How would you describe yourself? Who is Ritu?
I would describe myself as an open-minded free- spirited kind of
person with a strong base in independent values which were created
from my life experience. I’m someone who’s a giver - very aware,
caring and kind.
What are you working on now?
I work in a for-profit consultancy cum think tank called
SustainAbility.
The word sustainability is a word derived from ‘sustainable
development’, two very loaded words which both have ambiguous
meanings. International development has often meant pure economic
progress - the developed world helping developing nations to bring
their status of economic progress and standard of living to a
higher level. But given the finite resources on this planet,
continuing economic progress indefinitely is not possible. So
sustainable development considers how we can continue to develop
without exploiting the planet to such an extent that the earth’s
supporting ecosystems collapse.
We work with large businesses to help them deal with the impact
of social, environmental and economic issues that arise from their
operations globally. We also work on the business case for
operating in a more responsible manner thus creating an incentive
for businesses to change. As an organization, we aim to emulate
our talk, so whilst we are profit-driven like our clients, we do
this within a framework of ethics and principles of sustainable
development and our rules of engagement. Based on these internal
rules we have been known to turn down potential clients.
We are a hybrid of think-tank and consultancy; we (our whole
team) all work in both areas. Within our research and advocacy
work we look at key issues that are relevant to business. We work
with businesses, NGOs and other relevant actors in order ensure
that existing business practices and legislation evolves to a
higher standard.
For example, we’ve recently worked on a report on corporate
responsibility and tax. Tax is one of the simplest though crucial
ways that a company pays for its license to operate in society,
and we are arguing that these dues need to be paid transparently,
correctly and fairly, and not avoided as is often the case.
What has been your journey to what you are doing now?
I always wanted to be a problem solver/consultant, I didn’t know
what type, but I wanted to help solve problems.
I grew up in India, so I saw a lot social degradation and
negative impacts on the environment. But despite all this, I don’t
think I was a very aware individual. I just went with the flow
until I was about 26 years old.
At university in India, I joined an international students
organisation called AIESEC. The exposure to other cultures and
mindsets made me realise that there was a universe of
possibilities out there, and that I could be anything I wanted to
be. There was so much more to life than my current reality.
Meeting so many different people from other countries, made me
see that overall people are people and that the essence and core
of people is the same, which was a learning experience for me.
Everyone used to say you don’t really know AIESEC until you have
done an exchange programme (working in another country), so I
applied and did one. I left India just as I turned 22 – I worked
for Citigroup in this traineeship program till I was 23 (1.5
years). Afterwards, I didn’t want to go back to India immediately,
I wanted to explore more.
Though, I didn’t know what I wanted to do, so I decided to
apply to mainstream business strategy consultancy firms in Europe.
I figured that this type of project work would give me a great
opportunity to explore multiple industries. I was 23 years old, I
didn’t know what it would be like and I had no idea of what I was
getting into.
In the end, I got an offer from The Boston Consulting Group (BCG)
in Switzerland, and my family and friends were very impressed. I
didn’t quite know why, but it felt really good. But after a while,
going to work I started to wonder whether my self-worth was linked
to what working for BCG meant, and if the world looked at me
differently as a result. I had had no idea of the cut-throat,
competitive; show me the money kind of environment I was getting
into. I learned a lot and I learned it fast, and developed a great
skill set. But I wondered: is this it?
Thinking of what to do next, I decided to apply for business
school, to do an MBA. I still wasn’t very aware; it hadn’t all
come together yet. I was 26 when I got accepted. I was still
wondering about my self worth, and where I derived my inner
strength from. And the more I was thinking, the more and more I
got disillusioned with how business was done. We could have come
up with some creative solutions for clients, but we would not
implement them if it didn’t bring in the dollars. The lack of
integrity and creativity bothered me.
Things started to come together within my awareness building,
and I realized it’d be futile to go to business school to figure
out what I want to do with my life. So at 27 I decided to refuse
my admission to the MBA.
I took 1 ½ years out, and took some time to think what I wanted
to do. When I left BCG, I had to find work. I travel on an Indian
passport, and my work and thus residence permit was always linked
to the company I worked for.
So I got a contract to work for Pfizer in the UK for 6 months,
working on strategy development, but with a caveat that I’d also
get exposure to the CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)/Public
Affairs team at Pfizer. I had an inkling that I still wanted to
work with business and make use of the incredible skills set that
I had built up in BCG, but that I wanted to work in the
responsible business area. I extended my contract for another 6
months, and spent that whole year figuring out what I really
wanted to do.
Then I took a further 6 months off to clarify my thoughts, but
actually, at the end of the second contract, I knew I wanted to do
consultancy work and to work with business to make it more
sustainable. I also researched and short listed SustainAbility as
one of the companies I wanted to work for.
How did you feel? What insecurities, questions, doubts did
you have?
When I was left BCG and decided not to do the MBA as well, I had
the world around me thinking I’d lost the plot, including my
parents who are extra supportive in letting us kids be who we want
to be. They asked me: “Are you sure? You’re throwing away a career
that you’ve worked so hard for.” Although I had many friends and
family who were supportive throughout the process, four people
really made the difference, my mom, my cousin, my sister, and my
boyfriend. I could not have done it without their unflinching love
and faith in me.
I have to admit I was shit-scared, I didn’t know what would
happen next – I didn’t have a lot of money that I could rely on as
I’d spent as I’d earned. Though somewhere deep down I also had a
certainty in my stomach that life is very important, and following
your heart can never been wrong. But I was scared for 1 ½ years,
even when I started at SustainAbility, though after the first week
on the job I knew I was in the right place.
I was living in suitcases for those 1 ½ years, this caused a
lot of strain in my relationship with my boyfriend, I had a
serious phase of being low and scared. But I would not have put
myself through this difficult change, if I didn’t know deep down
that there was something better out there for me.
How are you feeling now? What questions do you have? How do
you see the future?
I’m feeling good. I have less money and less financial security as
I took a huge cut in my salary. But I love my job, and I work
because I want to. I come to work and get energized, the days fly
by, and at the end of the day, I’m still enthusiastic. It’s the
first time in my life that I feel energized from my work
My future is wide open, but I’m going to have a really good
time. The next few years are a stepping stone for me. I want to
make a big impact in the field I’m in, so I need to ramp up my
skill set and knowledge in order to do that.
Would you do anything differently?
Yes, I would keep perspective. The 1 ½ years was so hard, but I
complicated it as well. Instead of looking at it as an
opportunity, I saw it as a burden that I have to go through. If
you can see things as opportunities it doesn’t have to be so
draining on you, I think I’ve learned that.
So I would look at things I’m going through as opportunities, I
would trust more, I would give myself a break more, I would trust
in myself more, and yet on the other hand, if I hadn’t done it the
way I did, I wouldn’t have learned all that.
What advice would you give to other people in similar
situations as you were in?
• No matter what anyone else says, do what feels right for you.
It’s your life, and you’re the only one who’s going to be reaping
the consequences of your choices. Make your choice, be confident
with it and see what happens
• Trust that it’s going to work out!
