Portfolio-ing with purpose

Creativity runs through my bones. My best days are always the ones where I get to make something - whether it’s a handmade gift for someone I love, messy craft time with our sons, or leading a team through a problem in a way that feels inventive and alive. Creating is where I feel most myself.

For years in my corporate role, I saw myself as an intrapreneur - completely at home in structure, but always driven by a need to do things differently. I pushed for new ideas, shook things up and never settled for “how it’s always been done.” Some of my favourite moments include taking charity partnerships onto BBC’s Match of the Day, launching the world’s first virtual reality sustainability report, overhauling family leave policies, and introducing five days of paid volunteering. I was always asking myself: How can we make this better? How can we make this bolder? How can we do this differently?

Then came my second maternity leave, and with it, a pause from corporate life. I stepped into space. The awkward, unstructured, slightly terrifying space before a new beginning - the in-between. And here’s the truth: that in-between period changed everything. Without back-to-back meetings, I finally heard myself think. Without constant deadlines, I rediscovered what I actually enjoyed. Without a corporate identity, I started rebuilding my own.

I’ve currently chosen to pause my corporate career to enjoy being Mummy to Jack (age 5) and Alfie (age 2), and to appreciate good health - an empowered and privileged choice to shift my focus of time and attention for this chapter. I’m plotting my next role (stay tuned!) and, when time allows, taking on freelance projects to help small businesses become more impactful. I also continue to stay up-to-speed by mentoring future sustainability leaders.

At the same time, the sustainability landscape has shifted. It’s become risk-heavy, compliance-focused, and increasingly pressurized. Many talented, passionate practitioners are burning out under the weight of doing everything, everywhere, all at once. Research (including Acre’s) highlights a troubling trend: many Chief Sustainability Officers are finding their roles unsustainable - overstretched, under-resourced and isolated. Meanwhile, companies are choosing greenhushing, staying quiet to focus solely on risk and compliance rather than impact. Sustainability is a huge, complex, evolving field, and CSOs often feel pressure to know everything - every issue, every nuance, every emerging risk. Managing expectations internally becomes almost impossible, particularly for leaders who are new to a company or new to the field.

This is exactly why the concept of a portfolio career resonates with me right now. Not because it’s trendy, but because it’s honest. Positive impact work requires more access, more humanity, more flexibility and more innovation. I’m stepping into a phase where creativity, purpose, and impact can coexist without burning out the person behind them. It’s a phase where I can bring together the strands of my experience - innovation, sustainability, leadership, creativity – along with wanting to be a present Mummy and granddaughter, without forcing them into a single job description. This is an empowered and privileged choice to shift my focus of time and attention for a chapter. Of course, I’m plotting my next role (stay tuned) and when time allows, taking on freelance projects to help small businesses become more impactful. I continue to stay up-to-speed by mentoring future sustainability leaders.

This isn’t about leaving something behind. It’s about expanding what’s possible. Doing a bit of everything that speaks to my purpose. This chapter is about building a purposeful life that’s sustainable… for me.