73 2buy2 in the UK

Team 88 Poster

Team Reflection

What: Describing the Story and Our Reactions

The energy brokerage company 2buy2 operates out of the UK. It focuses on delivering sustainable and efficient energy procurement solutions to its clients. One of its most exciting offerings is something it calls Transformative Procurement. This service is meant for those who need quick procurement help, what 2buy2 describes as “short-term, intensive procurement support.” When clients procure through Transformative Procurement, they see tangible, proximate improvements in their energy situation, and they don’t have to sign long-term contracts to achieve these benefits.This flexibility, combined with a commitment to offering green products, aligns the company with multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including affordable and clean energy (SDG 7), responsible consumption and production (SDG 12), and climate action (SDG 13).

Our team was impressed by how 2buy2’s innovation aligns with environmental sustainability and social responsibility. The innovation’s purpose, especially its focus on helping resource-limited sectors like education and charities, stood out as a genuine commitment to making a positive difference. As we analyzed this, it was inspiring to see a business prioritize environmental goals and customer impact over short-term profit. A lot of us felt pushed to think about how companies can manage the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit to bring about change that will last.

So What: Reflecting on Deeper Implications and Knowledge Connections

Investigating 2buy2’s story allowed us to link the company’s mission to what we’ve come to understand about the triple bottom line and sustainable business from our coursework. The company’s mission, to reduce carbon emissions and help solve climate change, certainly overlaps with our understanding of environmental responsibility. However, 2buy2’s method for achieving that is what struck us as particularly interesting. Instead of the approach typically associated with “greening supply chains,” which is to somehow make logistics more efficient (and, in this case, more sustainable), 2buy2 offers its clients an opportunity to contract in a way that allows all those involved to achieve the emissions reductions they need.

This case also highlighted some gaps in our understanding. For example, we hadn’t previously considered how deeply procurement affects sustainability efforts. 2buy2’s use of digital tools and AI to optimize procurement was an eye opener, showing us the practical application of technology in advancing SDGs. This has pushed us to think harder about how the solutions of tomorrow will be tech-driven and what that means for sustainability. We also learned a lot about the nonprofit sector and how these kinds of organizations operate. The model that 2buy2 uses is a great example of how private-sector companies can provide high-impact services while also pushing forward missions that are socially responsible.

Now What: Impact on Future Actions and Thinking

Reflecting on 2buy2’s story has influenced our perspectives on business innovation and social impact. As aspiring business professionals, this event has increased our awareness of the influence that a company’s innovations and business strategy may have on the environment and communities. 2buy2’s dedication to purchasing in a way that is good for the environment and people has encouraged us to think about the same kinds of principles when we consider our futures. We have talked a lot about how this should, or must, influence our choices to work with or support the companies we buy from, especially businesses like 2buy2 that are prioritizing environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and the rights and well-being of people throughout the world.

The company’s proactive approach to sustainable consumption has encouraged us to be mindful of environmental goals when we enter the workforce. In industries like energy consultancy or green procurement, we want to promote solutions that prioritize impact-driven objectives. This experience has made it clear how crucial it is to be receptive to various approaches and to keep improving our procedures in order to meet the demands of society.

Learning Outcomes from the Cross-Cultural Experience

Working on this project as a team has also changed our understanding of cross cultural dynamics and collaboration. 2buy2’s global impact reminds us of the diversity of perspectives needed to tackle complex issues like sustainability. Throughout our discussions, we noticed that as a team we had a variety of different insights based on our academic and cultural backgrounds, which improved our understanding of 2buy2’s innovations. Our coursework, which has touched on global collaboration and communication, helped prepare us for this project. However, managing different viewpoints was challenging at times, requiring us to refine our listening and communication skills.

Individual Reflections

Each team member provided a unique perspective on this experience, emphasizing both the challenges and growth they encountered. Below are some individual reflections:

[Matthew Dillon] Working on a virtual team was very insightful, as it was both difficult and fulfilling. We worked in different time zones and communicated in varied styles. I had to be patient and adaptive to ensure our success. At first, coordinating actual meeting times was a major hurdle, but we soon overcame that by sticking to a consistent schedule. We then used Google Docs, which might as well have had a disclaimer that said “for the creative trust-fallers among us,” to write our way to a better project. I learned that working with a team of parts (geographic and otherwise) requires flexibility and offers room for growth in understanding as long as those parts are communicating.

[Marvanova Adel] Participating as a member of the virtual team at 2buy2 was insightful and interesting  experience that developed my understanding of working within an international team. As a team we met the complexity of working between different time zones taking into account USA Canada and UK time zones. I learned how important is the flexibility and clear communications. Organizing meetings required careful planning to match everyone’s schedules, which sometimes was challenging as students have jobs as well, but it also improved the sense of belonging to the team and having one goal united different people across the world. I took the initiative to create weekly meeting minutes and draft an agenda for those meetings making sure that everyone is included and involved in the project. The work with students from different cultural backgrounds was interesting and challenging sometimes. Sometimes it was difficult to collaborate. However, at the end all the team members united to work on the project together. Using active listening skills and team leadership, made it easier to complete the project as well as get to know more about innovative company 2buy2 which addresses SDGs by providing customers with an opportunity to reduce the supply chain and benefit the environment.

[Gregory McDonald]

In my recent experience working within a group at an international business level, especially with the company we have selected to work with, I’ve found it to be quite the learning experience. Working within a group setting at an international level means that we have to coordinate all of our time zones in order to meet at a decent hour and communicate thoroughly to understand what group members are responsible for each task. Using a group-based texting app such as WhatsApp allowed us to communicate with no issues, and having all of our documents shared between us allows us to see the progress of the work being done. Our project was centered around a company called 2 Buy 2, serving as an energy broker to allow companies to conserve money by offering innovative solutions to reduce their energy consumption portfolio, lean towards a more “green” solution, and overall lower their costs for the business. Upon having an interview with the company, they have advocated that they are looking to provide environmentally friendly solutions primarily in the charity and education sectors, while also keeping costs down. Working at an international level with a company that is aiming to sustain the SDGs has been overall a good experience and a worthwhile one.

[Claudia Szczesna] 

Being part of a Virtual Team was both challenging and insightful. Working with students from across the globe was a first time experience for me and will be unforgettable. Having the ability to manage both, other classes and this project was challenging but taught me useful skills for the future especially when it comes to time management. Aligning all of our schedules in different time zones to be able to meet and be an active listener and participant took a majority of our time but our collaborative teamwork is what allowed this project to be successful. Using google docs and whatsapp to effectively communicate taught me patience but to also be respectful of other students’ times and efforts. While some students had to wake up early in the morning to have the time to meet while others late at night, I believe that we all put in our best efforts to make this project come together and would consider this story to be a major success on all of our ends.

[Sofiia Sheremet]

Working with a virtual team on the 2buy2 project was a great experience that gave me a deeper understanding of the intricacies of cross-border cooperation. At first, it was not easy to coordinate our schedules – it turned out to be a real challenge to reduce to a common denominator the different time zones and the responsibilities of all participants who had their own affairs. I took the initiative to set up meetings and ensure that our goals were clear to everyone, which helped me develop my communication and organizational skills to a new level.

Throughout the project, we relied on tools like Google Docs and WhatsApp to overcome the distance barrier. Google Docs became our shared space where we could see each other’s thoughts and ideas develop in real time. It was an indispensable tool for each member’s input, and the sense of teamwork was real, even when we weren’t in the same room. WhatsApp was critical to staying connected, especially when quick replies or updates were needed. Through this project, I learned the importance of consistent, clear communication. We each had our own work style, and although this made the process difficult at times, it taught me to be flexible and open-minded.

One of my tasks was to coordinate an interview with 2buy2, which allowed me to learn how the company approaches sustainability issues. Learning first-hand about their initiatives to achieve the SDGs gave me a deeper sense of meaning to our project and added weight to it. Looking back on this experience, I’m grateful for new skills—from managing cultural differences and time management to adapting to the needs of the team—that I’m sure will come in handy in future projects.

[Khristian Summerall]

Working with a virtual team on this project was challenging at times but also a great learning experience. It was difficult due to time zone differences, which made communication a bit challenging, especially with our individual schedules and workloads. Managing my own schedule, with classes and performances, added an extra layer of difficulty. However, these challenges pushed me to adapt and improve my time management and communication skills.

At the beginning, we struggled to align our schedules and understand each other’s expectations, which affected our initial progress. But over time, we learned to leverage tools that helped bridge communication gaps, like setting clear meeting agendas and using asynchronous messaging for updates. Despite the hurdles, our team gradually found a rhythm, and I gained insights into cross-cultural teamwork, understanding different perspectives, and fostering respect. I feel that our team came out stronger and more cohesive because we learned to work through these obstacles together.

Reference 

1. The triple bottom line: What it is & why it’s important. Business Insights Blog. (2020a, December 8). https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/what-is-the-triple-bottom-line
2. United Nations. (n.d.). The 17 goals | sustainable development. United Nations. https://sdgs.un.org/goals

2buy2 home. 2buy2. (2024, June 6). https://2buy2.com/