Founder's Note

 

Two years ago, The Sustainable Now Initiative started as a simple blog. I wanted a space where I could explore my ideas, reflect on what I was learning in school, and use data analysis to better understand how companies were performing when it came to sustainability. At the time, it was just me, curious, critical, and determined to make sense of how business could be reimagined to serve people and the planet.

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Since then, this platform has evolved into something much more.

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Today, The Sustainable Now Initiative is a space for research, dialogue, and innovation. It’s where I develop and share ideas grounded in academic work, real-world challenges, and personal inquiry. It’s a platform where I hope others, students, researchers, professionals, can engage with the questions I’m asking, contribute their own insights, and help co-create new ways of thinking about sustainability.

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I launched this initiative because I believe deeply in the power of ideas to change systems. But I also know that ideas alone are not enough. We need shared spaces to question, collaborate, and experiment. That’s what I want this to be, a living lab for sustainable thought and action.

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​Part of what has driven me to build this initiative is my experience living with chronic illness, a condition that deeply impacted my ability to think clearly and function during key parts of my academic journey. It was a difficult, isolating experience that forced me to slow down, reassess my values, and find purpose in the work I could still do. Building The Sustainable Now Initiative became not only an intellectual outlet, but a source of resilience. It gave me a way to stay connected, curious, and committed to something bigger than myself. That struggle continues to motivate me today—to create meaningful work, to bring others into the conversation, and to ensure that ideas are not only insightful but empowering and accessible for all.

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I plan to continue growing this work through graduate research and eventually a PhD, with a strong focus on corporate sustainability, systems transformation, and technology strategy. This platform will grow with me—remaining grounded in academic rigor, but always accessible, collaborative, and focused on real-world impact.

Whether you’re here to explore, share, learn, or challenge the ideas presented, I’m glad you’re here. Let’s build something meaningful together.

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Riley Williams
Founder, The Sustainable Now Initiative