Impact Interview: Lilian Liu
What are you working on these days?
As Braze’s first sustainability hire, I have been working on building sustainability strategy and programs from the ground up at the company. The first year has been focused on identifying needs, building foundations, data collection, creating internal processes and policies. A big focus for me has been on climate – figuring out how we can decarbonize our business and be part of a just and equitable transition, including how we engage suppliers in this effort.
Outside of Braze, it’s been really fun to advise organizations that are focused on finding ways for creatives (including the music and the arts world) to take an active role in the climate movement, including working with EarthPercent.
What was the “aha” moment that sparked your interest in social impact?
I was born in Sweden but spent a lot of my time growing up in Shanghai, China, where I had extended family. I experienced the exciting economic boom of the 90s and 00s but also saw the downsides of aggressive growth — environmental degradation, polluted rivers, smog… While it was an exciting time when a lot of people were able to get out of poverty and build a better life, I believed that there should be a better way of doing business that can ensure we flourish at both an economic and human level.
How did you break into the social impact space?
I was always interested in global affairs and politics, and studied European sciences in college. After I graduated college, I decided to move to China. I sought work with meaning, and found a job at a nonprofit called Redress that focuses on reducing waste in the fashion industry. A key reason for me getting this job was the fact that I spoke Chinese. Since I was the only one fluent in Chinese on the team, I also got some exciting assignments such as traveling around the country and giving talks about sustainable design.
The experience opened my eyes to the impact that companies have and how they can be a powerful changemaker. Since then, I have been dedicated to corporate sustainability, working on these issues inside companies, being on the outside as a sustainability strategist and consultant, and working on partnerships between INGOs and businesses at the United Nations.
Working in social impact is often about driving change. What is the skill or trait that has been most important for your work as a change agent? How did you learn or hone it?
Relationships and stakeholder engagement are very important. Sustainability teams are usually small, and the success of your team depends on getting other teams to contribute and help. Understanding what keeps your CEO or other departments leaders up at night, and how sustainability solutions may be able to solve those concerns, is powerful.
I wrote an article about lessons learned from year 1 of building sustainability programs from the ground up with some more thoughts on the topic of change-making.
What most excites you about the social impact space right now?
I am excited to see that the climate conversation is growing in industries that have been relatively quiet in the sustainability space in the past, such as technology, music and arts. Many of these industries are culture shapers. And to fix climate change, we are going to need both business change and culture change.
Learn more about Lilian’s work and connect with her on LinkedIn.
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