Q&A with Abbie Moris, CEO @ Compare Ethics

HomeContent HubBlogQ&A with Abbie Moris…

Firstly, please introduce yourself.

I’m Abbie Morris, co-founder and CEO of Compare Ethics. Initially, I worked as a consultant for governments, NGOs and the private sector, as well as working with clients at international organisations such as the United Nations and World Economic Forum. However, I was never really able to integrate sustainability into the heart of the business because it required a strong business case. I wanted to create a platform that proves the business case of being better for the planet and people, and so, Compare Ethics was born.

What are you looking forward to at Women of Silicon Roundabout?

One thing that stands out to me is the amazing calibre of women within technology and the pulling power that Women of Silicon Roundabout have to attract this network of world class women in tech. Everyone has such accomplished careers. I’m looking forward to meeting amazing women who are changing the world through technology. And I am delighted to not only be attending the event, but to be given the opportunity to speak too.

What advice would you give to someone looking to step up their career in tech?

I came into tech from a non-technical background, and I had to do a lot of learning to help me to understand how technology can impact the space I’m passionate about. My main piece of advice would be to focus on recognising the industry you are passionate about and reach out to leaders within that space. LinkedIn is a great platform for this. Learning more about the area you care about will help you go the mile in changing it.

What do you see as the biggest challenge currently facing women in technology?

Most of the time, when I tell people what I do and what Compare Ethics does, they will say to me: “oh, and you’re the founder?” and after I reply to say yes, they’ll go: “oh…congratulations, good on you”. I think people tend to respond with an unconscious bias of what they think a typical tech CEO should look like, which can be harmful. There is a need to normalise the fact that anyone can do anything – regardless of gender, race, age and so on. The fact of the reality is unconscious bias happens day to day. And everyone does it. But that doesn’t make it right.

The theme of the event is resilience; what does resilience mean to you?

For me, resilience is getting back up every single time, even when it might feel really scary to do so. I think it becomes easier to get up over time because you get used to standing back up and you find it easier every time a challenge comes up. For example, at one point you might face a specific technology challenge within your business and the first time that it happens it’s really worrying. But over time, that challenge becomes really small, because you’ve overcome it before. Overall, resilience is a learned skill that is developed over time. Eventually, you start to seek out new ways to make yourself uncomfortable so you can fail and eventually grow from it.

Finally, what can attendees expect from your session at WoSR?

Right now, there is a cost of living crisis, a climate crisis and so much going on in the market in terms of volatility. We need a transformative solution that will cut costs, lower risk and deliver value across organisations while also protecting our planet.

In the session, we will look at how to use and build good quality ESG datasets, as well as understand how retail businesses can:

  • Have a cheaper cost of compliance on ESG regulations
  • Increase the value of your business through ESG data in a volatile market
  • Have the tools ready to leverage your ESG data into new competitive advantages

Join Abbie Morris for her session “How To Turn ESG Data Into Your Competitive Advantage” at Women of Silicon Roundabout on 22-23rd November.

About Joao Vasconcelos
Joao is Content Lead, USA at Ascend Global Media and Lead Producer of Women of Silicon Valley, Women in Tech Texas and Women in Tech Boston. Joao is responsible for creating cutting-edge agendas and events for the USA that further the Women in Tech World Series' mission to permanently and irreversibly drive positive change in the tech sector.

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