I sat down with Jessica McGlyn, the U.S Director of World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), in the dining hall on Friday afternoon of the May Intensive. Currently, Jessica works with WBCSD to raise awareness of the organization’s projects, work programs and publications to member companies, NGO’s, academic institutions, American thought-leaders, and the business community. Jessica also diligently works to build and maintain relationships with other U.S. organizations that have a genuine interest in sustainability.
1) Where do you currently reside and what brought you to BGI?
I currently live and work in Washington, D.C. It’s a great, eclectic mix of people with a plethora of interesting neighborhoods. It’s a fun place to live. I know Sabrina Watkins of ConcoPhillips through WBCSD and she spoke to me about BGI and how great it is to be a part of the Change Agent in Residence (CAIR) program.
2) What was your first impression of BGI? Have you been to Seattle before?
I lived in Seattle for about five and a half years when I was working for a forest products company, and it’s changed tremendously! Bainbridge Island has changed a lot, as well. I love the focus of the program here at BGI. I sat in on the pitch sessions with the Entrepreneurship class today and really enjoyed listening to all of the great business ideas. It’s refreshing to hear all of the innovative ideas sparking around the student community here.
3) What drives you in your current position?
Right now the whole organization is trying to move from talking about sustainability to catalyzing action, and figuring out what our role is in that. We are examining planetary boundaries and what exactly the limits of our planet are, and given those, what we must do between now and 2020 (for Action 2020) to get us on a sustainable path. We are nailing down what we can we do as an association to motivate our network of partners to take action on high priority items and create lasting solutions. I’m part of working through several phases; the first phase will be to determine the top priorities. The next phase is to work directly with our member companies to address the top business solutions. Finally, we will have all of our members sign on to one or two of those business solutions and make a commitment to follow through with them. WBCSD will then measure it’s own success or failure as an organization against how well those commitments are reached. It’s a whole new direction for WBCSD and a very exciting time!
4) What goals are you working towards professionally? Personally?
WBCSD identified a gap last year with our members in terms of understanding ecosystems and business services and how to manage them. WBCSD is launching a training program with several universities in the U.S. with the goal of reaching environmental health & safety managers or individuals working in sustainability. It’s the pilot year so we are essentially “bootstrapping” it, which is a new term I just learned here at BGI!
In terms of personal goals, I’d love to take a vacation to Spain and travel around the country. I use to paint and I really want to become reacquainted with that. I also feel called to volunteer in my community.
5) If you had the option, what one thing would you bring if you were stranded on a desert island?
My iPad, assuming I can get wi-fi and some kind of solar-powered charger.
about the author
Meagan Andrews is currently enrolled as a Sustainable Energy Solutions Certificate Student. She also works as the Written Media Intern at the BGI offices in Seattle. Meagan wants to find an intersection of her creative background, social justice, and sustainability. Outside of BGI, she is involved with the local Seattle music scene working to expand opportunities for musicians. She hopes to transition to the MBA in Sustainable Systems for Fall of 2013.