“Tesco started asking us more about our sustainability data and carbon accounting. That’s really what kick-started our sustainability journey.”
Sam Kimm
Junior Merchandise Manager at Kimm and Miller
Introduction to Business Sustainability Graduate
Tell us about your role and background
I work as a Junior Merchandise Manager for Kimm and Miller, a family business that supplies food gift products to major retailers across the UK, with some products also going into Europe and the US.
My background is a little bit all over the place. I studied Aeronautical Engineering before joining the family business in a merchandising role. Earlier this year, I moved into a technical role, but sustainability had already started becoming a much bigger part of my job.
It really began when one of our major customers, Tesco, started asking us for more sustainability data, carbon accounting information and other ESG-related requirements.
At the time, we were one of the first companies in our sector to receive those requests because of the way our products were categorised. That led us to start carbon accounting and working much more closely with sustainability across the business. Since then, the requests have become a lot more prominent, a lot quicker, and not just from Tesco but from other retailers and brands as well.
Why did you decide to take the course?
I’d done a couple of introductory sustainability courses before, but this was the first professional course that really allowed me to build on what I already knew.
I was already familiar with some of the carbon accounting terminology through work, but I wanted to understand sustainability more broadly. I liked that the Diploma in Business Sustainability covered environmental topics alongside governance, reporting and sustainable finance because those were areas I hadn’t really explored before.
The flexibility was another big factor. We’re a seasonal business, so some months are incredibly busy while others are much quieter. Being able to complete the course in my own time meant I could work around those peaks rather than trying to fit into fixed class times.
How was your learning experience?
The platform worked really well and I liked how everything was broken down into manageable sections.
I’m someone who learns by doing, so the Pause and Reflect activities and assessments really helped the information sink in. The mix of written content, videos and interactive elements also kept things engaging.
One module that really stood out to me was sustainable finance. It wasn’t an area I knew much about beforehand, so it was interesting to see how sustainability connects with business decisions beyond environmental issues.
I also enjoyed joining the webinars and masterclasses. Being able to hear from industry experts and other professionals added another dimension to the learning experience.
Did the course have an impact on your work?
The biggest impact has been confidence. Our business is constantly receiving requests from customers for sustainability data, carbon emissions information, ethical audits and sustainability roadmaps. The course has helped me better understand what those requests mean and how we can respond to them.
One thing I’ve realised is that sustainability isn’t always straightforward, particularly for a small business with a complex global supply chain. A lot of our emissions sit within Scope 3, so working collaboratively with suppliers and customers is essential.
The course also reinforced that sustainability is becoming part of everyday business. As new legislation and customer expectations continue to develop, having that knowledge means I can confidently contribute to conversations with colleagues, customers and external partners.
Would you recommend the course to others?
Definitely. Every week it feels like there’s new legislation or new requirements, so you can never stop learning in this field. For me, the Diploma helped connect all the different parts of sustainability together and gave me a much broader understanding of how they apply in a business context.
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Dedicated to harnessing the power of storytelling to raise awareness, demystify, and drive behavioural change, Bronagh works as the Communications & Content Manager at the Institute of Sustainability Studies. Alongside her work with ISS, Bronagh contributes articles to several news media publications on sustainability and mental health.
