Tech lessons for positive futures

Three colleagues reflect on how Capgemini’s Tech 4 Positive Futures initiative has had a positive impact on their skills and careers.

Since its launch in 2020, Capgemini’s Tech 4 Positive Futures initiative has engaged hundreds of colleagues around the world to create tech solutions that can make a positive impact for the planet and society, for example by reducing carbon footprints and protecting biodiversity.

While the winning projects all hope to deliver lasting change, being part of a Tech 4 Positive Futures team also positively impacts careers too.

Christopher Lue Sang, an electrical engineer at Synapse Product Development, part of Capgemini Invent, was a winning team member in the 2023 edition of the initiative. The team prototyped smart nets that could reduce unwanted by-catch in fishing.

“Tech 4 Positive Futures allowed me to align my career goals with my personal passion for making devices that improve the world,” he says. “It’s really cool that there’s an initiative where those two spheres can meet.”

For Christopher, working on the project meant getting an added level of support to develop new skills.

“It gave me more confidence, at a deep level,” he says. “My colleagues really encouraged me to push things forward, and it wasn’t just about developing hard tech skills, it was about improving soft skills too. Whether it’s organising the project or getting buy-in from stakeholders, those skills are also key. It’s been a very positive experience.”

Also part of the smart nets teams was Peter Hauser, head of the New Product Introduction team at Synapse in San Francisco.

“My role in the team was really to understand how to best scale the product,” he says. “That’s what I do in my day-to-day work. But, by working on the project, I learned a lot about micro-manufacturing. How do you create something that you can build with minimal tools and with minimal skills? How could we foster that? I gained a new set of skills.

“I also learned about the importance of having the legal details sorted out, as a priority, before the work starts. That’s often an overlooked piece of work and yet it’s really important because it enables the delivery without hitting roadblocks along the way.

“I think that was my biggest area of learning. It was an eye-opener for me and something I’ve carried over into other parts of my work. I’ve also brought that knowledge into the latest edition of Tech 4 Positive Futures, where I’m now supporting the team as a mentor. It’s been a win-win – I’ve been able to guide the teams with their submissions, and to support the team at Capgemini that is continuing to foster the (Tech 4 Positive Futures) initiative. If we can pass on the knowledge that others can benefit from to continue the programme, then we’ve achieved some real legacy building.”

Hardik Pithadia, an innovation consultant in Capgemini’s Applied Innovation Exchange (AIE), was also part of a winning Tech 4 Positive Futures team in 2023. The team created an app that encouraged people and communities in urban areas in England to grow the native wildflowers that enable pollinators to thrive.

“When you get that sense of satisfaction through what you’ve achieved with your work, and from the support you receive from colleagues, and you know you’ve made a positive difference in the world – that’s a great feeling,” he says.

“From a career point of view, the project also gave us a lot of exposure within Capgemini. It’s a conversation starter with colleagues and at events, and it helps us understand the types of things that are possible in terms of climate-related projects and sustainability initiatives.

“From a skills point of view, I learned a lot because this was the first project of this type for me. My usual role is more to do with the sales side, but with Tech 4 Positive Futures I was part of a delivery team that was creating a technical solution. I learned so much, and since then I’ve worked on three other projects as a product owner. I’m loving it.

“We’ve also taken the knowledge we gained on the project and applied it to other projects as well. So yes, we were looking at the specific topic of bees and pollinators, but I learned so much about sustainability, biodiversity, and the environmental challenges we’re facing.”

Hardik, like Christopher and Peter, feels that the Tech 4 Positive Futures initiative, has provided a focus for the major challenges faced by societies around the world.

“It has changed my perspective on how I can help clients, and I’ve learned how to ensure sustainability is right there at the front and centre. It’s about being prepared for what’s ahead.”

Ultimately, the solutions the teams delivered, and the skills they learned along the way, are a localised way of learning to make a positive difference globally.