Hi, I’m Grace! I am an HBA student who studied computer science prior to Ivey. I am passionate about leveraging technology to solve the most pressing problems in our world today – including the climate crisis. As an innately curious person, I have always been fascinated by the “why”. I love learning about how people, politics, business and the environment influence each other and shape our world. In my free time, I am a self-proclaimed foodie, bookworm and gamer.  

What is your personal definition of sustainability? 

Sustainability, to me, is a philosophy to guide decision making at both the individual level of a consumer and at larger scale within corporations, governments and organizations. It is about making choices while keeping the environment, communities and the future in mind. We interact with the environment every day through the food that we eat, waste we generate and goods that we buy which can have profound impacts on the land, water, air and biodiversity. As such, it is my personal belief that we all have a responsibility to drive meaningful change and build a greener future.

What role do you see sustainability playing in your professional career?

Sustainability is increasingly recognized as a priority for companies and organizations across various sectors. Pollution, biodiversity loss, resource depletion and the climate crisis have produced novel challenges that threaten traditional business models. Corporations must rethink the ways they create value to adapt to this changing world. At the same time, rising consumer expectations and government regulations compel companies to embrace their corporate social responsibility and adopt environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles within their broader corporate strategy.

As someone who hopes to start their career in strategy consulting, I want to help organizations navigate these complex issues and find solutions that benefit shareholders, stakeholders and the environment. I want to learn how corporations can harness green technology to transform their existing operations to be sustainable, resilient and future oriented. I know sustainability will follow me throughout my career because it is a question that every business must contend with regardless of industry.

What sustainability projects have you been engaged in?

During my second year summer, I worked for an asset management company and was given the opportunity to contribute to an ESG project. Alongside my fellow interns, we were tasked with developing a framework to evaluate biodiversity risks of new investments. Our team created a set of indicators to assess an investment’s exposure to physical and reputational risks, drawing from established industry practices. Leveraging existing data, we created benchmarks for different industry sectors to help guide risk evaluation. The result was a comprehensive biodiversity risk assessment framework with industry benchmarks that could be used across all asset classes.

This experience sparked a curiosity and interest in sustainability. I never expected a firm in the financial services space to already be thinking so carefully and intentionally about how sustainability-related issues could impact their line of business. It highlighted how environmental challenges are connected to broader economic and market dynamics, reinforcing my commitment towards championing sustainable values throughout my professional journey.

Please list any sustainability-related interests you want to explore during the certificate. 

Sustainability related topics that I am interested in exploring during the certificate program include carbon pricing, renewable energy, green tech, regenerative agriculture and ocean conservation.