Craig Salt

Director

Email: craig@sustainable.net.au

My story

Growing up in middle-class Perth, my passions revolved around sport, animals and plants. During the transition from school to workplace, financial security emerged as an additional important focus. In my early adult life, I fortunately (and somewhat reluctantly at the time) spent two stints working and living in regional Western Australia. Being what I now know to be an 'INTJ', I tended to migrate toward things involving logic, facts and control and to steer away from things involving emotion, subjectivity and low structure. In my early 20s, these forces conspired to see me commence university studies in botany and soil science with a view to securing a career in minesite rehabilitation. This I anticipated would enable me to have it all!

In my late 20s, I moved to the Kimberley and commenced my dream job at the Argyle Diamond mine. During that time I had many rich and valuable experiences. Professionally I got to work in a range of challenging roles, was privileged to work with some very good mentors and participated in many diverse development activities. Personally I met many new friends, got to see much of northern Australia, had loads of fun playing sport and fishing, met my wife and established a sound financial base for the rest of my life.

By my mid 30s, a combination of factors led me to re-evaluate my life and priorities. The separation of where I worked and where I lived, and the consequent regular time away from my wife and two young daughters, created a growing sense of unease. As a successful environmental technician, I had been rewarded with promotion to a management position for which I was ill-prepared, and at the time, not well suited. Professionally and personally I stumbled badly. As I slowly found my feet and accumulated more experience working in a large modern-day organisation, I started to see patterns that concerned me but which I felt unable to address. I also felt an emerging desire to make a contribution beyond simply being part of a successful mining enterprise.

During this period of haziness, I was fortunate to encounter two pieces of alternative thinking which helped me to clarify the situation I found myself in and to then plot a pathway toward a better future. The first piece of thinking related to sustainability - the hypothesis that the very best outcome will deliver a combination of positive economic, social and environmental outcomes. The second piece of thinking - first developed by the ancient Greeks - related to the power of people and conversation (as opposed to computers and analysis) in solving many of today's most significant challenges.

By my late 30s, I decided to 'back myself in' and establish a sustainability-focused consulting business based in Perth. In effect, this became my new hypotheses for having it all!

Almost a decade on, I reflect on this latest journey with a range of emotions. On the one hand, I was quite naive when I started out and have therefore regularly found myself in unfamiliar and challenging situations. On the other hand, I have had the opportunity to learn a lot very quickly. During this time I have been fortunate to receive abundant support from my family, friends and mentors. Western Australia has also experienced unprecedented economic good fortune.

So now in my mid 40s, I feel like I am close to having it all - impact, income, identity, discretion, stimulation and fun. This makes me happy. And from there, I feel I can offer a platform to help others discover and realise their own dreams.