Kristina Wyatt serves as Deputy General Counsel and Chief Sustainability Officer at Persefoni, a leading carbon management and accounting SAAS software company. She previously served as Senior Counsel for Climate and ESG to the Director of the Division of Corporation Finance at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, where she led the drafting of proposed rules related to climate change disclosures. Prior to joining the SEC, she was a Senior Counsel and Director of Sustainability at Latham & Watkins LLP where she developed and built the firm’s Sustainability program, co-chaired its ESG practice, and was a member of the firm’s ESG Steering Committee.
Recently, in an exclusive interview with Digital First Magazine, Kristina shared her professional trajectory, insights on the most common misconceptions about environmental sustainability and climate change, the secret mantra behind her success, future plans, words of wisdom, and much more. The following excerpts are taken from the interview.
Hi Kristina. Can you share your professional journey and what sparked your passion for your field?
I have long cared about the environment. When in law school, I co-founded a journal focused on international environmental law and policy. My career took me into securities law, which is another passion. Some years later, while working at the law firm Latham & Watkins, I was able to launch a sustainability program that incorporated our operational sustainability, our pro bono practice and our commercial practice. This was a great opportunity and the firm allowed me to study for my MBA in sustainability while doing this work. Since much of the commercial work around sustainability relates to public companies’ disclosures, my background as a securities lawyer was very relevant and positioned me well to focus on sustainability. From Latham & Watkins, I went to the SEC to work on a pivotal climate disclosure rule, and from there went to Persefoni – a technology firm that enables companies to understand and report with confidence on their emissions. This transparency and understanding are the lynchpins of our ability to move capital and make progress toward the transition to a lower carbon economy.
What are the most rewarding parts of your job, and why?
Two things really. The people I’m able to work with, and the mission. I work with wonderful, creative, dedicated people who are committed to making a difference in the world. And our mission, which is to build technology to make it easier for all organizations on earth to measure, understand, and manage their greenhouse gas emissions. It is a huge challenge because we are creating a new software category. But its importance is undeniable and propels us forward every day. We are making great progress and it’s incredibly gratifying to see our customers using our software to truly understand and manage their emissions.
To begin with, what are some common misconceptions or barriers to sustainability, and how do we address them?
The most common misconception is that environmental sustainability and climate change in particular is a “tree hugger” issue. That might have been the case a couple of decades ago but it has become a serious economic issue that impacts companies in all industries and all corners of the world. We address this by explaining the economic risks and opportunities posed by climate change and highlighting the many examples where these risks and opportunities are playing out.
What emerging trends or technologies in sustainability are you most excited about in the next 12 months?
We are just on the cusp of achieving carbon emissions transparency at scale – driven by technology. At Persefoni, we have just released a free version of our software that is designed to radically change how we understand the emissions we generate and how we contribute to each others’ emissions. We’ll see where we have opportunities to reduce. Capital will flow more efficiently to those companies working to transition to a lower carbon economy. It’s incredibly powerful and exciting.
How do you stay up-to-date with evolving sustainability regulations, standards, and best practices?
I read a lot. There is a huge amount happening so there is a lot to keep up with. I also learn from my colleagues, customers, and others working in this space. I find that people are very open. We are all working to tackle a complex set of challenges and we are all learning.
You were recently recognized as one of The Top 25 Women Chief Sustainability Officers of 2024. Our readers would love to know the secret mantra behind your success.
I try to stay optimistic and to help others. We are all learning and it’s an incredible privilege to work in a field that is both extremely challenging and extremely collegial. I’m incredibly inspired by the people I work with and my friends in the industry.
Is there a particular person you are grateful for who helped get you to where you are?
Yes. I’m incredibly grateful to Allison Herren Lee. She was a Commissioner of the SEC and Acting Chair of the SEC after President Biden was elected. She asked me to come work at the SEC on an assignment to lead the drafting of the climate proposal. That was an incredible honor and privilege and I’ll always be unspeakably grateful to her. She is also one of the smartest, toughest people I know so she continues to be an inspiration.
How do you keep your mind healthy and stay resilient? And how do you motivate your team?
I am genuinely grateful. The challenges we face are huge, to be sure, and at the same time I am cognizant of what a privilege it is to work to address them.
I have great friends in my company and in the sustainability community. They are enormously important to me.
Finally, I try to motivate my team by giving them responsibility, autonomy, and regular feedback and recognition. They are wonderful people working toward goals about which they care deeply. Allowing them to shine is really the best way for me to support them.
What is your favorite quote?
The Dalai Lama had a great quote about optimism and realism:
“Optimism doesn’t mean that you are blind to the reality of the situation. It means that you remain motivated to seek a solution to whatever problems arise.”
Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
I see myself doing much of what I am doing now but at a higher level. That is, writing, speaking, serving on boards, and working with companies that are building and implementing their strategies to mitigate sustainability risks and take advantage of opportunities. I’m incredibly excited about the software we’re building and the trajectory we’re on to gain much greater transparency across industries. That will have a huge impact on companies’ ability to plan to meet their goals and track their progress. We are just on the cusp of a digital revolution that will drive carbon transparency. That’s incredibly exciting.
What advice would you give to anyone starting out on their career in your industry?
The work we do is not easy. Expect to face opposition. Expect to hit walls. Adjust and keep going. This is important work, and you will make a difference if you keep at it. Just keep going. Also, we are all learning. Be humble and eager for knowledge. Share information and ideas with others. Finally, anchor back to economics and the business case for change. If the work we are doing is not supported by a strong business case, it won’t be sustainable.