraging investment and the potential for implementation internationally.

What did not go so well on your internship? How did you overcome any challenges?

It was challenging to not be able to access SageTech’s offices, as it limited contact with the client. However, through multiple Zoom calls and email correspondence, I was able to overcome this due to how helpful my contact at SageTech was. Finding a sustainability solution for an inherently environmental company in the first place was a challenge and required me to think outside of the box from my Green Consultant training. Coupled with communication with the client, an appropriate solution was found, and the project was a success.

Skills Learnt: 

• Ability to Work Under Pressure
• Organisation
• Decision Making
• Researching
• Time and Work Load Management

Attributes Developed:

• Initiative
• Perseverance
• Professionalism
• Confidence
• Motivation

Your message to other students considering a similar job role, organisation or sector?

“It is always best to be confident and to not be afraid to ask questions, as it ensures that you are on the same page as the client when it comes to producing a piece of work or conducting research for them. Communication is key as it inherently establishes confidence in both parties. Suggesting your own ideas will demonstrate your ability to show initiative too, so it is important to back your own thoughts rather than being scared of being wrong!”