Lulit Meraf

Lulit Meraf is completing her Honours Planning degree at the University of Waterloo, specializing in Urban Design. Throughout her studies, she developed a strong interest in understanding how systems, policies, and organizational decision-making influence long-term environmental and social outcomes. Her academic experiences introduced her to the  connections between urban development, governance, infrastructure, and community  well-being, while encouraging her to think critically about sustainability beyond environmental issues alone. 

Lulit’s interest in sustainability management evolved through a combination of professional experience and international perspective. During her co-op term as a Corporate Sustainability Coordinator at Purolator, she worked on sustainability reporting, emissions  reduction research, greenhouse gas inventory support, and sustainability planning initiatives. The experience exposed her to the role businesses can play in driving  environmental change and sparked her interest in corporate sustainability strategy. Around  the same time, a visit to Ethiopia further expanded her perspective. While witnessing rapid  development, renewable energy initiatives, emerging technologies, and growing investment, she also observed ongoing challenges related to food insecurity and poverty. The contrast reinforced her understanding that sustainability requires balancing environmental progress, economic growth, and social well-being simultaneously. 

Beyond academics and work, Lulit enjoys acrylic painting, collecting artwork from different parts of the world, travelling, and exploring local coffee shops. She is always happy to try a new café, especially if there is a caramel iced latte and brownie on the menu. Her professional interests include corporate sustainability, sustainability consulting, ESG strategy, sustainable supply chains, and organizational sustainability transformation.