A Conversation With Simone Suss of Studio Suss

What was the driving force behind you completing further qualifications around the topic of sustainability?

I was a bit of a geography geek at school and was always interested in the subject of climate change and the human impact on the world.

After I started my business, I was keen to learn about the many things I could do to practice as sustainably as possible. Completing my certificate in Sustainability Management at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership made me see that it’s not all doom and gloom.

We are the first generation to really witness and experience climate change and the last generation who can do anything about it. Whether it’s challenging our industries to do better or spending wisely by putting the money spent on an interior design project into something that will be doing good for the planet, I see it as something that we should all be learning about.

It should be second nature in the way that we operate as opposed to an afterthought or separate conversation. Anyone starting a business really should be thinking about their environmental impact. Now is the time to act, for ourselves and our future generations.

What changes do you want to see happen that will have positive implications for the next generation?

I think education is vital. It’s not about scare-mongering children though, especially now when they have enough to be anxious about. We ought to keep the message positive and get across that we can truly make a difference through our individual choices and actions. I think Covid-19 has taught us that in some ways. Small actions from each of us individually can help fight problems on a global scale, and everyone has an overall part to play in making a situation better.

As for businesses, I think they can do so much, but ultimately it’s the laws that need to change so that everyone does it. I’d like to see more regulations from the government on sustainability topics and industries pulling together more collaboratively to problem solve, share ideas and insights, and work together to solve these issues which affect us all.

2020 has been a trying year for so many of us…what are your hopes for 2021?

I hope that 2021 makes us all a bit more appreciative of what we have, with more conscious consumption. Covid-19 has possibly been the first time that the entire world has been united in fighting something together. There have been amazing collaborations to build ventilators, create vaccines and so forth. I really hope that we can continue collaborating on creating a more sustainable world.