From Executive Assistant to Sustainability Leader: Marissa Pitchford on Building Influence from Within

Marissa Pitchford didn’t plan to lead climate strategy. She started behind the scenes as an executive assistant at a global cybersecurity company — managing calendars, planning events, and supporting leadership. But she began to notice: her company could be doing more.In this episode, Marissa shares how she turned that quiet awareness into a full-scale sustainability and corporate responsibility program at ESET North America. We talk about how to gain influence without a title, how to embed sustainability into everyday decisions, and what it really takes to lead change from the inside out.Whether you're in operations, admin, HR, or tech — this is an inspiring reminder that any job can be a climate job.⏱️ Chapter Markers:00:00 Introduction and Background01:15 ESET: Company Overview and Role Evolution02:06 Sustainability Journey Begins05:31 Transforming Philanthropy into Corporate Social Responsibility07:33 Doing a Materiality Assessment08:35 Building a Strategic Framework for Sustainability11:28 Aligning to Company Values13:10 Navigating Change & Resistance15:10 Building the Case for Sustainability18:41 Landfill Neutral Guarantee21:04 Empowering Sustainable Choices in Business23:07 Starting Sustainable Actions in the Workplace25:23 The Role of ESG in Corporate Strategy26:54 Navigating Diversity and Inclusion in Changing Times30:58 Measuring Impact and Progress in Sustainability33:19 Strategies for Achieving Net Zero by 205037:47 Innovative Approaches to Vendor and Travel Management41:15 Personal Growth and the Journey to Sustainability45:00 Wrap Up & Thank You🔗 Resources Mentioned:Learn more about ESET’s sustainability efforts: eset.com/about/environmentBoston College Center for Corporate Citizenship: ccc.bc.eduHow to do your own double materiality assessment: opinionx.co/blogZero Waste Chef — Anne-Marie BonneauConnect with Marissa on LinkedIn