Gabriella Lovas’ approach to sustainability is driven by one simple but powerful belief: true transformation happens when businesses see beyond financial metrics and embrace their broader impact. As a self-employed sustainability specialist, Gabriella has transformed how professionals understand the intersection of finance and environmental stewardship, pushing companies to go beyond ESG reporting and focus on genuine change. In our 'Nine Questions With' series, Gabriella discusses her journey from financial journalism to sustainability advocacy, her commitment to stakeholder capitalism, and how her expertise helps businesses reimagine their role in creating a sustainable future.

What started as researching ESG investing during her time as a fintech content writer led Gabriella Lovas to a profound mission in sustainability, challenging how businesses approach their environmental and social responsibilities. As a sustainability specialist, Gabriella pushes companies to go beyond traditional reporting and invest in meaningful, transformative approaches that recognize the interconnection between finance, society, and nature.

Through her work, Gabriella has bridged financial journalism and sustainability leadership, offering valuable insights into how businesses can create genuine impact. A certified ESG and GRI professional, she advocates for a holistic approach that transforms corporate strategy from profit-focused to purpose-driven.

Read on to explore Gabriella's perspective on how companies can move beyond the status quo to create lasting, meaningful change in the sustainability landscape.

Team Reblue: Gabriella, your journey from journalism to sustainability is fascinating! Could you take us through that transition? What was that 'aha moment' that made you pivot from covering financial markets to diving deep into sustainability?

Gabriella Lovas: My ‘aha moment’ was unforgettable. At the time, I was working as a content writer for a fintech company, covering topics like digital assets, trading chat rooms, and short selling. One day, I was tasked with writing several articles about ESG investing. It was love at first sight. I had already been seeking more meaningful work than writing about investments for investors. When you work in investing you never actually make anything other than more money. You don’t make any  meaningful difference. Soon after completing those articles, I resigned to focus entirely on sustainability. I read extensively, earned the CFA ESG certificate and the GRI Sustainability Professional certificate, and attended various sustainability webinars. Missing writing, I started sharing my sustainability journey on LinkedIn, which led to job opportunities. Today, I’m a self-employed sustainability specialist.

"Sustainability can't be treated as an isolated project or a box to check. It must be embedded in your organization's strategy, processes, and culture. It should become business as usual."

Team Reblue: Coming from a background in financial journalism at Bloomberg News, I'm curious—how has that experience shaped the way you view the intersection of finance and sustainability? Any surprising connections you've discovered?

Gabriella Lovas: My background taught me that finance is a driver of change. Finance can be a key enabler of sustainability by redirecting global financial flows toward sustainable goals. Investors play a crucial role, funding infrastructure and technologies for renewable energy and circular economies. Initially, I was inspired by how ESG metrics help investors assess sustainability and mitigate risks. Over time, I broadened my focus to include stakeholders like local communities, NGOs, and nature. Preparing for my GRI exam was transformative; I learned about impact materiality and saw sustainability reporting as a tool to steer capital toward sustainable investments. The concept of double materiality considering both financial impacts and a company’s effects on people and the planet, became a favorite of mine. It underscores the interconnectedness of risks, opportunities and resources.

Team Reblue: I noticed your focus on nature disclosures—such a crucial piece of the sustainability puzzle. Could you share why you're passionate about this and why companies should pay attention to nature in their sustainability strategies?

Gabriella Lovas: Nature is the most beautiful topic of all—it encompasses the variety of life on Earth, from plants and animals to ecosystems. Nature provides essentials like water, food, medicines, and cultural value, but these are at risk as biodiversity loss accelerates, worsened by climate change. Businesses rely on nature directly or through their value chains, and as nature’s ability to provide these services diminishes, the risks grow. Recognizing dependencies and impacts on nature is no longer just a CSR issue; it’s a strategic imperative. Business as usual is no longer viable.

"Sustainability reporting should be approached the same way as financial reporting. It's not actually more complex; it's just newer."

Team Reblue: You've become quite the expert in sustainability reporting frameworks like GRI and CSRD. For companies struggling to navigate these waters, what's your take on making these frameworks work in the real world?

Gabriella Lovas: Treat sustainability reporting like financial reporting; it’s not more complex, just newer. The CSRD can feel overwhelming, but it’s no harder than preparing financial reports, which companies have been doing for decades. Start by familiarizing yourself with the standards and implementation guidelines. Reviewing other companies’ CSRD reports can provide valuable insights. Begin gathering data and engaging stakeholders early; you likely have more data than you realize.

Team Reblue: One thing that really stands out about your work is your emphasis on clear communication. How do you take these complex sustainability concepts and make them click for different audiences? Any memorable success stories?

Gabriella Lovas: As a mum, I explain things clearly and simply. Einstein said, “If you can’t explain it to a six-year-old, you don’t understand it yourself.” At Bloomberg, I learned to write for a global audience in plain English, avoiding idioms or jargon that might confuse non-native speakers. This approach has been useful in making sustainability accessible to diverse audiences.

"The intersection of finance and sustainability symbolizes a shift from shareholder capitalism to stakeholder capitalism."

Team Reblue: Let's talk tech—AI is making waves in every sector. From your unique perspective, how do you see AI and emerging technologies reshaping the sustainability landscape? What possibilities excite you, and what keeps you up at night?

Gabriella Lovas: AI is a powerful tool in sustainability reporting, if used properly. From my many conversations with sustainability reporting software providers, I have seen a strong increase in the use of AI solutions to deal with large and complex data sets, to identify patterns and to accelerate the reporting process. However, it’s only as good as the data fed into it, and without human oversight, it can lead to errors or skewed results. AI should complement, not replace, human judgment, particularly in critical decision-making. While AI offers incredible possibilities, maintaining data privacy, security and compliance is essential.

Team Reblue: For someone in the C-suite or a professional looking to make a real impact in sustainability—what's that one piece of wisdom you'd share? What do you wish someone had told you when you were starting out?

Gabriella Lovas: Make sustainability a core business value. Sustainability can’t be treated as an isolated project or a box to check. It must be embedded in your organization’s strategy, processes, and culture. It should become business as usual.

"One common misconception is viewing sustainability reporting as the end goal. In reality, it's just a tool. A company, which only focuses on sustainability reporting will not become sustainable regardless of how perfect its disclosures are."

Team Reblue: In your experience, what are the biggest misconceptions about sustainability that you keep running into? How do you typically help people see past these?

Gabriella Lovas: One common misconception is viewing sustainability reporting as the end goal. In reality, it’s just a tool. Reporting doesn’t make a company sustainable on its own, regardless of how perfect its disclosures are. The goal is to use reporting to build a sustainable business model and create positive impacts on people and the planet.

Team Reblue: Looking ahead—and feel free to dream big—what mark do you hope to leave on the world through your work in sustainability? When you imagine our planet's future, what gives you hope, and what role do you see for all of us in shaping that future?

Gabriella Lovas: Of course, I want to save the planet. However, that's a rather broad goal. In Spain we say “poco a poco”. To me, it means trying to do something every day to help advance the transition to sustainability. I aim to do something every day to advance sustainability, whether through my work as a nature writer or by sharing knowledge on LinkedIn to inspire action. Seeing more people engaging in sustainability and working together gives me hope. A collective willingness to act is essential for a sustainable future.

Photo courtesy Gabriella Lovas