Getting to know you: Karin Mortensen Laljani

What do you currently do?

I am busy setting up Corporate Citizenship around the world – we have two offices in London and New York, but clients in many more places. So now I am determined to get closer to all those clients and take our 15 years of learning in sustainable development and corporate responsibility across the globe.

What is your inspiration in Business?

Sustainability principles – it makes you think more widely. It is a misunderstanding that CSR and sustainability creates constraints. It makes you more creative, fulfilled and excited. It connects better with your audiences.

Who do you admire?

The late Ray Anderson, who demonstrated you are never too late to change the way an industrial organization operates and behaves within society.

Looking back, are there things you would have done differently?

Lots! The important thing is to learn and move on. That is one of the things I regret – I did not learn that early enough in lifeJ

What defines your way of doing business?

You can be responsible to society and still make a profit. If you treat people well, think about servicing multiple stakeholders and not just one, the profits will come. Well, you need to know your business as well – minor detail. Chaos is good by the way – out of chaos comes innovation.

What advice would you give to someone just starting out?

Be ambitious about the things you want to change in the world. Don’t be a perfectionist, progress often requires taking 3 steps backwards to move 5 steps forward; don’t worry. that is actually progress. Aim for perfection, accept reality.