UEL manager nominated for Forbes 30 Under 30

From the glamour of Hollywood to the forefront of technology, the Forbes 30 Under 30 lists shine a spotlight on the most promising individuals across a range of sectors, with the business magazine selecting 30 people under the age of 30 it sees as leaders in their fields.

Among these rising stars is University of East London Sustainability Manager Lee Taylor, whose work has earned him a place on the shortlist for Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe 2024 – Social Impact Leader.

Lee’s nomination not only acknowledges his dedication to sustainability but also highlights his efforts in addressing pressing environmental concerns.

For me, sustainability is a self-taught passion,” Lee said. “I originally studied computer science at university, but realised halfway through it wasn’t really for me. While at university, however, I started volunteering with a social enterprise - and ended up taking over the project as its director.”

The 25-year-old started his journey, by pioneering Foodprint, a student-led social enterprise in Nottingham. Under his directorship, Foodprint developed into a comprehensive food redistribution network, winning national recognition.

“Foodprint was a turning point for me,” Lee said. “It allowed me to apply my problem-solving skills to problems I cared deeply about.”

His commitment to sustainability grew as the environment and social justice officer at his undergraduate university's students’ union. He spearheaded initiatives that made a lasting impact, including declaring a climate emergency and establishing a zero-waste shop on campus.

Transitioning to the public sector, Lee served as the environmental improvement officer at West Northamptonshire Council, where he navigated the complexities of sustainability amid organisational restructuring. He then went on to be sustainability project manager for Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.

“In each role, I’ve been able to leave behind a positive legacy, and my impact carries on without me thanks to the changemakers I’ve been able to support,” he said.

Joining UEL as interim sustainability manager, Lee's impact has continued to resonate. He has helped drive initiatives to decarbonise the institution and fostered a culture of sustainability.

Offering advice to aspiring sustainability professionals, Lee emphasised the importance of passion, stakeholder engagement, and self-care. He said, “As a University, we have significant potential to influence every single student whose life we touch so they can take this forward into their career and act as a true changemaker for positive impact - no matter what industry they work in.”

Being shortlisted on one of the Forbes 30 Under 30 is a significant achievement for Lee, with thousands of nominations received for each category. The European lists, scouted and selected by the editors of Forbes, independent judges, celebrity judges and industry experts, recognise business and industry figures in a variety of categories: Sport, Media, Social Enterprise, Hollywood and Entertainment, Science, Art and Style, Finance, Venture Capital, Games, Marketing & Advertising, Technology (Consumer and Enterprise), Education, Healthcare, Retail, Music, Food and Drink, Social Media, and Energy.

The final Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe lists will be announced in the coming weeks.

Lee gives his top three insights for people wanting to pursue a career in sustainability:

• Passion is more important than anything. Sustainability is a hard field because progress is so incremental, but having the passion for making a positive impact will take you far. Passion allows you to make sure that everything you do is for the right reasons, and that it is done with genuine sincerity - this is crucial when trying to figure out how much needs to change and how to change it!
• Not everyone is on board - and that’s OK. When looking at how to engage other stakeholders, don't try to sell them on the sustainability programme, or assume they will be fully clued up as to why we need to do what we need to do. Instead, try to find whatever drives them, and reframe your intervention through their lens. You might even want to try and co-create interventions with them to ensure that they are fully bought into whatever change you are trying to make.
• Look after yourself. Sustainability is a hard field to work in because the problem is so great - there is so much that needs to be done. It is very easy to burn out or to lose passion when the changes are not coming fast enough or the problems seem insurmountable, and you need to remember that if you weren't there advocating for positive change then the pace wouldn't even be as fast as it is. Make sure to look after yourself first so that you can continue making the world a better place for years to come.