Can you describe what you do?

My company analyzes sustainability risks within supply chains. We review our clients’ portfolio suppliers to understand their activities and identify potential risks in their production or services.

Each client completes a customized questionnaire. As an analyst, I use their responses and supporting evidence to evaluate the company’s activities and assess potential risks. I also examine the management systems they have in place to prevent, minimize, or address those risks.

In the end, we provide companies with a concise one-page report—essentially a snapshot of their current sustainability and CSR management systems.

Can you talk about your path into sustainability work?

I studied international relations, with a particular focus on country development and social work. I speak three and a half languages, so I found country and regional dynamics very interesting.

But over time, I realized I wasn’t cut out for that kind of work. Many experts in the field—from the U.N. and the Red Cross to professors and lecturers—shared a personality trait I didn’t have: extreme patience. Projects often required years for approvals, budget allocations, and governance processes. I prefer things to move faster, so I knew it wasn’t the right fit for me.

I joined a student-run organization where I could implement ideas and projects in a single day—with no budget approvals and no bureaucracy. I said to myself, this is it.

I also took a summer course on the principles of CSR management. It covered the origins of CSR, the major public scandals that shaped public perception of corporate responsibility, what the impact of a business can and should be, and definitely what it shouldn’t be.

Between electives and courses, I had explored the topic in depth, but it wasn’t tangible to me. CSR was still just a genuine idea of what a company could be.

What aspects of your background prepared you for the role?

My two internships were very useful in preparing me for this role. The second was in the oil and gas industry, a sector considered environmentally high-risk. That experience gave me a strong understanding of reporting cycles, international reporting standards, and how to respond to requests for information.

When I began applying for roles, those internships gave me leverage. I didn’t have a technical background in a specific environmental discipline, but I did have a comprehensive understanding of reporting processes, how long they take, the topics they need to address, and how to find those topics.

My academic studies were theoretical, more of an overview of social concepts and issues through different classes. It was my internships that provided the practical, hands-on experience I could demonstrate in interviews.

I was also asked about recent trends or news related to sustainability scandals in the past. I only knew those things because I taught myself about them. It’s easy, with a minimal level of understanding and genuine interest, to know a little bit of everything.

What new things did you learn on the job?

On the job, I learned how to analyze a management system in depth. As a CSR analyst, I often reviewed extensive company documentation—sometimes up to a hundred documents for a single client. Instead of managing my time, I learned how to manage my energy. I became more intentional about reviewing documents based on my current energy levels, understanding the most efficient way to work while keeping performance in mind.

I also learned how to evaluate the purpose of each document in the broader context of everything else I had seen from the company. In other words, understanding the details of one tree without losing sight of the whole forest.

What are some challenges of the role?

One challenge of the role is the variation in how familiar we are different industries. When we analyze many companies within the same sector, we quickly learn what’s standard and what’s not. But for industries we assess less frequently, it takes more time and effort to understand the context, both in terms of what we’re reading and what’s considered typical. That often means doing more research to grasp industry trends beyond the information provided.

Another challenge is keeping up with change. Industries continue to evolve, and public expectations around sustainability keep growing. There are always new developments, requirements, and initiatives to learn about.

What part of the role do you enjoy the most?

What I enjoy most is gaining a deep understanding of industries I never even knew existed. Sometimes it’s discovering an industry that’s developing innovative sustainability practices.

In a single day, I might analyze three different industries and four companies across different regions. That gives me a comprehensive view of their management systems and sustainability initiatives—both in broad terms and through specific, detailed examples.

What does the future look like for you in this path?

I see myself continuing in a specialist role, either focusing solely on analysis or moving toward a consulting path. At the moment, my work centers on sustainability analysis related to procurement, so I could go in the direction of sustainable procurement programs.

Sometimes I come across industries I haven’t worked with before that grab my interest. I keep self-teaching, reading, and researching so I can understand where my background, personal interests, and the needs of today’s world intersect.

What could you give as advice to others?

Even though I believe impatience can push you to be proactive and move forward faster, you also have to know when to be patient. Sometimes the situation doesn’t benefit from a push.

At the same time, never stop fighting for what you want. I’ve only been part of certain projects because I put myself there. No team leader or colleague made it happen for me; I literally put myself on that team or into that project.

It’s something you learn with time—to understand when it’s the right moment to say yes and take action, and when it’s better to wait.