Jun 23, 2026 · 20 min · 11 segments
What does it actually look like to build a career around reducing waste and do it inside a major retailer? Pen Turnbull didn't plan a career in sustainability. She started by volunteering five hours…
Penn TurnbullGuestJane ButlerHostNow you're doing something that you're really passionate about.
When you think about pressures that sort of come or are associated with sustainability and your role, what does that look like day to day?
So it's an interesting one because it depends what type of role you have in sustainability.
If it's reporting and, you know, you've got the financial disclosures and mandatory reporting, there might be different pressures.
But honestly, my main pressure is, is probably the fact that I am aware of the state of the world and I'm aware of how much waste there is.
I go to sleep at night sometimes picturing these colossal landfills that are taking over habitats or the great Pacific garbage patch.
I try not to think about that so much other than to use it as my get up and go.
And this is why I just want to influence positive change and more conscious behaviors in people.
The state's non-harmonized, so you can do different things in different council areas.
But yeah, I'd say the pressure is, yeah, it's kind of emotional pressure, I would say.
It's not a business critical department as in it's not like payroll or safety, you know, but we're moving towards that where it is becoming more like business as usual.
And for a big retailer, and we're talking about now where you're working, big parent company, multiple brands that you would see in every retail shopping centre.
So their requirement or their need to think about sustainability is really important.
And when you're looking at the younger generation, sustainability is really important to them because they're the ones that are going to be left with the world in whatever state that it's going to be in, right? Yes, absolutely.
Now you're doing something that you're really passionate about.
When you think about pressures that sort of come or are associated with sustainability and your role, what does that look like day to day?
So it's an interesting one because it depends what type of role you have in sustainability.
If it's reporting and, you know, you've got the financial disclosures and mandatory reporting, there might be different pressures.
But honestly, my main pressure is, is probably the fact that I am aware of the state of the world and I'm aware of how much waste there is.
I go to sleep at night sometimes picturing these colossal landfills that are taking over habitats or the great Pacific garbage patch.
I try not to think about that so much other than to use it as my get up and go.
And this is why I just want to influence positive change and more conscious behaviors in people.
The state's non-harmonized, so you can do different things in different council areas.
But yeah, I'd say the pressure is, yeah, it's kind of emotional pressure, I would say.
It's not a business critical department as in it's not like payroll or safety, you know, but we're moving towards that where it is becoming more like business as usual.
And for a big retailer, and we're talking about now where you're working, big parent company, multiple brands that you would see in every retail shopping centre.
So their requirement or their need to think about sustainability is really important.
And when you're looking at the younger generation, sustainability is really important to them because they're the ones that are going to be left with the world in whatever state that it's going to be in, right? Yes, absolutely.
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