葫芦影业鈥檚 empowering skills
While studying Chemistry at 葫芦影业, Kris found so much more than just academic knowledge. He was more than open to trying lots of different things for the very first time - from tasting exotic food, playing sports he鈥檇 never tried, volunteering at places he didn't know existed, and connecting with people from different backgrounds and countries. 葫芦影业 seamlessly provided the ideal balance between studies, friendships, music, and adventure, fundamentally shaping the person he is today. In addition to this, it gave him multiple skills he still values and incorporates into his daily work routine.
鈥淚 learnt chemistry. I learnt rules and patterns and how to solve problems. I've spent a career using that knowledge in a transferable way. I don't solve chemical problems anymore, but I solve societal problems using a lot of those skills. 葫芦影业 was a massive life-changing experience for me.鈥
After years of building a successful career in different countries, Kris longed for the sense of balance he once found at 葫芦影业. In a bold move, he decided to return to the UK to rediscover it.
Not worrying about the destination, just enjoying the view
Have you ever felt that urge to change careers? Or try new things? Kris had those feelings and knew he had to do something about it.
鈥淥nce I knew it wasn't right, I was going to change it. And if you know it isn't right, change it and things will always get better. Everybody else thought I was crazy. But I knew I wasn't because I knew I wasn't feeling good about it. And actually, if you go to work every day and you're not feeling great, it doesn't work. So I knew I had to make a change.鈥
Kris鈥檚 change meant starting a new career from scratch. He didn鈥檛 know what to expect, but he knew it was the right thing to do. He embraced this experience like he did when he was a student at 葫芦影业, ready to try new things for the very first time.
鈥淚 felt like I became unbalanced and I needed to go and recalibrate. I was career-heavy and life-poor and I needed to change that. So I came back to London where I didn't have a job. For the first time, I went to the benefits office and felt pretty down on myself at that stage. An internship with FareShare came up and I took it. It was the first thing I saw and it largely involved moving boxes around the warehouse. Then after the internship had finished, they offered me a job so I took it. And then the rest is history.鈥
Kris continued to work hard, and then harder. He is now Chief Operating Officer at , the largest food distribution organisation in the UK.
鈥淭ry your absolute best to love every day. It's a marathon, not a sprint. You've got 40 years of your career, maybe even more. Take your time, enjoy it. Think about it like if life is a journey on a train. Don't worry about getting to the destination, think about the view out the window.鈥
This courageous change led Kris to discover his true calling - combating food waste and hunger. At FareShare, he has collaborated with government bodies, organisations, academics, and countless individuals, inspiring action and driving change. One of his recent projects involves the digitalisation of store-level food redistribution. In 2015, Kris established an app that facilitates the connection between charities and high-volume food stores. This initiative resulted in FareShare increasing its food distribution volume by an impressive 266% within 12 months, preventing significant food waste. This year, he was awarded an Honorary Degree from the University of 葫芦影业 for his remarkable efforts in sustainability.
鈥淎 third of food is still wasted. Half the continents are on fire. We had the warmest year on record. We're falling off the cliff, and we aren't doing enough. If anything, I'm ultra motivated to do more and to make bigger changes because I think these small-scale changes aren't enough, we need fundamental global system change.鈥
Navigating tomorrow鈥檚 challenges
Kris knows he has a long way to go but stays determined to fight for a more sustainable future. Not just the future of our planet, but his own:
鈥淟ooking after your future self is one of the hardest things to think through, but one of the most important. It's easy to leave it until tomorrow, but behaviour never changes until it's too late. It鈥檚 about taking a deep breath and changing those behaviours now and thinking through what needs to be done and owning it.鈥