New Bayer director says what it takes to be an ESG skilled

With the advancement of ESG schedulean acronym that defends environmental, social and governance commitments, companies begin to move to establish and meet goals, and specific professionals emerge for these functions. Carolina Grace, the new director of sustainability for Bayer’s agricultural division for Latin America, is an agronomist who started her career in the commercial area and made this transition. “These actions have been seen as a priority in organizations, which are understanding that ESG cannot be left out of any corporate planning.”

The new ESG professional appears in the recent Total Compensation Survey of the Mercer consultancy with a managerial career and arrives at top 10 best paying jobs🇧🇷 Those who want to pursue a career in the area do not necessarily need to have training focused on ESG, like Carolina’s. “My first piece of advice is to look at the current scope of work and identify how it could connect to sustainability.”

This week’s C-Suite also brings movements in the fashion, beverages and cosmetics sectors. Daniel Levy is the new CFO of Amaro and Luciana Costa takes over the finance direction of the beverage manufacturer Diageo. Renata Gomide, current director of communication at Grupo Boticário, was promoted to the company’s consumer vice-president.

Forbes: What does it take, in terms of education and experience, to take on this role?

Carolina Grace: I see two fundamental factors: the field experience is sensitivity and empathy to understand people. To build a legitimate, true and transformative sustainability journey, we need to have a broad vision of what we want to achieve and be with the people who are impacted, understand what they think and how they can be part of the solution.

F: With the importance that the ESG agenda is gaining, what are the opportunities to work in this field?

CG: The sustainability theme has gained great relevance in global discussions in recent years and, since the Global Compact in the early 2000s, companies have been called to be part of a coordinated effort in sustainable development. Companies like Bayer have strategic global guidelines to fulfill an ESG agenda, which are adapted to the reality of each country. One of the missions of this position is to build a journey of cooperation and innovation.

F: What do you recommend for someone who wants to be an ESG professional, an area that is starting to grow in companies now?

CG: For professionals who wish to work with ESG, I recommend that they seek to gain experience with sustainability within their work content and certainly opportunities to enter the desired area will be created. This path will connect them to other professionals involved with the subject and the transition will be natural.

F: How did sales and marketing experiences and entrepreneurship contribute to your career?

CG: I’ve been an executive, entrepreneur and professional in the third sector. This allows me to speak multiple languages ​​and empathize with many audiences. All this diverse experience qualifies me to establish dialogue processes. The sustainability professional builds bridges, is a process facilitator. This journey allowed me to gradually build a background to be a better facilitator.

F: What qualities do you look for in a professional for your team today?

CG: A professional who has a passion for the subject, but who carries some experience and especially the ability to implement, who goes beyond the dream. The value of sustainability lies in promoting a transformation that is good for all parties involved. You need to be able to change the situation and for that it is essential to have a very strong drive to get your hands dirty, think of new paths, talk to many people and even hear many “no” to build new solutions. I’d say it’s knowing how to find paths between the stones and an impulse to achieve.

F: What would you like to have heard early in your career that could have made a difference?

CG: There are learnings that only come with experience and experience in the field. A sustainability professional needs these “flight hours” to be empathetic, to speak different languages. Something that would be nice to have learned at the beginning of your career is the importance of self knowledge to deal with new situations, not always favorable to the professional and even conflicting. A sustainability and ESG professional often experiences uncomfortable situations when interfacing inside and outside the organization. Serenity and confidence are important in these situations and these characteristics are closely linked to self-knowledge.

What companies have you been through?

Grupo Orsa, Stora Enso, Earthworm Foundation, Concertação Amazônia and now Bayer, as well as my own consulting firm

Training

Degree in Agronomic Engineering from Esalq (USP), Master’s and PHD in Business Administration from USP (University of São Paulo)

First job

Soy supply chain auditor – Guiomarch Nutricion Animale

Researcher at Pensa – Agribusiness Knowledge Center

First leadership role

Marketing and sales manager at Orsa Florestal (current Grupo Jari)

career time

22 years

Source: Forbes