With 15 years’ experience in sustainability and ESG, Maya helps organizations mitigate greenwashing and legal risk across the intersection of strategy, performance, and disclosure. With a multidisciplinary team stretching across Canada, Maya assesses reports and communications to identify disclosure obligations and problematic claims, and evaluate and mitigate risk. By enhancing governance, risk management, and transparency, companies can mitigate investor confidence, regulatory compliance, and public trust.
Please tell us about your current field of work and your daily responsibilities.
My work is in ESG law—something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. It’s a blend of corporate, environmental, and sustainability law, focused on the legal risks and responsibilities companies (and sometimes governments) face in meeting their sustainability goals and communications.
Because I’m in a consulting role, my daily responsibilities change constantly—but generally, I do three key things.
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First, I work closely with my team on research and trend tracking, often spending an hour or two a day reading or discussing news and recent developments.
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How did you get to where you are today? What was your career path like?
To be honest, the path was unclear—this job didn’t even exist 15 years ago. When I moved to Calgary in 2010, there were very few corporate sustainability roles. Most companies had one person in that space, and even the big consulting firms only had small teams.
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When I moved here I couldn’t find a job very easily, even though I had been working in sustainability in London. So, I joined an environmental services company in the energy sector, doing field work for big companies. This included environmental assessments, reclamation, and general compliance work to keep companies onside with legal obligations to protect or return land to its original state. After about six months, I found a better fit at an engineering firm, where I worked in business development and on green building design. I spent a few years there on various environmental projects—and then in 2013, eventually landed what I’d been aiming for all along: a corporate sustainability strategy and reporting role within the energy industry.
Could you briefly outline the main areas within the environmental sector and what job opportunities exist in each?
From my perspective, jobs in the environmental sector can fit into three main areas.
The first is the corporate environmental side, especially within the energy industry here in Calgary. There are roles for environmental scientists, engineers, or anyone with a technical background. You can work across the entire project life cycle—from assessments and permitting, to environmental protection during operations, to decommissioning and reclamation at the end.
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The second is the environmental services sector. These are contractors or consultants who support larger companies before, during, and after project execution. That work could include environmental monitoring, cleaning up spills or incidents, or introducing new technology—sometimes to fix things that weren’t considered during project design. There's a lot of work in that space, from field-based response to planning and implementation.
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And then the third area is corporate environmental consulting, which is where I sit. That includes research, strategy, program design, and also communications and disclosure work—like, how do companies talk about what they're doing in terms of environmental performance and sustainability?
You can think of it like layers of an onion. At the core are the environmental challenges—most often related to development, whether that's energy, agriculture, tech, infrastructure, or city planning. Then you have the companies doing or supporting the technical work. And finally, the outer layer includes corporate consulting groups that support those efforts strategically, legally, or through public reporting.
Maya with her team
June 2025
And lastly, because I’m at a large firm, I also collaborate a lot internally—with other teams like advisory, audit, tax, and decarbonization teams—to make sure we’re coordinated and supporting each other, for example strategy work.​ Our ESG law team is just six people, but we’re deeply connected to the rest of the firm.
Second, I meet with clients—virtually or in person—to kick off projects, review findings, co-host workshops on sustainability programs or net zero goals, or simply build relationships over coffee and lunch. Those informal conversations mean a lot to me since I like to get to know people – trust is a two-way street.
Third, the main part of my work is reviewing client materials—reports, websites, drafts—for signs of greenwashing, legal, or reputational risk.
In the field -June 2010
For someone new to the environmental field, how can they find their focus or direction?
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I’m not saying you should quit just because something isn’t perfect—but staying in a role for a year can still be a good platform to grow from. So I always encourage young professionals: don’t wait for your dream job. Think of each job as a step toward it—even if the title, the company, or even the sector isn’t exactly what you imagined.
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Maybe it’s the right sector, but not quite the right role or the company. You’ll still get valuable experience and knowledge of the sector. Or maybe it’s the right kind of role, but not in the sector or company you want—you’ll take that learning with you when you do get into the sector you’re aiming for. Like, I know people who’ve taken analyst roles at banks or financial institutions, and at first, they don’t see how it connects to sustainability. But understanding how finance works is incredibly helpful if you want to work in environment—especially on the corporate side. And the reverse is true too. You can work in energy, in the field or in an office role, and those skills can absolutely transfer even if it’s not immediate.
I know it’s not what anyone wants to hear, but honestly, just taking a job—almost any job—and seeing what you like and don’t like about it can really help you find your focus. It can be a bit risky, but even spending three to six months in a new role, you’ll probably learn a lot about the industry, meet new people, pick up some skills, and from there, you can make new decisions.
Maya at FNMPC conference
April 2023
Within those areas you mentioned, which skills or certifications are particularly helpful? How can one obtain them?
I wish I had a simple answer —it depends on what you're going to do. If you're working more in the core areas, actually doing the technical work, then you'd likely need a diploma, undergrad, or master’s degree in environmental science, engineering, or something similar.
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Different industries recognize different certifications. So, if you’re a professional engineer, there are ongoing learning requirements to maintain that status. If you’re in green building or architecture, there are certifications like LEED—though I’m not sure about all the ones in that space right now.
Some people in the consulting world look at the climate risk certification through GARP—the Global Association for Risk Professionals. Again, it really depends on the sector and what type of work you’re doing.
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​That’s why I think it’s helpful to reach out to people on LinkedIn—people who are in your field, who work at the kind of company you want to work at—and ask them: what certifications or extra training do you find useful? It doesn’t have to be a formal certificate. Even short courses can be helpful.
At the YWE Awards - April 2025
In your opinion, what are the major trends shaping the future of the environmental industry? Which areas are expected to generate more job opportunities? What should newcomers to pay attention to?
Two things stand out to me from my specific line of work.
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The first is technical accuracy. With the rise in sustainability focus over the last few years, companies have made big, ambitious commitments. Following through on those promises takes a huge amount of data, tracking, and analysis. They need to demonstrate progress—not just make claims—which means a lot of work both on the technical side and on the communications side to tell that story accurately.
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The second trend is a growing focus on Indigenous knowledge and practices, both in environmental work and in broader development. And I think it's important to acknowledge the risk and sensitivity around how that knowledge is accessed. It can’t be transactional—it’s not something you just take without crediting, maybe even compensating for, and certainly without maintaining a relationship with the Indigenous communities and Knowledge Holders who share it. There’s been more conversation about Traditional Knowledge in the last decade, which is exciting—but we have to treat it as intellectual property, and integrate it in a respectful, thoughtful, and proper way. Not just extract it.
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When I first moved here, I was working for an environmental services company. We were inspecting old pipelines—specifically the right-of-ways—to make sure grass, biodiversity, and nature were returning. A lot of those pipelines ran through Indigenous reserves, and we worked with the Nations to understand what they knew about those areas. They had knowledge that we didn’t—because we didn’t grow up there, we hadn’t lived there for generations. That experience was a huge learning moment for me. But at the time, there wasn’t really a proper way to incorporate that knowledge into our work. A lot has changed in the past 15 years, and the direction is promising—but we still need to make sure it’s done the right way.
Could you recommend any platforms, publications, or professionals that you regularly follow to stay updated in the industry?
One really helpful thing is to use LinkedIn as a research tool. Look for people who have the kinds of jobs you’re interested in—even if you don’t find the jobs on job boards right away. That’s actually how I found my current role.
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A few years ago, I came across someone who had started an ESG law practice. I thought, how is he doing what I want to do? What’s his background? Who else is on his team? What are they known for? I ended up messaging him directly on LinkedIn and said, “Hey, I’ve been working in this field for a while—here are three or four specific questions I’d love to talk through. “ He offered to meet for coffee—and now, several years later, here we are.
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I always encourage people to explore LinkedIn that way. You don’t even have to message people right away. You can follow them, see who they interact with, learn from their posts. But if you do reach out, my biggest recommendation is: ask one or two thoughtful, specific questions.
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Going for coffee without a clear question can feel a bit awkward—for both sides. But if you’ve done your research and send two or three good questions, the other person will often think about them in advance—and they’ll probably remember you for asking something meaningful.
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And even if you can’t find much about them online, that in itself can be your question: “I see you’ve been working in this field for a long time, but you don’t post a lot—how do you share your knowledge or insights? Are you working on something like a book, or a side project?” That kind of curiosity can be a great way to start a real conversation.
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- Diversity in Sustainability
Diversity in Sustainability is a great platform, founded by one woman in Calgary and another in Toronto. Their goal is to create space for people of colour, newcomers to Canada, and visible minorities in the sustainability field—to connect, learn, and grow together.
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They host regular events—like virtual coffee chats, where sustainability leaders from across Canada hold open office hours online. It’s such a helpful way to hear from experienced voices in the field. I believe they also run a mentorship program, and their website is packed with great information and opportunities.
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So, while LinkedIn is definitely a useful research tool, I think Diversity in Sustainability is another really important resource—especially for anyone looking to build community and navigate the sector through a more inclusive lens.
Maya at Calgary Women in Energy (CWiE)
September 2024
- Conferences, events, or community groups
For example, Young Women in Energy was an organization that hosts lots of events. Also, Calgary Women in Energy (CWiE) runs technical workshops once a month on Wednesdays, followed by a social event. It’s a great mix of learning and networking. There are a few different organizations out there that offer this kind of informal training, and they can be just as valuable as formal programs—especially when you're starting out or exploring new areas.
Bonus Insight:
Maya's Secret to Managing Multiple Tasks
One thing that really helps me stay focused is having multiple projects on the go. For example, when I have five different tasks, I don’t try to push through all of them at once—instead, I shift between them strategically. If I’m not quite ready to tackle one, I’ll move to another and keep the momentum going.
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I also like to use time blocks—something like, “I’ll work on Client A from 9 to 10, then switch to Client B from 10 to 11.” It keeps the day varied and helps me stay engaged without feeling overwhelmed.
Maya at Citizenship ceremony
November 2024