Jessica brings a fresh perspective on sustainability and more than 20 years of experience in helping clients solve their most complex business challenges. She joined Deloitte in 1999 after completing her MBA and now leads our Sustainability business.
“I am wildly energized that my work is both something that I care deeply about and extremely beneficial to our clients. There’s immense potential to make an impact that matters on what many of us think is the defining issue of humanity. Deloitte’s business is helping clients evolve and create value. And few things are more transformative or carry greater potential to drive business value than sustainability.”
“Around the world, growth and prosperity hinge on swiftly transitioning to a lower-carbon future. The consequences of not doing so are profound.”
Biking for a cause: at the halfway mark on the Ride to Conquer Cancer as part of Team Deloitte (Hamilton, Ont)
“Sustainability is a transformative force for our clients, a means to reshape their businesses and gain a competitive advantage. Deloitte’s legacy of transformational business advice, from the era of railways and telegraphs to the advent of electric vehicles and generative AI, has always hinged on our professionals thinking differently and solving complex challenges. Our history is a testament to driving positive societal and business change through the combination of innovative ideas and the ability to execute them.
”Our clients are all at different stages on the journey toward sustainability. Some leaders have published their science-based targets and transition plans, while other organizations have done the bare minimum. We work with clients across this spectrum because no matter their starting point, there are opportunities for them to create value by becoming more sustainable businesses.”
Jessica’s Sustainability role requires her to ensure the most effective collection of Deloitte knowledge and experience is brought to bear on each client’s needs or issues.
“I love making those connections and identifying opportunities to make a bigger difference for our clients. As a global professional services network, Deloitte can bring cross-sector and global insights to our Canadian clients that expand their options and opportunities.”
“When COVID-19 struck, governments faced the complex challenge of distributing vaccines to millions in a fair way, something that had never been done before. Deloitte brought in specialists from across our network to deliver a solution, quickly. Similarly, the complex and urgent challenge of sustainability presents an opportunity to help our clients—this time to develop emissions reduction strategies and a pathway to net-zero.”
Jessica highlights Deloitte’s GreenLight decarbonization tool that helps businesses determine the most opportune sequencing of projects and make informed investment decisions to achieve their decarbonization targets and their business goals.
Chasing waterfalls and revelling in nature's beauty (Banff, Alta.)
The clock is ticking for our planet and tackling the climate crisis requires a united effort—from clear reporting and disclosure to circular economies and major infrastructure investments.
“While each of us can play our part and effect positive change, because of the complexity and fluid nature of the sustainability challenge, no person, business, financial institution, or government can solve it in isolation.”
Even with the best intentions, stakeholders can work at cross-purposes.
“Deloitte is positioned to bring government, business, and finance stakeholders together and get them cooperating in a structured, productive manner.”
Jessica gives the example of Deloitte’s energy transition team, which brought together transport and climate specialists and aviation stakeholders to test sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) opportunities and build a cohort committed to taking the work forward.
“While each of us can play our part and effect positive change, because of the complexity and fluid nature of the sustainability challenge, no person, business, financial institution, or government can solve it in isolation.”
—Jessica Goldberg
“Without inclusivity, the transition to a sustainable future will fail, as it amplifies inequality, which is not sustainable. In addition to the moral argument, there are many persuasive business justifications for a fair transition, including enhanced risk management, innovation, efficiency, talent attraction and retention, and brand loyalty.”
Two sources of inspiration for Jessica are Kim Stanley Robinson’s climate fiction novel, The Ministry for the Future, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPPC) Synthesis Report on Climate Change.
“They don’t sugar-coat it. But Robinson’s book and the IPCC’s report also offer a huge reason for optimism: we have the tools to transition to a sustainable future—we just need to use them.”
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