Sustainable forestry and climate innovation

Project Context

Starting this spring semester, I joined the SIRI Practicum course led by Professor C. Sara Minard, where we get a chance to work in teams and get involved in a consulting project with a real-world client in the field of sustainable investing. The partnering organization (hereafter referred to as “our client/the client”) our team works for is a non-profit that works on sustainable forestry and climate-focused innovation in the global context. Led by a group of professional designers, planners, strategists, ecologists and craftspeople, our client works with communities to develop practice and strategies that center on addressing the global crises of deforestation, climate change, migration and biodiversity loss.

Our project specifically focuses on timber and the global wood-drying industry, where our client connects us with a social venture startup that brings to the world an advanced solar kiln that can dry timber using no fossil fuels. For further context, timber remains as a critical resource for construction, furniture, and countless other products in many parts of the world. Traditionally, timber drying relies on fossil-fuel intensive processes that can be both costly and carbon-intensive. By introducing an advanced solar kiln that uses no fossil fuels—and yet achieves drying times and performance comparable to conventional high-emission kilns—the venture hopes to create a “carbon-negative” alternative that is accessible for timber users, in particular for the rural communities. 

Over the past two weeks, my teammates and I have launched internal meetings, got trained in consulting workshops led by Professor Minard, met with the client, and structured our division of labor. A primary task for the first two weeks is to have a clear understanding of what will be useful for the client and to define a clear project scope. Following conversations with both the client and Professor Minard, our project scope finalizes on three key things: early-stage financing strategy, go-to-market strategy, and carbon-market entry strategy for the venture. To streamline the project process, we have also established a structured sequence of tasks and set internal deadlines to ensure efficient progress. Regarding timeline, one particularly valuable piece of advice from Professor Minard was to set aside time for developing an in-depth initial understanding of the product, venture, and industry in the early stage before tackling specific tasks. She also emphasized the importance of communicating this need to the client, ensuring they understand that this initial research period is essential for building a solid foundation for our later analysis.

Major Learning Curves

For me, I find working with a real-world client and collaborating within a team much harder than learning Math and Econ, but I also realize that I always learn the most in hands-on practices. 

For instance, although we are only two weeks into the project, I have already learned a great deal about effective communication, both within our team and with the client. Initially, I expected defining the project scope to be a straightforward process, but it turned out to be more complex than anticipated—the early stages can feel slow and challenging not only because we are working to understand our client’s expectations, but also because we are still getting to know our teammates' working styles and thought processes. Having everything structured and clear in the early stage is however vitally important as it “sets the tone” and ensure things don’t get muddy in the later stages. One key takeaway for me is that, apart from being open and transparent, communication should always focus on finding common ground and determining the next steps, rather than debating over who is right or wrong. Essentially, it is important to always remember that everyone is working toward the common goal of delivering high-quality outcomes for the client, and success ultimately comes down to teamwork and collaboration. Communicating with the client during meetings has also made me realize the importance of articulating ideas in a structured, concise, and professional manner. Additionally, learning how to ask clear and meaningful clarifying questions while ensuring that discussions remain both engaging and aligned with the meeting agenda is an area I aim to improve further.

Another learning opportunity that excites me the most is gaining a deep understanding of how early-stage social ventures secure funding and participate in carbon credit markets. I have always been interested in corporate strategy and have had prior experience in consulting. However, this is the first time I am approaching strategy with a vision that extends beyond profit maximization, that we want to incorporate sustainability principles as a core value and mission for the whole project. Balancing financial viability with environmental and social impact requires a fundamentally different mindset—one that moves beyond traditional profit-driven frameworks to consider long-term resilience and responsible growth. This can be a great opportunity to bridge the theories I have learned at SIPA with real-world practice.

Looking Ahead

Following our meeting today, my team has officially entered the first stage of the project, marking the beginning of our deep dive into the actual research and strategy development. I am eager to immerse myself in the analysis, explore key insights, and engage in dynamic brainstorming sessions with my teammates. While there is undoubtedly a challenging workload ahead, this phase of the project presents an opportunity to apply our knowledge, refine our approach, and collaborate effectively. I hope I have a lot to update and share when it comes to Reflection Blog #2!