Having spent 14 years pioneering sustainability at $16 billion meals and amenities firm Aramark, Kathy Cacciola stepped into her subsequent main problem in December 2021. 

Now working as international sustainability lead of the meals program at Google, Cacciola oversees a posh community of worldwide stakeholders, shaping sustainability methods throughout a worldwide portfolio of foodservice operators. 

On this interview, she discusses the significance of acclimating to a brand new position, the 2 expertise which are essential for carving out a profitable profession in ESG, and the massive points shaping sustainability in international meals. 

Shannon Houde: Are you able to inform us a bit of bit about your thrilling job at Google? 

Kathy Cacciola: Positive. I joined Google in December 2021 as the worldwide sustainability lead on the meals staff. In order that implies that I work on the intersection of the Google meals staff and our vendor companions, these companions being foodservice firms which are managing the daily operations throughout our areas. Coming from my position at Aramark, I am primarily on what we’d name the consumer facet. And fortunately, having that deep experience and information of what’s and isn’t attainable — and the place these challenges are — means we are able to have a mutual understanding as the muse for an awesome partnership. 

My present work sits beneath two major areas of focus: meals loss and waste; and single-use plastics. So, whereas my remit is international sustainability and I am concerned in lots of totally different initiatives akin to balanced plant-forward (utilizing complete grains, beans/legumes, fruits, greens, nuts, seeds and wholesome oils within the majority of meals), in 2023 we’ll put that broader technique over our strategy.

There’s a very attention-grabbing complexity to our group given the dimensions at which we work, and the truth that every thing at Google isn’t just about what we do inside our operations however about altering practices amongst our companions, after which scaling extra globally around the globe as nicely.

Houde: Do you may have any recommendation on leaping into a brand new group and new position? 

Cacciola:It takes time to get acclimated and to know all of the totally different stakeholders. For me having been at Aramark for 14 years, after which coming to Google, I misplaced my complete ecosystem of colleagues, lots of whom are additionally pricey pals. Fortunately, at Google, through the first few months of my position, not less than within the meals staff, our management staff gave lots of area to simply be taught, hear, take up and ask questions however not make any selections. There are such a lot of fundamental administrative items to stand up to hurry on in a brand new position, not to mention the subject material after which the stakeholders. So, give your self — and hopefully your management staff can provide you — the persistence and style to construct a powerful basis in order that if you end up advised to run, you are truly in a position to run. 

Houde: Do you may have any suggestions for folk transitioning from careers in NGOs, authorities or assume tanks to the personal sector too? 

Cacciola: I’d simply take into consideration what expertise and experience you may have that may be utilized inside a unique sector. Plenty of the time, folks will get caught up in what sector they’ve been working in, but when you consider stakeholder engagement or challenge administration, these are common skillsets. So, get actually clear on what your expertise and talents are and the way they apply in a brand new setting. And get actually clear explaining that.

Be able to pivot, and perceive what they’ll name you out on that’s lacking and have your reply as to how you are going to achieve success.

For instance, I used to be interviewing for a job on the World Cocoa Basis a few years in the past. I did not have any cocoa subject material experience, and I used to be within the last interview course of with the president of the group. He checked out me and he stated, “Oh, you have no cocoa subject material experience.” And I stated, “You will have 40 folks on employees who’ve cocoa subject material experience. The very last thing you want is another individual with cocoa subject material experience. You want any individual who is aware of tips on how to ask these folks the suitable questions, after which apply the solutions.” (P.S. I did get the job supply.) Be able to pivot, and perceive what they’ll name you out on that’s lacking and have your reply as to how you are going to achieve success. 

Houde: Meals programs are one of the expansive areas inside sustainability as a result of they’re so complicated. What do you see as probably the most urgent ESG points associated to your work? 

Cacciola: Along with meals loss and waste, and single-use plastics, the opposite space that I am engaged on with our procurement staff is updating our procurement pointers.

We’re engaged on updating our total requirements and people requirements are undoubtedly not restricted to plastics and meals waste alone however embrace a complete number of matters and points — whether or not it is sustainable seafood, animal welfare or deforestation. One other broader overarching subject that each meals firm is considering lately is round carbon emissions total or particularly related along with your bought items and companies — oftentimes the majority of a meals firm’s emissions. As soon as we’ve a way of what we’re buying, it’s then understanding what emissions are related to these purchases in order that we are able to proceed to cut back emissions over time as we drive in direction of our internet zero purpose. 

Houde: And what do you like about your job for the time being? 

Cacciola:Properly, I’d be remiss if I did not level out my love for the meals right here at Google (free wholesome snacks are in all places!) and our meals program total. However what I actually love is that I am working for a corporation that is really dedicated to driving change. As I alluded to earlier, it’s not solely inside our enterprise and ecosystem, however throughout our companions and the broader market total. The extent of ambition is kind of important. Even the meals waste objectives that we introduced earlier this yr to chop meals waste in half for every Googler and ship zero meals waste to the landfill by 2025. As lots of you is perhaps acquainted with, U.N. Sustainable Growth Objective 12.3 units a purpose to halve meals waste by 2030. Ours is by 2025. So it’s a go huge or go house perspective, and that stage of dedication and ambition is constant throughout every thing that we do. 

Houde: Inform us concerning the challenges that you simply face regularly.

Cacciola: I’d say the most important problem is round navigating our ecosystem of stakeholders. The extent of complexity at Google is critical. I companion with our personal meals staff, and we companion with all of our distributors, of which we’ve greater than 40 around the globe. After which we’re additionally participating exterior stakeholders, whether or not it is consultants or NGOs. So, there are lots of pursuits, there’s lots of factors of view. There are additionally lots of sustainability groups throughout the group. Partaking the suitable folks on the proper time is admittedly, actually key to being profitable and is usually one of the difficult facets of the position.

Houde: And provided that, what two expertise do you assume are probably the most essential so that you can be efficient in your position?

Cacciola: I feel persistence and the power to hear and be taught to know context and totally different factors of view is vital. The opposite ability is digesting giant quantities of knowledge and synthesizing it into clear and easy suggestions. These two expertise are actually necessary for sustainability professionals. Material experience as the muse for all of it, however you may have to have the ability to do these two issues with the intention to put your sustainability subject material experience into apply. 

Houde: Are there any particular credentials or levels or certifications you’ll be able to consider that somebody ought to take a look at to attempt to be in a task like yours? 

Cacciola: I at all times suggest tutorial expertise but in addition sensible or hands-on expertise. Whether or not it is by way of an internship with an organization or a fellowship, you really want to use the information that you have realized in an educational setting. I went to undergrad in [Washington, D.C.] so I did internships all by way of faculty with totally different organizations within the D.C. space. And that was undoubtedly useful for me to get that publicity. After which I interned with the Scholar Conservation Affiliation on a wildlife refuge in Alaska for a summer season. I do know lots of professionals take part within the EDF Local weather Corps program, which is a wonderful program, too. So, there are packages on the market which you can look to past company-specific internship packages to get that broader expertise.

Shannon Houde is an ICF licensed profession and management coach who based Stroll of Life Teaching in 2009. Her life’s goal is to allow change leaders to show their ardour into motion and to dwell into their potential — creating scalable social and environmental impression globally. To observe extra tales like these, be a part of Shannon for Espresso & Join the place she interviews sustainability practitioners each month to be taught extra about what their “day within the life” entails.