Navigating Unfamiliar Terrain in Sustainability

A research journey to a sustainable future in regenerative agriculture

As an international student seeking to explore the U.S. sustainability landscape, this research project offers a valuable opportunity to expand my professional experience and bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and sustainable practices in addressing real-world challenges. 

Our project focuses on system-level impact investing, an approach that builds portfolios of environmentally responsible companies. For impact investors like our client, investment decisions are not money makers, but a tool to promote sustainable practices and drive tangible change. More specifically, we are asked to explore the connection between impact investing and the shift toward regenerative agriculture. Regenerative means improving soil health, supporting indigenous communities, and fostering long-term environmental resilience. As a newly emerged concept, the significance of investing in regenerative agriculture extends far beyond financial returns. It is crucial in tackling immediate environmental degradation, while also building the foundation for sustainable food systems and more resilient communities in the future. 

Prior to the project, we participated in a management consulting workshop where we learned consulting skills like problem-solving, effective communication, and stakeholder engagement. Problem-solving stood out as the most practical skill for me. Across all professions, challenges arise frequently and must be addressed quickly and efficiently. It is also essential in our project journey. I have consistently applied these skills in overcoming obstacles and working with both the client and my team members. These foundational skills have shaped my way of thinking and helped me quickly develop a holistic understanding of any situation. 

The first obstacle I encountered during the project journey was the uncertainty in defining the problem the client wanted us to solve. Since the project scope is the foundation of the entire process, I was eager to fully understand the client’s expectations, but it was challenging. The nature of this project involves dealing with evolving project requirements, as it is a new area for everyone. In my previous experience, I would often visualize the outcome before starting any work. This time, I had no clear idea of what the final deliverable would look like. After breaking the project down into specific, measurable, and action-oriented tasks, as learned from the workshop, I gradually developed a clearer vision for the outcome. 

Open, two-way communication within our team was another key factor in overcoming the first obstacle for me. Whenever I got stuck, a teammate with different expertise would offer a new perspective, providing a more well-rounded solution to my question. We were not afraid to give feedback to unify our differing perspectives. Additionally, we created a master document outlining our current understanding of regenerative agriculture and system-level investing to keep everyone aligned. Such a combination of verbal and written communication helped organize our thoughts and ensured a cohesive approach to the project. This structured method also improved our efficiency and made our interactions with the client more focused and productive.

As we delved deeper into the project, we learned that many investment funds screen companies for environmental and social impact risks. Meanwhile, the core issue of accurately assessing their true contributions to sustainability, especially the resilience of the agricultural system through regenerative practices, is often overlooked. We believe addressing this issue requires considering two factors. On the one hand, it is crucial to evaluate how companies are enhancing sustainability through improvements in supply chains and operations. On the other hand, we must identify systemic barriers, such as the ongoing use of pesticides and reliance on monoculture farming, that hinder positive progress. Only after addressing both factors can we establish a solid foundation for setting measurable goals and conducting meaningful analysis. 

Moreover, the development of reasonable goals and measurement frameworks requires extensive research despite a lack of readily available, well-developed frameworks, data, and metrics to measure corporate contributions to regenerative agriculture. In my previous experience, I primarily conducted desk research, synthesizing insights from existing studies. Therefore, it was new for me to create goal-setting criteria across various dimensions and construct a practical, applicable measurement framework from scratch. More importantly, it is difficult to prioritize what needs to be done and when, between conducting research, collaborating with the team, and managing tasks from other courses, especially as new tasks emerge along the way. To tackle this challenge, we started to conduct more in-depth research, lay out a detailed project plan, and set check-ins for each phase of the project. I have learned that rather than following a strict timeline, being adaptable and knowing when to pivot is more crucial. Sometimes the best way forward is to simply dive in and start working, even if you haven’t completely thought it through at first. 

Moving forward, we need to conduct more in-depth research and analysis to examine regenerative agriculture within its scientific context, assess its alignment with global sustainability goals (such as the SDGs), and evaluate current industry practices to refine our client’s goals at both portfolio and system-levels. Beyond qualitative analysis, we also need to gather extensive data, conduct interviews, and develop a quantitative framework that supports evidence-based goals and measures corporate performance. 

So far, this project has broadened my perspective on investing by linking financial decisions with the long-term health and circularity of agriculture systems. As we progress, I aim to improve my client interaction skills. While I genuinely want to build strong relationships with clients, my lack of experience sometimes leaves me nervous about overstepping boundaries or asking questions that might seem silly. 

Ultimately, my goal is not just to complete the project, but to deliver outcomes that help our client answer key questions about the importance of regenerative agriculture and the sufficiency of current practices. One day, I hope to be on the other side, making informed investment decisions that shape a sustainable future.