The Founder

Jeeten grew up in a middle-income area in South Africa to parents who were educators, and also happened to have an appreciation of nature. Through frequent hikes and the odd road trip, he was able to enjoy the country’s natural beauty, but he was also witness to its inequality on a daily basis.

Finding this divide unacceptable, Jeeten sought a career that offered meaningful work in addition to income. Dissatisfied with his BCom from UCT, Jeeten went on to study a PGDip and MPhil at the Sustainability Institute in Stellenbosch.  This is where he found a tribe of likeminded individuals who shared the belief of humanity living on a healthy planet.

A profound realisation Jeeten had during his studies was that the planet did not need to be ‘saved’ – it will save itself and find a new equilibrium. Rather, if humans want to continue to inhabit it, we need to do our best to ensure it remains inhabitable for us.

After working for an accelerator programme for social enterprises, Jeeten worked in corporate sustainability. Realising that his heart lies in the sustainable business space, Jeeten decided to take the plunge and work on Conscious Consumption as his primary career focus.

As a human species, we have massively exploited the earth’s resources allowing relatively few to enjoy an improved standard of living. However, this extraction of resources has taken place at rates which the earth cannot sustain, and the benefits of those resources have not been equally shared. Jeeten believes that changing our production and consumption behaviour is an important part of transitioning to a society that is equitable, and operates within the limits of the planet.