Inside Collibra: Building a socially and environmentally sustainable business

Jul 20, 2022

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The issues our society face today are increasingly complex and urgent. The rise of technology and the impact of the pandemic has put the spotlight on our growing social and environmental crises. But these crises are an opportunity for companies to rise up and show their worth. Now more than ever, companies are called to shift their solutions and initiatives in a way that will positively impact society at large by engaging in collaborative and holistic solutions. This way, they foster a more responsible corporate environment and create a sustainable future for all.

In this episode, Melissa Mavlanova-August, the Global Head of Equity and Impact at Collibra, discusses the link between ESG and DEI. Melissa shares the initiatives and programs Collibra organizes to promote social and environmental awareness across the company. She also discusses the work involved in ESG and DEI career paths and the importance of storytelling in sustainable change management.

Tune in to the episode to understand the impact incorporating ESG and DEI can have for creating sustainable and ethical companies.

Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

Learn the meanings of ESG and DEI and the direct link between them.
Discover how companies can shift to a sustainable social and environmental focus.
Find out how to get into the ESG and DEI career paths.

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Episode Highlights

[01:56] Environmental Social Governance (ESG) and Diversity Equity Inclusion (DEI) at Collibra

ESG is about ensuring a sustainable business that’s well-protected for the future in terms of its practices and human resources.
Before formally starting their ESG efforts, Collibra's DEI-related work had shifted its focus on corporate social responsibility.
They realized that there is a direct link between ESG and DEI.
Melissa’s team looks after everything — the planet, people, and economy.

[03:48] Employee Resource Group (ERG)

Many of Colliibra's appetite for environmental, sustainability, and DEI work has come from their employees.
Collibra had the environmental community, Planet Collibra Community, before formally establishing an ESG team.
They rebranded ESG to "communities" to focus more on the human touch.
Collibra has nine DEI-related communities that foster a sense of inclusion and accountability.

[05:08] Shifting to an Environmental Focus

The pandemic has brought the environmental crisis to the forefront of media and industries.
There is a direct link between system inequality, systemic change, and environmental inequality. Environmental crises impact marginalized communities most.
Collibra's growing sense of environmental responsibility led them to formally establish ESG and DEI into their framework.

[06:41] Planet Collibra Community’s Earth Month Programs

For Earth Month, Collibra organized an employee-led program aiming to promote environmental consciousness and awareness across the company.
At the Reunited Company Employee Conference, employees built a water filtration system to be shipped to a country in need.
Planet Collibra focuses on practical, measurable value.

[09:10] Collibra Swag Store

Collibra integrates ESG principles across the business into company plans and processes, such as the Swag Store
The Swag Store is a product of Collibra's partnership with BlueDot. BlueDot only partners with providers who drive environmental change or are part of a marginalized community.
The swag includes everything from t-shirts and socks to gadgets.
BlueDot provides regular impact reporting to see how much change results from the swag partnership.

[12:05] Getting into ESG and DEI Career Paths

A business needs to be aligned to the correct stakeholders to utilize ESG and DEI career paths.
Intentionally maneuver throughout your current organization and speak to the right people. Then, contribute to key initiatives and ask strategic questions.

[13:09] How Melissa Ended Up in Collibra

Melissa has always advocated for change, people's rights, and the environment.
She studied French and English in college but wanted to get into a field where money is and which she loves.
Her first job was as a teacher at Teach First, a nonprofit teaching and leadership academy. It sparked her desire for equality and inclusion.
Then, she worked as a management consultant for Accenture, where she got to work out her passions.
From there, she moved on to other opportunities that honed her DEI muscle until she found herself at Collibra.

[15:46] Melissa’s Work

The skills you need for DEI, CSR, and ESG are very similar. Passion is only a small part of it.
These are all technical disciplines that also require influencing skills.
Above relentlessness, it’s the methodology that makes you successful in the DEI, CSR, and ESG initiatives.

Melissa: “A lot of people see these disciplines as the ‘soft side of business’ or they're nice to have, and it's really not like that. It's a very rigorous discipline. It requires a lot of perseverance and a smile to make sure that things move forward.”

[17:14] The Technical Components of ESG

Part of it is the regulatory components of ESG. There is an increase in regulations from a DEI and environmental perspective.
Increased regulation is driving competition. Businesses are getting urged to focus on ESG because of stakeholders’ demands.

Melissa: “I think the whole world has kind of got to a stage where it realizes that in order to do sustainable business, you have to make sure you are doing business sustainably. And how can you make sure you're doing business sustainably? Well, you need to make sure that you are thinking about your environmental footprint, your impact on people and the communities you serve, and that you are also making sure you've got a critical business model in place, a resilient business model, which can ensure that you can stand the test of time.”

The daily requirements of the job are also technical, i.e., staying on top of regulatory and reporting requirements and customer demands.

[19:22] Storytelling in Change Management

Change is incremental and needs to get driven at a sustainable pace.
The storytelling and messaging are crucial. Being specific with what you're achieving can make people realize the change you effect.

Melissa: “If people expect us to change the world tomorrow or to get rid of the environmental crisis tomorrow, then that's gonna be very disappointing when we don't do that. But if they see that we are going to take these 10 steps in the next six months, and it's gonna get us to X, Y, Z, then they're motivated. And so that's why storytelling and messaging is so important for me.”

Change management is about telling the right story and doing the right things at the right time with the right people.
It’s best to be collaborative and facilitative instead of making decisions for people.
Being strategic, telling the story, and managing change keep people's passion alive and spearhead success.

[22:22] Problems Melissa Dreams of Solving

ESG professionals spend a lot of time manually reporting on what they’re doing.
Melissa wants somebody to create a reporting mechanism or tool for ESG teams to report in a consistent and standardized way.
Her ideal state 50 to 100 years ahead is for ESG and DEI not to exist anymore because it’s just the way to do business.

[23:50] Jay’s Key Takeaways

Organizations with corporate social responsibility, ESG, and DDEI initiatives are increasingly becoming attractive places to work.
ESG programs help organizations do good by addressing environmental concerns. Social and governance initiatives help organizations through transparent practices.
Weaving ESG and DEI programs together amplify the impact both of them make.
Companies implementing these programs can perform better, attract the best talent, and contribute meaningfully to society.

About the Speakers

Melissa Mavlanova-August is the Global Head of Equity and Impact at Collibra. She oversees the company's environmental social governance (ESG) and diversity equity inclusion (DEI). In line with this, she leads Collibra's global team in developing the company's internal ESG roadmap. Melissa's vision is to create sustainable and equitable products and help customers use data to change the world.

If you want to reach out, you can contact Melissa Mavlanova-August via LinkedIn.

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