Reducing their carbon footprint is a goal for businesses large and small, but what does a career tackling sustainability issues for clients really involve?

For Mina Lee, Sustainability Accelerator Strategist at Capgemini in California, it’s about coming together as a team, with the passion to solve global climate challenges.

“Working in sustainability at Capgemini, we all really want to find solutions to those challenges,” she says. “It’s about convincing people that sustainability matters for the planet and people, but also that it’s a business problem. For me, sustainability is part of what we do every day.”

Raphaël Vercoustre, Consultant at Capgemini Invent in Belgium, agrees that all businesses need to actively engage in their sustainability journey.

“The journey may be driven by legislation, a desire to do the right thing, or the knowledge that, if they don’t change, they may suffer financial risk. We’ve also seen how emerging technologies like cloud computing and Gen AI can significantly impact a company’s carbon footprint. Understanding and forecasting these effects is essential to making informed, future-proofed decisions,” he says.

A recent Capgemini Research Institute (CRI) report highlights, however, that many organizations are still failing to track their growing carbon footprint. It’s an area in which people such as Mina and Raphaël are making a difference – helping clients design responsible and sustainable strategies around their whole business offering.

Experience in sustainability and tech

Although they work in similar areas, Raphaël and Mina have different educational backgrounds and specialisms.

“I studied agricultural sciences and engineering,” Raphaël says. “I then did a double Master’s degree with a focus on biochemistry. During my academic journey, I explored sustainability through internships, and that sparked a strong interest in environmental impact. Joining Capgemini Invent allowed me to apply that passion at scale, working with global clients and helping them navigate the complex challenges of decarbonization.”

Mina began her career in tech.

“My background was in technology consulting and design strategy,” she says. “It helped me understand how we can create products through a user-centric point of view and evaluate the entire life cycle. However, I knew I wanted to dive further into sustainability in my career. I went back to school, gaining a Master of Science in Sustainability Management. At Capgemini, I have worked on policy and governance, regulations, and compliance, but I also wanted to focus on a global role, addressing how our portfolio responds to climate and client needs across the market.

“My job is to get companies to look at the business benefit of sustainability, and how it helps mitigate risk and improve financial performance, as well as address the climate challenges we have today. It’s about future-proofing and looking at success both short- and long-term.”

Raphaël also recognizes the complexity of the challenge.

“My current role has been to create CO2 forecasts based on the capital expenditure investments businesses are making,” he says. “I translated these investments (capital and operational) into carbon impact projections. This allowed us to assess alignment with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), and identify decarbonization opportunities. It’s a deep analytical process, working across business units to build a strategic roadmap that embeds sustainability into decision-making and budget planning.”

Understanding the complex challenge

Mina says it’s vital we get to grips quickly with how businesses’ increased use of tech, including artificial intelligence (AI), can be a drain on resources, including water and energy.

“We are dependent on technology – and, of course, without it we wouldn’t be able to measure climate risk accurately – but we need to learn how to improve it and use it better to reduce its environmental impact.”

Digital technologies, however, are only part of the picture, she adds.

“When looking at the total environmental impact, we need to think about all aspects of a company’s ecosystem. Where is it located? What communities is it part of? For us, this is about systems-oriented thinking – about how it all comes together. Businesses are complex matrices and we need to consider every part of them if we are to make a difference.

“To understand it, we need to do a lot of scenario modeling. For example, with the right advanced technologies – which involve the use of sensors, AI, and other smart tools – we can see where organizations can reduce energy consumption across the value chain, and across the full impact of its ecosystem.”

Raphaël says he has learned a lot about the complex challenges that organizations face.

“This project has helped me grow as a consultant,” he says. “Working with diverse teams, from operational leads to executive stakeholders, requires tailoring the sustainability narrative to their context and decision-making. It’s not just about sharing data; it’s about enabling strategic decisions with the right insights, whether it’s prioritizing specific initiatives or aligning with long-term net zero goals. 

“Sustainability is a journey and we are still at the beginning – but the momentum is building. Embedding sustainability into strategic planning is key to long-term impact. With the right tools, governance, and commitment, we can implement transformative initiatives that make sustainability a core design principle, not just a compliance checkbox.” Mina also shares this sense of optimism: “At Capgemini, we really believe in our sustainability mission. We understand the challenge. I’m optimistic because every day I’m inspired by my co-workers. We keep moving forward – making sustainability part of everything we do and showing businesses how they can do the same.”