why GreenBiz felt different this year
published 2.21.24
Seeing all the posts about GreenBiz’24 brings something that’s been simmering for me into focus:
Behind every brand, it’s just people. It’s easy to idealize or villainize a brand or a company, but it’s so important to remember that this community of people (CSR / sustainability / ESG / impact professionals) are (mostly) in this work for the same reasons. During her networking session, Heather Mak, cofounder of Diversity in Sustainability, had us talk about what called us into this work, and while each story was different, we all (surprise, surprise) want to make the world better.
The first time I came to GreenBiz, I was with the CEO of my company at the time. I was brought strictly to sell and get new clients. As a first timer and one of two people selected from my firm to attend, I took the job seriously. I felt like an outsider, to be honest; I was running around trying to coffee chat and meet as many people as I could. I was snubbed countless times, and I almost always ended up having the best conversations with students. I was also often the only woman of color in the room. I took zero pictures that year.
Two weeks after GreenBiz, I was laid off. Two weeks after that I had a serendipitous breakfast meeting with Sam that ended in us writing up our business plan for qb. on hotel stationary.
Six years later, I was invited to GreenBiz to talk about ethical, inclusive stakeholder engagement (a moment that led to our white paper: Stakeholder Engagement that Doesn’t Suck).
This year, we were asked to moderate a panel on carbon, and it was such a different energy.
For the first time, I felt like an insider. What I mean is — I felt at home. I got to see some of my favorite people (without the pressure of selling or proving myself). I got to meet new people who I already look forward to seeing again, and I was stopped in the hallways by people who read our white paper, subscribed to our newsletter, or saw that we were quoted in HBR. It has been surreal, to say the least.
And now, it's my job to take the meetings, invite newcomers to dinner, make those connections, listen to students (which still are the best conversations!), and open doors, so a new generation of changemakers can also start to feel that special sense of belonging. We all have a role to play, and being exclusive will not lead to cross-functional, collaborative, inclusive solutions.
And while everyone is entitled to their own opinion on this gathering, from the cost of the tickets to the overwhelm of people selling something to the depth of the sessions for experienced professionals to the ability to explore difficult questions, GreenBiz has come a long way, y’all. From my first one in 2017, I have seen the main stage transform into a space full of women and people of color, and I know how intentional that shift has been. I have also seen the attendee population become more diverse, and while we still have a way to go, I am happy to see the progress and want to make sure we applaud that — “don’t let perfect get in the way of progress.”
Let’s appreciate the movement in the right direction; it’s easy to critique, but let’s remember what that feels like on the other end and remember that we’re all people who are here to move towards a common target. Let’s all do our part to make this space more inclusive and diverse — it’s all of our jobs to open doors and bring others along. Authentic connections are the key to unlocking those doors that can feel out of reach. And we, as sustainability leads, live and breathe connection — we’re liaisons within our organizations. We’re already good at influencing; let’s use that to grow this strong community and foster the collaboration that we so desperately need.
If there’s anything this entrepreneurship journey has taught me, it’s that people are just people. That person you idolize on social media or in your grad school class — is just a person. Through authentic connection, so many doors will open. If you’re in a position of (any sort of) power, this is your call to use that power to lift up the next generation of incredibly motivated, brilliant, caring impact professionals. We need all of us.
by Noemí Jiménez
Cofounder + Partner
