Going Further With Lilian Liu
The sustainability expert on achieving social and environmental justice with optimism, innovation, and collaboration.
For Lilian Liu, sustainability is all about shifting culture and action. For over a decade, she has tirelessly advocated for positive change. Whether with change agency Futerra, the UN, or international companies, she has urged businesses to think holistically about their economic, social, and environmental impact – so that, ultimately, they do better for society and our shared environment. Originally from Sweden, Lilian also has roots in China, and now resides in New York. Meet Lilian as she chats with our editor, AC, about how her upbringing inspired her career path and why she thinks, in sustainability, we should focus on more, rather than less.
Three questions with Lilian
Q: What sparked your initial interest in sustainability?
A: Coming from two cultures that were very different, and travelling a lot between Sweden and China, I got very interested in sustainable development quite early on.
Q: How did that upbringing inform your notion of travel?
A: It definitely cemented my love of travel. I wasn’t really afraid to go places; it helped me learn to respect local culture. I love to be part of that daily pulse of a place, rather than be the tourist looking in from the outside.
Q: What does sustainability mean to you today?
A: A lot of it comes down to balance and living, working, and playing in a balanced way – without exploiting people and with the ability for our natural systems to regenerate.
Watch the full interview
Thank you, Lilian, for sharing your story with us. You can follow her journey on Instagram.