Aiyana is owned and run by, myself, Susheel Rao. I set up the company in 2006 as a focus for my business interests.
I have been working in the area of sustainability for over 15 years, initially on energy and then environmental matters, before addressing the broader aspects of sustainability. I am a member of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) and a chartered environmentalist (CEnv). I studied engineering at Loughborough University, followed by a masters on energy and the environment at Cranfield University.
Prior to setting up Aiyana, I worked for BRE, and developed EcoHomes and the Sustainability Checklist for Developments. As part of this work I developed and delivered training courses on these tools.
I work in two related areas of sustainability:
- creating sustainability strategies for new development in the built environment;
- working with businesses to understand how sustainability might fit into their working culture, and developing appropriate sustainability strategies, policies etc.
I am a sustainability consultant for the Duchy of Cornwall, and have advised them on a number of projects including the Newquay Growth Area and the Truro Eastern District Centre. For both of these I created the sustainability strategy which will inform the development. To see the sustainability strategy for Newquay click here.
I am a master practitioner in Neuro Linguistic Programming, as well as trained in life coaching and business mentoring. I use these skills when working with clients to understand how sustainability might fit into their business, and the most appropriate way of achieving this.
Since 2009, I have been pursuing my personal development business, to complement the work I do on sustainability. A key part of my ethos is that as we feel better about ourselves, accept and reconnect with ourselves, we become more in tune with the world around us. As we do that, we are less inclined to do things which are detrimental to the planet, as we recognise that it is actually detrimental to ourselves.
In considering these ideas, I have been able to explore a wide range of ideas across the sustainability, personal development and consciousness arenas. As I explore these ideas, they are fed into the work I do across the board.
