Ecolution Consulting

💚 Women’s Month Spotlight:
Seen for Her Thoughtful Balance 💚

Calm under pressure, deeply thoughtful, and quietly powerful; that’s Ayesha. Whether it’s solving complex sustainability challenges or keeping her cool when things get tough, she’s the balance every team dreams of.

James, who works closely with Ayesha, says it best:

‘When Ayesha shares, you know it’s been deeply thought through; efficient, balanced, and mindful.’

Because celebrating women in sustainability means recognising the quiet power shaping a more just and inclusive future 🌿✨

Happy Women’s Day to the women of South Africa and beyond 🤍

Today we remember the 20 000 women who walked to the Union Buildings in 1956 and changed our country — ‘Wathinta Abafazi, Wathinta Imbokodo’ — you strike a woman, you strike a rock 💪🏾

That strength still guides us.

While that spirit is timeless, our industry still needs to catch up. According to the 2023/24 Annual Reports of the Council for the Built Environment and the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA), women are 14% of registered built-environment
professionals and 16% of registered engineers.

There’s work to do; in our industry and wherever women are underrepresented and unseen 👀

Last Women’s Day, our women saw each other through one another’s eyes. This year, we’re letting them hear the impact they’ve had on the men on our team; straight from the source 💚

All month we’ll share short messages from the colleagues they work closest with; how these women make collaboration easy, lead with excellence, raise standards, and shape better outcomes for us all 🙌🏾

We’re intentional about remembrance days, and we do the work every day; listening, championing fair leadership paths, encouraging growth, and staying true, active, participatory allies — because remembrance is about real people 🫶🏾

Take Bertha Gxowa; organiser, trade unionist, tireless mobiliser for the 1956 march. How many of us know her name? She moved our country forward without the fanfare 🇿🇦🔥

As Aunt Sophia Williams-De Bruyn, the last living leader of that march, reminds us, ‘We did those things without resources and got good results because we were sincere…’ ✊🏾

To our women at Ecolution; we see your craft, your leadership, and your care for people and planet. Your names; and the ways you’ve already changed us and our work — are part of the Ecolution essence.

And to the women building a more sustainable South Africa: thank you. We’re learning from you, and we’re committed to showing up, every day 🌟💛

Suhoor - too early for a full smile, but not too early for a superfood smoothie, hey James? 😹

🌙 Fast-A-Long at Ecolution!

Each year some of our non-Muslim team members fast for a day in Ramadan in solidarity with Muslim colleagues — and this year, they shared their thoughts along the way.

‘It’s amazing how automatic some habits are,’ said André, ‘I reached for my water bottle without even thinking. It was a great reminder to pause and reflect.’

He shared that he took on the Fast-A-Long (and is also giving up treats for Lent) to build more empathy and intention.

‘The world could use more kindness, generosity, empathy, courtesy, respect, and understanding.’

Meanwhile James realised just how much he relies on staying hydrated 😂

‘I’m basically amphibian. I kept forgetting I was fasting and reached for water all day!’

From eggs on toast to smoothies and dates — the experience was full of reflection, connection, and good food.

A huge thank you to André and James for showing up with open hearts, curiosity, and kindness - you inspire us 💚

Now we’re turning it to you 🙃

What’s something you’ve always been curious about during Ramadan? And if you have any thoughts on the below, let us know!

📌 James asked: At what age do kids start fasting — and how do you explain it to them?

📌 André asked: How do you stay intentional all month long in such a fast-paced world?

Ramadan Mubarak to all who are observing 🌙💛

‘Sustainability, if we advance the thinking from merely sustaining to thriving – represents a concept that goes beyond merely halting negative impact and maintaining the status quo but embeds the flourishing and well-being of all organisms and ecosystems.’ – André Harms, Ecolution Consulting

Today, on Human Rights Day and the International Day of Forests, we’re reflecting on how deeply people and planet are connected.

In his piece, Rooted in Rights, our founder, André, reminds us that people are part of nature – not separate – and we can’t think of human rights without thinking of the environments that we and said rights exist and operate in.

🌱 Rooted in Rights is more than a theme — it’s a call to action.

➡️ Check out our LinkedIn page to read the full article!