Women Leading Sustainability: Exclusive Interviews & Insights
Before they even spoke, they were doubted. Before they led, they were questioned. Yet, instead of waiting for a seat at the table, Liberatha Kawamala, Ana Aguilar, and Delfina Achinelly built their own. These women aren’t just part of the sustainability movement—they are leading it, proving that impact must not only be made, but also measured.
Across industries, women are driving sustainability forward, not just as participants but as leaders, visionaries, and disruptors. They are launching circular economy initiatives, integrating cutting-edge technology into environmental solutions, and challenging the way businesses measure impact.
In 2025, women make up 63% of sustainability executives, yet challenges persist. But statistics alone don’t capture the full picture—their stories do.
Today, we bring you the voices of three extraordinary women—from Tanzania, Argentina, and Venezuela—who have defied expectations, turned obstacles into opportunities, and are proving that sustainability isn’t just an industry. It’s a movement.
This is their journey.
Redefining Sustainability: How Three Women Turned Passion into Impact?
Sustainability is often seen as a corporate buzzword, but for Liberatha, Ana, and Delfina, it has always been personal. Each of them arrived at this work through different roads—one driven by witnessing waste pollution in Tanzania, another through a lifelong connection with nature, and the third through an unwavering belief in data and accountability.
Yet, despite their different paths, they share a common truth: sustainability isn’t just a cause, it’s a responsibility.
Liberatha Kawamala, founder of LIBE Green Innovation, a verified recovery entity working with Plastiks in Tanzania, grew up in a city where plastic waste was either burned or dumped into waterways. Seeing firsthand the public health crisis caused by poor waste management, she took action.
"I started by collecting bottles at home, making flowers out of plastic instead of throwing them away. At first, no one believed waste had value—but I did."
What began as a personal initiative turned into one of Tanzania’s leading recycling enterprises, creating jobs, empowering women, and driving the circular economy forward.
For Ana Aguilar, sustainability was always woven into her business-minded approach. Born in Venezuela, a country that holds both immense oil reserves and extraordinary biodiversity, she learned that natural wealth means nothing without responsibility.
"That contrast shaped me—it made me realize that sustainability isn't just about conservation, but about smart, scalable solutions."
Now, as COO of Plastiks, she ensures that corporate commitments to sustainability are backed by verifiable impact, leveraging blockchain technology to prevent greenwashing.
Meanwhile, Delfina Achinelly took an academic-first approach to sustainability, studying Environmental Management at a time when few companies saw it as essential.
"People used to think sustainability was optional. Now, it’s the foundation of business."
Her expertise in methodology and verification made her a perfect fit for Plastiks, where she ensures that the claims are not just sustainability trends and marketing slogans, but measurable, verifiable commitments.
What Challenges Do Women in Sustainability Still Face?
"I don’t follow orders without reason or foundation. I am a leader who combines analysis, empathy, and strategic vision." – Ana Aguilar, COO of Plastiks
Leadership in sustainability isn’t just about making change—it’s about making change in a system that wasn’t designed for you. For these three women, stepping into leadership meant challenging perceptions, overcoming doubt, and reshaping entire industries.
For Ana, skepticism wasn’t new. Being young, ambitious, and analytical meant that people often underestimated her before she even spoke. But she quickly learned that actions speak louder than assumptions.
Her approach? Data, precision, and strategy.
She built structures, cut costs, scaled businesses, and led a revolutionary approach to plastic recovery verification using blockchain technology.
"They doubted because they didn’t understand what it takes to build a scalable, impact-driven business model. They doubted me because of my background, my age, even my gender. Now? They read our reports. They see the impact we’re making. There is no room for doubt anymore."
For Liberatha Kawamala, the challenge wasn’t just about perception—it was about survival!
Recycling in Tanzania wasn’t a well-established industry. Women in business were often expected to stay in support roles, not leadership. When she launched LIBE Green Innovation, investors dismissed her business model, questioning whether a woman could build a successful enterprise in waste management.
"People asked me, ‘Are you a waste picker? What are you going to do with all this plastic?’ They didn’t take me seriously."
She refused to let the doubt define her.
What started as a small initiative collecting plastic bottles at home turned into a business reshaping Tanzania’s recycling economy. Liberatha understood something many failed to see—sustainability isn’t just about the planet. It’s about people.
"Recycling isn’t charity—it’s business. We create value, and we should be taken seriously."
For Delfina Achinelly, the biggest challenge wasn’t external doubt—it was the invisibility of sustainability itself.
When she started studying Environmental Management in the early 2000s, the field was barely recognized. Companies didn’t see sustainability as a strategic priority—it was an optional add-on, a PR move, a “nice-to-have” rather than a necessity.
"Back then, sustainability wasn’t something companies invested in—it was something they did when they had extra budget. Now, it’s becoming the foundation of how businesses operate."
Her work ensures that businesses don’t just talk about sustainability—they prove it, data point by data point. With greenwashing on the rise, she plays a key role in holding businesses accountable, ensuring that their impact is real, data-backed, and transparent.
For these women, leadership isn’t just about being at the table—it’s about changing the conversation at that table.
The Rise of Verified Sustainability: Women Leading with Data & Innovation
In 2025, the landscape of sustainability is undergoing significant shifts, influenced by evolving Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) regulations and European Union (EU) mandates.
Amid these changes, women leaders are emerging as pivotal figures in steering organizations toward authentic sustainability practices. Notably, women now hold 63% of sustainability executive roles in major companies, underscoring their influence in driving the circular economy and integrating gender equity with climate action.
Here is how Ana, Liberatha, and Delfina are navigating this dynamic environment:
Technology & Transparency in Sustainability – Ana’s Perspective
For years, companies could make bold sustainability claims with little scrutiny. But today, greenwashing is under fire—with over 60% of consumers doubting corporate environmental commitments.
Regulations like the EU's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) now demand auditable proof of impact, leaving businesses scrambling for ways to verify their environmental efforts.
For Ana Aguilar, Chief Operations Officer at Plastiks, this shift isn’t a challenge—it’s an opportunity.
"Sustainability needs more than good intentions—it needs proof," she says.
At Plastiks, Ana helped develop a blockchain-powered system that tracks plastic recovery down to the kilogram, turning sustainability pledges into measurable action. Beyond ESG compliance, she champions radical transparency, proving that in sustainability, trust is built on data.
"At first, companies questioned why they needed to track their plastic recovery so precisely. Now, with regulations tightening and consumers demanding real accountability, they understand—verified impact isn’t optional anymore. It’s the future."
With regulations tightening and consumer trust hinging on verified action, Ana is proving that in sustainability, the future belongs to those who can measure it.
Circular Economy & Job Creation – Liberatha’s Impact
In Tanzania, only 34% of plastic waste is properly recycled, leaving the rest to clog waterways, pollute the air, or be burned in informal disposal sites. For Liberatha, this wasn’t just an environmental crisis—it was a missed economic opportunity.
"Recycling isn’t just about the environment—it’s also about jobs, stability, and economic growth," she says.
When she founded LIBE Green Innovation, Liberatha saw plastic pollution not just as an environmental crisis, but a lost economic opportunity. By turning waste into value, she is proving that sustainability is as much about people as it is about the planet.
Today, her company employs 30 people, including 16 women and 14 men, who collect, process, and reintroduce plastic waste into the economy as raw material. But it wasn’t easy.
"At first, no one believed in this business model. Now, we are proving that plastic recycling is a real economic driver."
Investors doubted the business model. Buyers were skeptical. Even her own family questioned whether this was a real career path. But Liberatha knew that in a world where 90% of plastic is never recycled, a circular economy was the only way forward.
Her model is simple but powerful: collect plastic, process it into valuable material, and reinvest in the community. And it’s working—companies are now seeing the value of sourcing recycled plastic, and LIBE Green Innovation has become a key player in Tanzania’s emerging circular economy.
"What started with just me has now created livelihoods for dozens of families. Sustainability isn’t just about protecting nature—it’s about making sure people can thrive while doing it."
Fighting Greenwashing with Accountability – Delfina’s Expertise
Sustainability without accountability is just another marketing tactic. As corporate ESG commitments grow, so does consumer skepticism—a recent study found that 42% of sustainability claims made by businesses could be exaggerated, misleading, or unsubstantiated (EU Commission).
"Companies don’t just need to measure their impact—they need to prove it. And that’s where real change happens."
For companies, staying compliant with ESG regulations and EU mandates now means providing auditable, data-backed proof of impact.
This is where Delfina Achinelly, Head of Methodology at Plastiks, plays a critical role.
"The best waste is the one that is never generated," Delfina says.
She ensures corporate sustainability claims are measurable and transparent. At Plastiks, she redesigned the verification system, tracking plastic recovery with blockchain technology to prevent unverified claims.
"Sustainability used to be an afterthought for businesses. Now, it’s becoming the foundation of how they operate. But without verification, it’s just another buzzword."
Delfina knows data is power—without verification, companies risk greenwashing and losing trust. As ESG regulations tighten, more businesses turn to verified solutions. At Plastiks, she ensures corporate sustainability efforts translate into real impact.
Beyond Business: The Personal Side of Leadership
Motherhood changes everything. It reshapes priorities, deepens responsibility, and turns sustainability into a personal mission. For Delfina, Ana and Liberatha, leadership isn’t just about driving change today—it’s about ensuring a livable future for their children.
But leading a business while navigating societal expectations, financial stress, and self-doubt comes with a heavy emotional toll. As Liberatha puts it, “Being a woman is not a joke.”
The pressure to prove themselves in male-dominated spaces and challenge outdated perceptions of leadership was relentless.
What kept them going? Support!
Whether from mentors, networks, or the communities they serve, these three women found strength in shared purpose and collective resilience—turning obstacles into stepping stones for the next generation.
Verified Impact, Real Change
These women are not just part of the sustainability movement—they are leading it with accountability, innovation, and purpose. Whether driving plastic recovery, corporate transparency, or circular economy solutions, their work ensures that sustainability is not just a promise, but a verified reality. Through their collaboration with Plastiks and its traceability technology, they are proving that real impact must be measurable, transparent, and lasting.
At Plastiks, we believe that sustainability must go beyond pledges—it must be tracked, verified, and supported by real data. Our technology ensures that businesses and recovery projects can prove their impact, build trust, and comply with growing ESG and regulatory requirements.
This International Women’s Day—and every day—we celebrate the women driving sustainability forward. They aren’t waiting for change; they’re building it, tracking it, and proving it at every step.
Sustainability must be proven, not promised. If your business is ready to move beyond words and into verified action, Plastiks can help. Let’s create real impact—together.