Laura Clise
Laura is the Director of Sustainable Development and Continuous Improvement for AREVA Inc. She is responsible for the development and deployment of the company’s sustainable development strategy for the North American region. In that role, Laura supports the continued integration of sustainable development into regional business strategy and coordinates sustainability reporting, climate change strategy, supplier diversity and stakeholder engagement for the region. AREVA is a global low-carbon energy generation company, whose products and services offer technological solutions that support the worldwide transition to a low-carbon economy.
1. Let’s first start with your background which helps set the foundation to where you are today.
I was born in Seoul, Korea and adopted by my American parents when I was six months old. According to the adoption agency, I was left at a police station and then taken to an orphanage in Seoul. My mom is third generation Japanese-American and my dad’s family has lived in Seattle, Washington for many generations where I grew up. Who and where I am today strongly reflects the influence of my parents and two grandmothers. The inherent diversity in my family background has fed a lifelong inquisitiveness that has shaped my education and professional experience and ultimately underpins the various aspects of what I do in my role today.
2. How did your inquisitiveness lead you to Carleton College, a small, private liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota that is ranked among the nation’s best colleges?
Carleton was my first and only choice. The back-story is that my dad went to Carleton which originally put it on the list of schools not to consider because as a teenager I thought I was smarter than he! However on a bit of a whim, my dad went back for one of his reunions and our family joined him. Secondly, from the moment I set foot on campus, there was something that clicked and I knew intuitively that it was the place for me. I am still very engaged and in close contact with two mentors who were professors of mine. I am fortunate to have had such an incredible experience at Carleton and now serve on the Alumni Career Board in support of the college’s career programs for students.
3. After graduating, what factors came together to put you on the track to developing an expertise in corporate social responsibility and sustainable development?
I’ve always enjoyed connecting with people and wanted to make a difference. Although there were logical reasons why I made particular career decisions, there was always intuition or a gut feeling involved. I applied to only one business school. I knew the one company that I wanted to work for, and though it took a bit of a journey, I’m here today. I decide here (pointing to her heart and head) what I want to pursue and with a lot of support and a bit of serendipity, that’s what has happened. The sustainable development expertise that I have developed is the sum of my experience in marketing, operations, strategy, and change management.
4. After graduating from Carleton, did you know that you wanted to concentrate in these areas? There’s a part of me that has always been committed to the greater good, making the world a better place and making a positive difference. I initially thought that to do that you either worked for a non-profit or a foundation. When I learned that it was possible to take that impact and weave it into the way a business approached developing its strategic vision for long-term sustained economic, social, environmental prosperity, it sounded incredible. That’s what attracted me to Thunderbird School of Global Management. There was a strong infusion of global mindset, global citizenship and global entrepreneurship; the how not just the what of business.
5. How did you apply that global mindset to working in the area of corporate social responsibility (CSR)?
At Thunderbird I learned about the importance of integrating CSR into business strategy. I also learned how to adapt global policy or strategy based on local market, regulatory and cultural context, which is a part of my everyday work at AREVA. When I figured out that sustainable development was what I wanted to do professionally, I knew that I needed experience to find a job in that area. My first opportunity was a project for the UN Global Compact analyzing member corporate social responsibility reports that led to another opportunity to support the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit in Geneva. <The UN Global Compact is a strategic policy initiative for businesses that are committed to aligning their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles. By doing so, business, as a primary driver of globalization, can help ensure that markets, commerce, technology and finance advance in ways that benefit economies and societies everywhere.>
6. How did the UN Global Compact experience lead you to AREVA, Inc.?
At the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit in Geneva I met Anne Lauvergeon, CEO of AREVA. Following her presentation, I had the opportunity to thank her for her remarks and convey how her vision for AREVA resonated with me. I followed-up with a note. About a month later she wrote back and referred me to the global head of Human Resources at AREVA with whom I met in Paris shortly thereafter.
7. How did you build the relationship with Anne Lauvergeon and other executives at the firm?
I knew that I was passionate about her vision for AREVA. I sent her quarterly updates on the projects that I was working on and how I thought they complemented sustainable development and AREVA’s business. From the time that I first met Madame Lauvergeon to the time that they created and I accepted my current position with AREVA, it was about 15 months. So, I feel incredibly fortunate that I have a job about which I am truly passionate.
8. Reflecting on your career path, what advice would you give to professional women to gain credibility and confidence?
One thing I’ve learned to appreciate is how important it is to develop your network – both internally and externally. I say that in terms of having an openness, interest and curiosity in other people and developing those relationships – whether it’s with other women, people within your industry or functional area. Be open to learning, always. There are three words that I carry with me every day: patience, passion, and persistence.
Patience, Passion and Persistence. Laura is a shining example of these three qualities.
