Young professionals are increasingly seeking meaning in their careers—but what does that look like in practice?

Pia Heidenmark Cook, former Chief Sustainability Officer at IKEA, believes finding purpose in any type of work is possible. However, she acknowledges that working in fields as impactful as sustainability can sometimes lead to burnout.

In this episode, Suchi sits down with Pia to discuss staying positive and motivated in her field. They also explore how leaders can support their teams in finding meaning at work while maintaining a healthy balance with life at home.

Pia advises a diverse range of organizations—from healthcare to hospitality— on sustainability. In 2024, she co-authored Embedding Sustainability: How to Drive Organizational Transformation, a practical guide on integrating sustainability into an organization’s core operations.

Links:

Pia Heidenmark Cook on LinkedIn

Embedding Sustainability: How to Drive Organizational Transformation

Why young people worldwide want and need ‘meaningful work’

Suchi Srinivasan on LinkedIn

Kamila Rakhimova on LinkedIn

Jumana Alnahdi on LinkedIn

About In Her Ellement:

In Her Ellement highlights the women and allies leading the charge in digital, business, and technology innovation. Through engaging conversations, the podcast explores their journeys—celebrating successes and acknowledging the balance between work and family. Most importantly, it asks: when was the moment you realized you hadn’t just arrived—you were truly in your element?

About The Hosts:

Suchi Srinivasan is an expert in AI and digital transformation. Originally from India, her career includes roles at trailblazing organizations like Bell Labs and Microsoft. In 2011, she co-founded the Cleanweb Hackathon, a global initiative driving IT-powered climate solutions with over 10,000 members across 25+ countries. She also advises Women in Cloud, aiming to create $1B in economic opportunities for women entrepreneurs by 2030.

Kamila Rakhimova is a fintech leader whose journey took her from Tajikistan to the U.S., where she built a career on her own terms. Leveraging her English proficiency and international relations expertise, she discovered the power of microfinance and moved to the U.S., eventually leading Amazon's Alexa Fund to support underrepresented founders.

Jumana Alnahdi is a student and BCG X Co-op. She is originally from Bahrain—a small island in the Middle East. She came to the U.S. to study at Northeastern University, and while navigating a new culture far from home, Jumana leaned on the power of women’s communities and support systems to overcome challenges and find belonging. Jumana is passionate about highlighting the impact of young women in innovation.

Subscribe to In Her Ellement on your podcast app of choice to hear meaningful conversations with women in digital, business, and technology.