Berenice Valencia Flores, Director of the AXA Mexico Foundation and Head of Sustainability at AXA Mexico, shares her insights and experiences with Qorus’ Boris Plantier. She discusses the restorative power of jigsaw puzzles and the joys of working alongside a pet.
Please tell us a little bit about your background.
I am a political scientist passionate about helping people and making a positive impact on the planet. I specialize in sustainability, public health and NGOs, and I truly believe that companies can and must contribute to achieving the Global Compact Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
What does your workplace look like?
I work in a smartworking format based in Mexico City. Some days, I’m in an open-space office in a very modern building; other days, I’m in my home studio with my coworker – a stubborn corgi named Teo. He especially likes to participate by barking loudly during my monthly reviews with my boss and other important meetings. Furry coworkers make the home workplace a nicer space.
Could you describe your usual working day?
As the person responsible for sustainability, the foundation, and corporate responsibility, no two days are alike. One day, I might be writing a sustainability report with my team, which requires data from different technical areas; another day, I might be discussing carbon credits or solar panels efficiency, speaking at a congress about digital sustainability, visiting a hospital to provide medical equipment to enhance public hospital capacities, or attending a contemporary art exhibition that is part of social art initiatives.
What is your favorite food?
I love milanesas, or schnitzels, with French fries; they remind me of coming back from school to my grandmother’s house. Back then, my aunt cooked for my cousins and me while our mothers were at work. The milanesas were carefully breaded before being fried as we waited at our grandmother’s round table. Each was enormous, crispy, and simply perfect.
What do you do when you need a break from work?
I usually have an ongoing puzzle at home, so when I need to stop thinking, I sit at my puzzle table and spend time solving it. It helps quiet my mind and gives me a sense of progress. When I return to work, I feel less tired and much more confident in problem resolution.
What is the key to building a successful team?
Confidence. Team members need to feel they can be themselves, fail, be courageous, ask hard questions, and speak the truth.
There is a saying that we learn more from failure than success. Tell me about one of your failures and what you have learned from it.
My biggest failure in my professional career was accepting participation in a project about which I knew nothing, believing the falsehood that everything can be learned if you try hard enough. Although I truly tried on that project and spent endless hours, I had to accept that, like anyone else, I have limits and that saying no is not only honest but also brave. I suffered so much on that project because of the shame of not telling the truth from the beginning that I now prefer to be honest and accept my limitations.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to succeed in financial services?
Always ask why. As a sustainability finance specialist, I firmly believe that questions are as important as results, and understanding where money comes from is essential.
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