Liza is Associate Director at Corporate Citizenship.
My journey to Corporate Citizenship has been a Beatles-esque long and winding road that began in the bowels of a Chinese state-owned brewery, took a brief detour to West Africa, and ended with a nice window seat and a pot plant in a smart part of London.
In the early-mid ‘90’s, there was nowhere more exciting to be than working in China, the world’s largest and fastest growing market, advising companies how to build their businesses. But it became increasingly apparent to me that while deals were being struck, factories were being built and land was being cleared, companies were far less aware of the environmental and social impacts they were having. I decided to return to the UK – then regarded as a beacon of progress on the subject of corporate citizenship – to learn more. My work with Save the Children taught me the effectiveness of campaigning from the ‘outside’ but it was my arrival at Corporate Citizenship that gave me the opportunity to campaign from within..though scaling buildings and dressing up in orangutan outfits is sadly ruled out..!
A friend once said to me ‘it must be nice to wake up to a job that gives you an opportunity to make a difference’.. Well, yes, rewarding to get a ‘light-bulb moment’, but most times it’s a case of slowly chipping away and letting in the chinks of light…but then as Tesco might say, ‘every little helps..!’
Past experience: Director, APCO China, Private Sector Advisor, Save the Children, Procurement Manager, Carlsberg Brewery, South China
Clients have included: Cadbury, Heineken, Vodafone, Durex, Britvic, SAB Miller, Tiffany’s, Estee Lauder, Dunhill, Holcim China, Global Witness
Call Liza to talk about: China, supply chain, brand footprint, karate tips