10 Meta Cycler BioInnovations in Canada

Team 15 Poster

Team Reflection

From our story about Meta Cycler BioInnovations, we learned how the company contributes to sustainable innovation and addresses major global environmental issues. The company focuses on using recyclable resources to produce bioplastics that are environmentally friendly. They are also working on developing bioplastics to make them more available. While talking to the founder in the interview, we were impressed by the company’s work that combines innovation and sustainability. He shared his ideas that are not only limited to developing alternatives to traditional plastics but also address waste disposal issues. Our entire team felt excited about the future of sustainability. After working on the story, we also felt motivated to develop new ideas that could reflect the spirit of creativity and innovation. The story enriched our understanding of the role of business in society, and through our study, we learned about the three dimensions of business (people, planet, and profit). This was confirmed by the MetaCycler model, which shows that a company can prioritize social, financial, and sustainability impacts. The company also focused on the circular economy, which recycles waste and reuses resources. This is in line with our study of sustainable businesses, as it was able to transform waste into valuable products that benefit society. The story changed our perceptions about the limits of a startup in making big changes, as we previously thought that only large companies with great resources could make a difference on environmental issues. However, Meta Cycler with its limited resources, showed that impactful innovation can arise from any organization thanks to passion, innovation, and commitment to a cause. Previously, our concept of sustainability meant only reducing environmental damage, but the story inspired us to clarify and expand this concept to include positive innovation as well, meaning that sustainability is not only about mitigating negative impacts but also includes creating new opportunities, improving the quality of life, and preserving the environment. This experience has affected us all and encouraged us to rethink our roles in the future. We have learned that success is not only in profit but also in the extent of the positive impact on society and the environment. This story has also broadened our horizons about how innovation can help solve major environmental problems. This has made us excited to pursue projects that combine profit and positive impact. As future business leaders, we will work to integrate sustainable practices into our businesses and apply the lessons of teamwork and shared responsibility that we learned from this project. We will continue to benefit from this experience to develop and enhance our commitment to sustainability. We will strive to achieve unique business models that meet market needs and achieve sustainable development and innovation goals. We all believe that this experience and the information we have gained will make us influential leaders in the future. We will work to improve the world by making decisions and practices that benefit society. In terms of teamwork, we learned the importance of dividing work and benefiting from the strengths of each team member. This enhanced our spirit of cooperation and respect and taught us the importance of adapting to challenges.

During this cross-cultural experience, we learned several things. First, we learned how local culture and environment can influence the understanding and application of sustainability. This is because what is considered a sustainable solution in one country may be completely different in another. Secondly, by working with students from different backgrounds it helped to enhance intercultural communication skills and develop a sense of adaptability.

The course was very important in enhancing our teamwork in many ways. We learned the importance of clear and effective communication, especially when working with a team from diverse backgrounds and cultures, where expressing ideas clearly and respecting different points of view becomes essential. This facilitates an understanding of the views of other members and enhances collaboration. Also, how to build trust within the team by being open to and accepting different ideas.

The work was carried out by dividing tasks based on the skills and interests of each member to ensure efficiency and collaboration. Begum and Jesus were assigned the task of writing and entering the story into the AIM2Flourish platform, while Marta and Alexa were assigned the task of designing the poster for the story, and Aljowhara and Lana worked on the group reflection. Not leaving aside that everyone had to agree that the work was of good quality and if anyone had any comments for improvement they were welcomed.

Clear assignment of tasks helped everyone know their responsibilities, which reduced the likelihood of making mistakes and allowed each person to focus more on performing their task and succeeding in it.

Individual Reflections

Aljowhara

Participating in this activity was an enjoyable and inspiring experience for me, as I learned many important things from it. It developed my understanding of sustainability and the importance of cross-cultural cooperation. At first, I was worried about how to communicate effectively between group members due to cultural differences, time zones and language, but I realized that this experience and differences positively affected our work and enhanced our ability to solve problems better and in more innovative ways. We faced difficulties due to the time difference, which led to meetings being held very late or very early, however, we committed to effective communication and creating a positive atmosphere. I learned also the importance of patience and adaptability. This experience was not just a learning experience, but it was a lesson in how to deal with differences and how to achieve effective collaboration and developed my understanding of the importance of teamwork in increasing innovation. In the end, I learned that differences are not always negative but can create more innovative solutions and opportunities.

Lana

This experience was extremely rewarding for me, as it gave me the opportunity to connect with new people from different cultures around the world and learn about inspiring companies that seek to address important global issues, such as MetaCycler.

I felt motivated and challenged as a member of this team, as the experience of working in a multicultural virtual team was a new and valuable learning experience. Interacting with team members from different cultural backgrounds, who contributed diverse ideas and approaches, added a new dimension to the activity and made me realize the value of diversity and its positive impact on the quality of work. Through our shared commitment to open communication, we were able to overcome time zone differences and collaborate effectively, fostering a sense of unity and mutual respect. This project taught me how much of an impact a truly collaborative and inclusive team can have, and I am grateful for the connections and learnings gained along the way. Despite challenges such as time zone differences, our commitment to open and respectful communication created a sense of unity and collaboration that transcended geographical boundaries. We learned to appreciate each other’s schedules and found ways to sync effectively, which taught me the importance of flexibility and empathy in any collaborative environment. This project has demonstrated the impact of a cohesive, inclusive team in achieving common goals, and I am extremely grateful for the skills, connections, and knowledge I have gained along the way.

Alexa

I really enjoyed this activity as it allowed me to make and connect with new friends from all around the world and learn about impactful companies addressing major issues, like MetaCycler. Before this, I hadn’t heard of MetaCycler, but learning about their innovative approach to tackling plastic waste has make me really interested about this topic. It’s inspiring to see companies that are dedicated to sustainability as well as circular economy. This activity was a great experience because it allowed me to connect with new friends from all around the world and learn about companies from all over the world making a real impact on major global issues,

I was also very lucky with my team as everyone was engaged, dedicated, and we had great communication. We all made an effort to attend meetings, share ideas, and support each other, which make the work smooth and enjoyable. I was glad to see how easily we worked together despite coming from different cultural backgrounds. And have different time zones. Thankfully, we didn’t experience any cross-cultural challenges, and we always managed to find the perfect time for our meetings. Overall, this project has been an enriching experience on many levels.

Begum

In these four weeks, I am very proud to have been part of this team. It was my first time being in an international team. It was an excellent experience to make friends from overseas and work together to create a project. It will be a good addition to my resume. Everyone attended all the meetings and tried to help achieve our team goals. Even though there was a time difference, it wasn’t an obstacle for us to complete the project. Everyone was respectful and listened to each other. As a team, we focused on our goal of successfully submitting all of our assignments. Everyone was aware of their responsibilities and consistently engaged in completing tasks on time. Whenever someone sent a message, there was always someone to respond. We didn’t face communication challenges. As a team, we found a way to manage multiple time zones, conducted our interview online via Zoom, and everyone participated and asked questions. It was an engaging interview. I am glad that we all worked together.

Jesus

When first introduced to the project for this course I found myself excited for it, the idea of working with people from other countries is a challenge that makes you understand that there’s always another point of view, especially when it comes to a team. During these past weeks I have been able to learn about the importance of the SDGs and how a company can implement the triple bottom line to their practices and innovations. Meta Cycler BioInnovations taught me that caring for the environment as just being spart of society can be made by supporting companies that are trying to change harmful practices towards the environment for the better and just being mindful that everyone can contribute for a better sustainable future. As for my team, I really enjoyed getting to meet them and having a great supportive space. Our work is based on good communication and just being mindful that everyone has something to contribute. Even though the times are different for everybody we had no trouble to schedule meetings and assign tasks so everybody could participate in this project.

Marta

For me personally, this experience has been very enriching and very new for me. I had never worked on a project with people from other countries before, I loved the experience and to meet new people. Despite the time difference, we found moments to meet. I also feel that I learned a lot about other cultures, and it helps me to have a broader perspective. On the other hand, regarding the project, I have learned about sustainability and its importance nowadays. Plastics in the environment are a problem and therefore it is admirable to see how companies like Meta Cycler work to find the best solution. I am very pleased to have been part of this project because it offered a unique opportunity to grow personally and professionally. Working with such a dedicated team was nice and learning about innovative solutions like MetaCycler’s has broadened my perspective on sustainability and social impact.