Innovating for a greener future: making an impact in corporate sustainability
Hoang Do (he/him), a third-year Environment and Business student, is the Faculty of Environment Co-op Student of the Year! Hoang received this award in recognition of his dedication and innovative work in advancing sustainability initiatives at Purolator.
He reflects on his passion for environmental and social responsibility, his role in developing emissions reduction strategies at Purolator and how his co-op experience enhanced his passion for corporate sustainability and climate action.
At Purolator, Hoang led the development of a first-of-its-kind data analysis framework to help meet the emission reduction targets of a key customer. He spent over 80 hours structuring data and presenting tangible sustainability benefits.
Hoang’s strong communication, analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities also proved essential for critical projects during his work term including shaping Purolator’s electrification strategy and enhancing the accuracy of its customer emissions calculator.
Beyond his assigned duties, he took the initiative to submit Purolator’s application for the Government of Canada’s Net Zero Challenge reward. No matter the task, Hoang consistently stepped up to deliver high-quality work and committed himself to improving the lives of those around him.
Q & A with Hoang
How did your childhood impact your career choice and your decision to come to university in Canada?
“Growing up in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, I was always fascinated by our economic growth as a developing country. In recent decades, it's been a remarkable transformation nationwide. I did realize that there wasn't a lot of focus on environmental sustainability and social responsibility in businesses.”
“This concern remained in the back of my mind as I considered my future studies. When applying for university, I recognized that business programs will provide you with a transferable set of skills to whatever industry or profession that students might choose.”
“So, I tried to find programs around the world that combined this unique set of transferable skills and my personal interest in sustainability and that's when I came across the Environment and Business program in the Faculty of Environment. It's just a perfect match for both of my interests.”
What is your proudest accomplishment during your work term?
“My proudest accomplishment during the work term was being able to see out the results and the final implementation of my projects. I was very fortunate to stay with Purolator for another four months after my initial work term with the team.”
“I was working on this project that was trying to redesign some of the signages for the waste bins in our head office. This is part of the wider effort to improve the waste diversion rates as a smaller part of environmental sustainability.”
“At the end of my first term, the signage that I helped to design was approved but since I was very fortunate to come back, I got to be part of the actual implementation of the signage. Personally, being able to see the various positive feedback from the folks at our office, and seeing the new signage I helped design in action, was very awe-inspiring for me.”
Where do you feel you made the biggest impact in your time at Purolator?
“I was very fortunate to be part of a lot of inaugural projects. With sustainability, the field is always changing and companies such as Purolator need to navigate the field and try to adapt to new technologies and regulations.”
“I got to be part of many initial discussions and research for the implementation of these new strategies. So, because of that, I am proud that my contributions will have a lasting impact on the company’s approach to sustainability moving forward.”
Has co-op shaped or changed your understanding of the sustainability industry?
“This opportunity has been very eye-opening in terms of being my first exposure to a sustainable industry. I was very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to work with so many subject-matter experts at Purolator, but I was also very excited to collaborate with professionals from third-party organizations as well.”
“I've realized that sustainability doesn’t just encompass Environment majors, it's a collaboration between different stakeholders as well. You have to involve accounting, finance, communications and consulting folks in the planning and execution of every project. I was very fortunate to be able to meet and network with them, which will really help with my professional development.”
How would you define purpose?
“Purpose for me is being able to impact the life of others through either my work or my contributions. Growing up, I had a hard time trying to figure out which profession I would like to be in. At the end, I figured that if my contributions would lead to an impact on others' lives then it's a well-done job.”
“So, at the University, I always try to give my best, whether it's in coursework or in extracurriculars, because I have no doubt that it will help me develop as a professional.”
Why did you choose to study at the University of Waterloo?
“Co-op is definitely one of the main reasons why I chose the University of Waterloo.”
“It's a unique opportunity that not many universities out there offer, especially to international students like myself.”
“I was very fortunate to be able to have two co-op terms, one in the public sector and one in the private sector.”
“During my co-ops, I also had the opportunity to experience different functions within a Canadian business, whether it is personal development, marketing or sustainability, which is something that's very close to my academic studies as well.”
“The process of applying for jobs and preparing for interviews is something that is very important for every student and this university has provided me with a lot of useful resources for me to be able to accomplish this.”
What is one piece of advice you would give to current co-op students?
Give your everything and your best enthusiasm to every part of co-op and in your academic studies. You won't know when a skill or a piece of knowledge will be useful in a professional setting. So really give all of what you have out there and someday that knowledge or that skill will prove very useful.
What does receiving the Co-op Student of the Year award mean to you?
“I'm incredibly honoured to be receiving the Co-op Student of the Year award. It's an incredible achievement. I never would have thought I’d achieve this when first joining the University. It really speaks volumes to my personal and professional development throughout the years at the University.”
“It's a very proud achievement, not just for myself, but also for my family and friends who have been with me through thick and thin. It is also a recognition of the impact that I had on the team at Purolator, which is something that I am very grateful for.”
What's next for you?
“In the next years at the University, I will try to really fill the gaps in my skill set and knowledge base that I've identified during my time at Purolator. As for co-op, I will definitely try to find jobs within sustainability but in more diverse sub-sectors, like sustainable finance or government policy.”
“As for after graduation, I still plan to eventually return to Vietnam and contribute to the environmental sustainability movement there, which has started to gain some traction but will now need some more development and research as well.”
