Sustainability Leadership in Action: What it Takes to be Director of ESG with Molly Laverty

Hey there,

I’m reaching out to drop the second episode of the Sustainability Skill Set podcast in your inbox and describe some of my favorite parts.

Episode 2. Sustainability Leadership in Action: What it Takes to be Director of ESG with Molly Laverty

This time, I had the pleasure of speaking with Molly Laverty, the Director of ESG for Del Monte Foods, where she oversees sustainability initiatives and works to reduce the company's carbon footprint.

We covered some incredibly helpful topics for anyone working in sustainability. Here’s what I found most helpful:

#1 - The importance of a company’s supply chain

Molly described how various roles she has held throughout food supply chains prepared her for success as Director of ESG today.

By understanding her company’s supply chain, she can better identify where to make improvements and develop actionable plans to achieve sustainability goals.

It’s an important reminder that sustainability often involves working with suppliers, partners, and other stakeholders.

#2 - Practice communicating complex topics to a variety of audiences

Sustainability professionals must be excellent communicators.

Specifically, they must understand topics well enough to engage with experts while simplifying those topics for business managers, employees, customers, and others who may have never encountered them before.

Straddling the line between technical and non-technical audiences seems to be one of the most difficult aspects of communication in sustainability.

#3 - Focus on YOUR areas of interest

What a relief! You don’t have to be an expert in data analysis to work in sustainability…

Despite my love of data, I know staring at spreadsheets isn't everyone’s favorite pastime.

Molly describes that, when building a career in sustainability, it is essential to focus on your strengths and areas of interest rather than trying to force yourself into a particular field.

There are so many opportunities available to work on sustainability, regardless of your existing expertise, because sustainability initiatives require participation from everyone in a company, including salespeople, managers, accountants, HR folks, operations folks, scientists, and more.

I found it very interesting to hear about the personal traits that Molly described as her superpowers, including curiosity, a detail-oriented mindset, and patience.

She reminds us that building true consensus takes time and can be tiring, but in the long run, it's the most effective way to approach the work of sustainability leaders.

Patience helps in building relationships, implementing sustainable practices, developing practical solutions, communicating well, and maintaining momentum over the long term.

Wishing you the best,

Louis DeMaso

P.S. Please hit that reply button anytime. I would love to hear from you.