Robyn Mellett - We All Go Through Seasons

By Fiona Wakelin

Robyn Mellett, Founder and CEO of OMI Solutions is a scientist (Pr.Sci.Nat) and fellow (FIEMA) by registration and her leadership is recognised by various international associations. From global expert to community champion, Robyn’s passion fuels sustainable mining practices, community engagement, and women’s empowerment. With deep expertise in Africa’s mining sector, she is recognised internationally for her contribution to science and environmental sustainability and for her ability to communicate and implement environmental and sustainability objectives.

She has an in-depth knowledge of the mining sector within Africa and has further played an advisory role in environmental research, education, awareness, and outreach across Africa. Her passion lies in remediation, rehabilitation and giving back to those who need it the most; therefore, she founded OMI Solutions (Pty) Ltd in 2018, an Environmental and Agricultural Engineering consultancy.

Business Worldwide recognised Robyn as one of the Top 5 Women Leaders reshaping the Business Landscape in South Africa. In 2024 she was a Global Finalist for the Sustainability Leader of the Year and in 2023 she won the Standard Bank Top Women Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

OMI Solutions established its first office in 2018, its research facility in 2019 and its apiary farm/wings sanctuary in 2020 in Pretoria, South Africa. OMI now establishes apiary farms across South Africa and implements its research solutions across Africa, and the team have worked in over twenty-five countries worldwide. OMI Solutions, continues to grow exponentially and to lead the way in environmental and agricultural innovation.

In 2021, OMI won a Professional Stewardship Award for the OMI Apiary Farm/Wings Sanctuary, these sanctuaries have now expanded into Limpopo province. In 2022 & 2023 OMI was recognised as one of the Top Gendered Empowered Companies in South Africa and as one of the Top 100 gender empowered companies, she featured in the last edition of this publication.

In 2023, OMI was further recognised amongst the Top 500 Best Managed Companies in South Africa and was a finalist for the Standard Bank, Topco Media and SANBI award for the Standard Bank Top Women in Business and Biodiversity, Conservation and Environmental Management .

OMI proudly supports charities and NGOs/NPOs based in the Middle East, Africa, South Africa, and Lesotho. OMI’s Mission is to mentor and empower its employees particularly the youth, promoting transformation, inclusivity, and diversity. Its unique Transformation Plan empowers employees to attend schools, training centres, team building institutes, universities, conferences and obtain driving licenses, various certificates, diplomas and degrees.

Omi Solutions Stands as A Beacon of Gender Empowerment and Biodiversity Conservation

“Our unwavering commitment to empowering women and fostering gender diversity is integral to our mission and values. We are dedicated to promoting inclusivity, sustainability, and innovation within the biodiversity, conservation, and environmental management sectors.

“With remarkable women leading the way, OMI is actively shaping the future of gender empowerment and environmental stewardship. The hardest part of a company is not running a company, its living life whilst doing it. I was mugged in 2022 which left me with permanent damage to my left hand. I continued working with COVID and malaria, and only realised later that what I was feeling wasn’t just exhaustion."

“But my story is not unique, most of us do this. So, I think the biggest lesson I can teach my team and those around me, is that we all go through seasons, some of our seasons are sad and some are happy, but no matter what season you are in, be kind to your fellow colleagues and competitors because you just don’t know what season they are going through,” Robyn Mellett.