Livia Arrigoni
Director, Sustainability and Climate Change
PwC
Describe yourself in 25 words or less:
I am from Italy, but Montreal has been at the centre of my world for the past seven years.
I live here with my husband Damiano and our twin daughters, Bianca and Elsa.
Fun fact about yourself:
Being Italian, this could sound very stereotypical, but I am a food-obsessed person.
Describe your current job:
My role is to assist our clients in building trust around their sustainability performance.
In the last few years, I have been leading an extensive number of projects for Canadian organizations in a wide range of sectors including mining and metals, telecommunications, real estate, transportation, and logistics.
Our practice provides assurance over our clients’ performance, for example, GHG emissions and other sustainability metrics. Alongside assurance, our practice provides advisory services assisting our clients to create sustainability strategies and programs.
Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles:
I am currently leading the Montreal Parents@PwC Committee. This is a diversity and inclusion group with the objective to foster a community of parents who support each other.
I started the EMBA during my maternity leave. When I returned to work, I engaged with our leadership team to create an initiative for parents and this is where we started.
We have various initiatives ongoing, but I am thrilled to announce our first significant event is going to take place this coming April. More than 150 people, including employees and children, are expected to attend.
Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during the EMBA?
I am extremely proud of my final paper, which is on Responsible Investment and the role of Institutional Investors in Canada. This project is on a topic I am very passionate about; the role of sustainability performance in the allocation of capital in financial markets. The research gave me the fantastic opportunity to connect with many personalities within the Responsible Investment community here in Montreal.
I am now looking forward to playing a more active role in this space. At PwC I am working to create products that could be particularly relevant for our clients, including issuers and financial institutions.
In the meantime, I am attending events and conferences with a wide range of stakeholders and I am excited to be part of the Responsible Investment movement.
What did you enjoy most about the EMBA experience in general?
The relationships with the members of the cohort, the professors and the speakers were fundamental in making this experience wonderful.
I started an EMBA program and I feel that this journey has brought me far beyond the academic teachings.
As a group, this experience enabled a constant reflection around our values, passions, stories, and ultimately, our vision of leadership.
The program helped me to create awareness, build confidence and focus on what really matters. It pushed me to challenge my own status quo and play a transformational role within my organization.
What is your ultimate long-term professional goal?
My ultimate goal is to live in alignment with my purpose: do something I love deeply and contribute to making this world a better place for everyone.
