Pure Strategies Launches “Future Leaders in Corporate Sustainability” Mentoring Program

Pure Strategies works to transform business for a more sustainable future. As a leading sustainability consulting firm and certified B Corporation, we bring this mission into our work each day. This includes supporting companies working to address the climate and nature crises and to ensure diverse, inclusive, and equitable opportunities. We are excited to offer a unique opportunity for students, recent graduates, and early-stage professionals that are interested in a career in corporate sustainability, especially those with identities underrepresented in the field of corporate sustainability, to participate in a four-month long formal mentoring program.

About the Program

This program aims to support the development of each group of mentees for future careers in corporate sustainability. The experiences will help build their knowledge, confidence, and career plan through regular discussions, networking opportunities, information, and resources. This program is designed to grow the mentee’s insight and interest in careers in the field of corporate sustainability.

The program will begin in February and last through May. The following opportunities will be organized during the program timeframe, plus additional optional experiences:

  • Matched with one Pure Strategies consultant for regular discussions and coaching for the duration of the program. Meetings will be about 30 minutes about every two-weeks during regular business hours in the Eastern time zone.
  • Interactions with additional experienced professionals from Pure Strategies, leading companies, and non-profit organizations.
  • Experience presenting to team members at Pure Strategies (short presentation to the team toward the end of the program).
  • Exposure to corporate sustainability projects, challenges, and approaches.
  • Peer-to-peer learning.

No in-person meetings or travel is required for this program. The experiences will be managed through web-based meetings. If an optional experience requires travel or expenses, Pure Strategies will reimburse the cost of transportation, lodging, meals, and registration fees. This is an unpaid opportunity. Completion of the entire mentoring program is expected (February through May).

How to Apply

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply when:

  • Undergraduate students: senior or recent graduate (within 12 months) in a scientific or engineering field.
  • Graduate students: Current or recent graduate (within 12 months) in science, engineering, policy, business, or sustainability.

While this mentoring program is open to all applicants, those from historically black colleges and universities and people with identities underrepresented in the field of corporate sustainability are encouraged to apply. Pure Strategies is committed to advance equality and economic opportunity for all individuals, regardless of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, age, veteran status, or disability status.

Applications will be accepted until 5PM Eastern Time on Thursday, January 6th, 2022. To apply, please send the following materials to mentoring@purestrategies.com:

  • 1) Current resume.
  • 2) Cover letter that explains the following: 1) what you want to gain from participating in this program, 2) what your corporate sustainability career ambitions are, and 3) what service areas and topics in corporate sustainability are of interest that Pure Strategies works on and why.
  • 3) One letter of recommendation from a professor or recent employer.

This is not a job posting nor an announcement about open jobs at Pure Strategies. This is a voluntary mentoring program that is unpaid. Questions can be directed to mentoring@purestrategies.com.

Cheryl  Baldwin, PH.D.

Cheryl Baldwin, Ph.D., is a Vice President of Sustainability Consulting for Pure Strategies where she partners with corporate clients to develop and execute sustainability strategies to improve performance across retail, food and agriculture, home and personal care, and cosmetics industries. She also leads the firms’ global market research to generate new insights to accelerate business transformation.

Cheryl’s recent projects include helping develop sustainability goals for TAZO, create a sustainable packaging strategy and implementation tools for Walmart, and facilitate the development and implementation of a sustainable chemistry program for Ahold Delhaize USA.

Cheryl authored Pure Strategies’ market research reports, Connecting to the FarmReaching the New Corporate FrontierAdvancing on the Path to Product Sustainability, and other reports.  She wrote the book, The 10 Principles of Food Industry Sustainability and is the lead author/editor for two additional books on sustainability, Greening Food and Beverage Services and Sustainability in the Food Industry and holds U.S. and international patents.

Prior to Pure Strategies, Cheryl led the life cycle research and sustainability standard program for the non-profit ecolabel organization Green Seal. Cheryl also worked in Research and Development for Kraft Foods, Inc. where she was involved in all phases of R&D from novel ingredient development to global product commercialization. Cheryl holds a Ph.D. and M.S. from Cornell University and a B.S. from the University of Illinois, all in Food Science.

Cheryl has been named one of the Top 50 Women Leaders of DC based on a methodical review of women executives and leaders across the area. She was identified for her career track record, including her leadership position at Pure Strategies. The recognition came from Women We Admire (WWA), a membership organization of over 1,200 of the most accomplished women leaders in business, law, consulting, education, non-profit and other sectors.

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