Susan Whitley

Susan Whitley - MDE 1994.  Following graduation, I moved to Calgary at a time when business was beginning to boom again in the oil and gas sector. These were still early days of sustainable development in the private sector. I started working for Shell Canada, one of the first companies to publish a sustainable development (SD) report and be explicit about SD and measuring progress. Though it took a few years for more roles in SD to be created, I believe we are leading in this area by embedding these roles in our business, and not simply tacking this on as a department. My current role is relatively new, and as a "Venture Support Integrator", I ensure that all non-technical risks (social, environmental, regulatory) are managed across our business asset, Peace River Oil Sands. I interface with technical project teams to identify risks and opportunities to influence design, mitigation, benefits, and business drivers. What impressed me most about the MDE program was the composition of international students and Canadians from across the provinces, which led to stimulating debates and a greater understanding of unique perspectives and political and policy challenges. I take this with me in my work and approach to solutions internally, and with our local and Aboriginal stakeholders in Oil Sands. Feel free to contact me at Susan.Whitley@shell.com