Climate Careers

Welcome, everyone! In this episode, we're diving into the world of private equity and venture capital. We're thrilled to have two esteemed alumni, Zeinab Ayoub and Fabian Kurj, shedding light on these sectors, particularly within the realms of ESG and sustainability. Join us to explore the pivotal role the finance sector plays in the climate transition, with a special emphasis on career insights.

In this episode, we're joined by Brooke Tomasetti. Brooke shares her expertise on two topics relevant to our growing global community: becoming a digital nomad and integrating sustainable finance into your personal financial plan. As a financial coach, Brooke helps individuals, especially women, make the most of their income, guiding them toward financial freedom and the concept of "work-optional". She also heads up financial education at Carbon Collective, where sustainable investing portfolios are built. Join us for an insightful discussion as Brooke delves into what it means to become work optional and shares practical steps to unlock, allocate, and amplify your financial goals.

Jessica Marati Radparvar has approached the impact space from multiple perspectives: journalism, entrepreneurship, academics, and in-house ESG at a Fortune 500 (PVH Corp.). As an expert communicator, she has used her talents to work with leading brands in fashion, CPG, and non-profits. (EILEEN FISHER, INC., WWF, Fashion for Good) She has also built one of the most active LinkedIn groups in the space: Reconsidered. But Reconsidered is much more than that. As an ecosystem to help impact leaders drive bigger, bolder, more sustainable change, it is an example of the power of business to build a vision of a more thriving, just and resilient world. 🌎 🌱

Sustainable sourcing is one of the major topics of conversation amongst sustainability professionals today. From their impact on materials and processes, to their role in getting firms to their net zero goals, suppliers are a vital component in the sustainability performance of a company. But beyond certifications and awards, how do we ensure that responsible sourcing practices permeate the supply chain strategy to create transformative change?Chris van Bergen has 12 years of experience as the CFO and COO of the non-profit organization Nest, where he leads using radical supply chain transparency, and has created strong partnerships with leading brands to leverage the power of market forces for good. Author of the newly published book, Certifiable: How Businesses Operationalize Responsible Sourcing, Chris created the groundbreaking Ethical Handcraft program at Nest, and will share with us his experiences in creating, implementing, and auditing transformative socially responsible sourcing practices.Join us to get a look behind the curtain of responsible sourcing, and find out how putting it at the heart of a supply chain strategy can create a permanent competitive advantage for a firm.

Beyond materials, have you thought about the processes behind making our favorite foods? Whether you're a fan of peanut butter or yummy homemade coffee, brands like JIF, Smuckers, Folgers Coffee and Café Bustelo are probably familiar to you. Come with us behind the scenes of their Supply Chain to understand what role sustainability plays in this mix of flavors and colors. 🥜 ☕ 💚 For this session we are excited to hear from Dan Nowicki, former SVP of Procurement & Commodities at JM SMUCKER, on how his career journey took him from consumer goods to food, to now biochar, all while touching on supply chain and ESG. 📈

🌱As a part of our speaker series we got a chance to host Viviana Alvarez Sanchez, former Head of Sustainability (North America) at Unilever, as she shared invaluable insights with our #community on driving #change in the corporate landscape.Viviana shared with us the qualities needed when building a #career in #sustainability, she spoke on engaging and educating consumers on this transformative sustainability journey.

Alex Watson, Founder & CEO of OpenForests, discusses nature-based solutions and the integration of technology in forest projects. They explore challenges in forest investments, the interdisciplinary nature of forestry, the importance of geo transparency, and the creative problem-solving needed in starting a company. They also discuss the development of the Explored Land Platform, a map-based project presentation platform.

How can we fund the Green Transition? with Thomas Hoenig, Former Vice Chair of FDIC and Former President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas.

In the world of sustainability consulting, the spotlight often shines on technical expertise. For generalists pivoting into this domain, there's a bright side – your existing skills from your prior career are precious resources. 💼 🌱Last week, we had the privilege of hosting Viktoria Verő and Cilia Keser from Nexio Projects to share their insights on the qualities they seek in candidates. Additionally, both Cilia and Viktoria have personally experienced career pivots into sustainability consulting. Their journeys underscore that transitioning into sustainability consulting involves creatively applying your previous expertise to address climate and sustainability challenges. Here's why transferable skills are a game-changer. 🌍💡

The role of a Chief Sustainability Officer is relatively new in the corporate world, and there is often debate on where in the C-suite it should be placed. What are the main responsibilities? Who are the main stakeholders they interact with? And perhaps, what many of us want to know is -- How do you prepare for such a role?To answer these questions, join us in welcoming Danielle Azoulay, who has had over 15 years of experience in leadership positions in Sustainability for L'Óreal, Bed, Bath & Beyond, PVH and Marc Jacobs. She brings a myriad of experience in the field and will be sharing her career experiences with us.