Rob McCann, sustainable growth manager, Virgin Media
Why did you become an environment/sustainability professional?
I took on a graduate placement with the head of sustainability at Royal Mail in 2007 not knowing anything about it, but it seemed intriguing! It was shortly after the Stern Report and Al Gore’s Inconvenient Truth documentary came out and leading businesses were frantically trying to work out what climate change meant for them and what they should be doing.
What was your first environment/sustainability job?
I was a sustainability adviser for Royal Mail Group working on external disclosure, developing the annual CSR report and delivering a range of projects, from recycling to employee engagement.
How did you get your first role?
During my second graduate scheme placement with Royal Mail I supported the head of sustainability in setting up a comprehensive carbon management programme. I picked up knowledge of the area quite quickly and, as it was a growing focus for the company, a sustainability adviser role was created for me.
How did you progress your career?
I’ve always sought and benefited from working for some big companies that have been at the forefront of sustainability as well as working with some great people. I’ve had the opportunity to work on a wide range of projects from across the sustainability spectrum, enabling me to have a broad set of skills, from the detail of carbon reporting to the strategic in setting corporate sustainability goals. I’ve also been keen to do new things and to continue to learn. Undertaking a master’s degree while working full time, which many others have done, was a big commitment but has paid back through the doors it opened.
What does your current role involve?
I help Virgin Media grow in a way that is good for society and the environment. The company is going through a huge growth phase with the biggest expansion of its network in more than a decade. That comes with a range of responsibilities from across the sustainability agenda, whether it is driving energy efficiency, looking at the lifecycle impacts of products, creating a sustainable supply chain or being an accessible business. I work with all areas of the business to ensure there is accountability for issues and the firm has clear plans in place for driving change.
How has your role changed over the past few years?
It is focused on wider environmental and social issues as well as being more influential in shaping our strategy and goals. I’m less involved in the day-to-day management of environmental issues.
What’s the best part of your work?
Seeing an area of the business ‘get it’. When it ‘clicks’ there is nothing more satisfying. Usually it has taken months of work to get to that point.
What’s the hardest part of your job?
Working on such a broad agenda with so many parts of the business on what can be really big issues that could impact in the long term means there is rarely a full sense of completion.
What was the last training event you attended?
An internal course called ‘Get smart with conflict’. It looked at how to treat conflict as a positive and find ways to work through issues to get to a constructive outcome. This is essential in a sustainability role where you are challenging the status quo.
What did you bring back to your job?
An understanding of when to shift between conflict management modes.
What are the most important skills for your role?
Two stick out: stakeholder management because I have to build strong relationships so that people trust my recommendations for change; and being able to create clarity where there is little. This is essential when dealing with complex issues or trying to change the way a department functions. Often people do not have time to co-create a solution so you need to be able to provide a clear plan of action that can be trusted.
Where do you see the profession going?
Many professionals say doing ourselves out of a job means we have done our job right! I cannot see that happening for a very long time, but I do see that the profession will require much closer alignment with, and skills in, core business functions, such as finance, marketing, brand and procurement.
Where would like to be in five years’ time?
I’m going to cheat and say in four years’ time I would like to be sharing the huge successes of Virgin Media’s 2020 goals after having made a real difference to the way the company operates and thinks about sustainability.
What advice would you give to someone entering the profession?
Be confident about your knowledge and skills, and trust in your instincts. Also, pick up as many other business skills as possible because you will need to be as flexible as possible.