Her Story
About Hana
Hana Adler serves as a sustainability professional at RCK Foods, a division of Kroger, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. She manages all waste and recycling infrastructure at the site, ensuring proper sorting and diversion of materials, including routing food waste to anaerobic digesters rather than landfills. Adler also oversees utility management, monitoring electricity, gas, and water usage, while handling universal waste and chemicals to maintain a comprehensive sustainability program. Her efforts have increased the facility's landfill diversion rate from 10-15 percent to a consistent 65- 70 percent, with one month reaching 90 percent. With recycling numbers doubling. She began her path with an internship focused on recycling initiatives at Carthage College, which led to her role at RCK Foods, where she has worked full-time since graduation. Adler earned a bachelor's degree in environmental science and political science, along with a minor in economics, from Carthage College after four years of study. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Sustainable Management at the University of Parkside, Wisconsin. Adler attributes her success to her hard work, ability to pivot quickly, problem-solving skills, and negotiation abilities. She advises that perfectionism is the thief of progress and encourages young women entering the field not to fear mistakes, as they provide valuable learning opportunities.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Hana
01What do you attribute your success to?
Definitely my hard work and my ability to pivot on my feet. There are more times than I can count that I think it's going one way, and I have to pivot on the fly, and switch it up, and try something new. My ability to problem solve, negotiate, all of those things have really put me in a position where I'm able to have success.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've received in the sustainability field is definitely perfectionism is the thief of progress.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would definitely tell her not to be afraid to make mistakes, because you're gonna learn the most from the mistakes you make. The mistakes that I've made, I have learned from those, and I definitely won't make the same mistakes again.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think the biggest challenge in sustainability right now is the infrastructure that we have, especially in the United States. There isn't solid infrastructure or legislation that pushes a uniform standardization of where materials are supposed to go and how. That really leaves it up to the individual company, and it makes it really difficult in terms of finding people who understand what the material is and where that has to go. I believe the largest opportunity in this field is exactly that! The field needs people to step up with standards and initiatives that apply to more than just one company.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The biggest value for me in my work life and personal life is authenticity.
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