AP Spotlight: Nontombi Dubazana

Nontombi Dubazana is an Environmental Sustainability Specialist at Dube Tradeport and a Green Star Accredited Professional for the Existing Building Performance tool.

She holds a BSc in Environmental Science from the University of the Witwatersrand and an Honours degree in Environmental Management from the University of South Africa (Unisa). She started out in the Health, Safety and Environmental Management space where her passion for environmental issues took root leading her to focus more on environmental management. Later, as the sustainability space was growing, Nontombi expanded her expertise to cover sustainability and carbon footprint management while at Babcock International.

At Dube Tradeport, Nontombi is responsible for developing the company’s sustainability strategies and implementing net zero targets as well as climate change mitigation and adaptation methodologies.

We asked Nontombi about her journey in the industry, her achievements and her thoughts on the built environment.

What do you enjoy the most about your job?

Implementing sustainable solutions such as renewable energy sources that save the planet from global warming.

Which projects are you most proud of working on?

Implementation of Rainwater Harvesting Tanks at Babcock to conserve water use on sites.

Which professional achievement are you most proud of?

My greatest achievement so far is gaining the AP: Existing Building Performance certificate, which I believe will assist me in helping organisations consider building and promoting green buildings which will lower carbon emissions and promote climate resilience.

What set you on your current career path?

My love and passion for the environment.

Which has been more valuable in your career – your education or your experience, and why? 

My education has been what got my foot on the ground and experience helped me grow in my career.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your professional career?

I have learned that one needs to combine hard skills and soft skills in order to create working environments that empower and ignite teams, delight customers, and fuel sustainable growth.

How has the industry changed since you started your career?

The industry has changed in that with the introduction of sustainability, organisations are now required to acknowledge all facets such as the impact they have on the environment, their employees, the communities affected by their operations, their employees and other relevant stakeholders. This promotes a holistic view of the organisation’s impact.

What do you think are the changes needed for the industry to reach its sustainability goals?

I think companies need to be more innovative, work together, share ideas and promote industrial symbiosis which is an approach that brings together companies from different sectors in an effort to promote the valorisation of waste, improvement of resource efficiency and reduction of environmental impact.