The CPA Way: Purpose-Driven Careers in ESG and Sustainability

Janelle Salm, CPA, MPAcc
Controller, ESG
Mercer International Inc.

Janelle Salm is currently the ESG Controller at Mercer International, a global forest products company. She began her career as a financial statement auditor at KPMG while obtaining her CPA and Masters of Accounting. Janelle found her passion in the area of climate change mitigation and transitioned to focus on sustainability reporting, assurance and advisory services. In her current role as ESG Controller, she ensures organizational accountability for sustainability data, greenhouse gas calculations and methodologies, and comprehensive ESG regulatory compliance. Although her career path has been slightly unconventional, her CPA background has proven invaluable in the complex and evolving space of sustainability.

Kyle Hart, CPA
Director, Sustainability Audit & Assurance
KPMG

Kyle is a Chartered Professional Accountant who qualified in 2015 and is a Director in KPMG’s Sustainability Assurance practice. He has over four years of experience in sustainability assurance, leading and managing assurance engagements for clients across sectors including financial services, real estate, forestry, and retail. Kyle works closely with clients to deliver independent assurance over sustainability and ESG information. He also advises organizations on the application of sustainability reporting standards and frameworks. His work supports clients in enhancing the credibility, quality, and transparency of their sustainability disclosures.

Nisha Agrawal, CPA, CGA
VP, Sustainability
QuadReal Property Group

Nisha Agrawal is QuadReal’s VP, Sustainability, joining the company in 2017.  Her expertise includes promoting green building certifications across the Canadian portfolio and supporting development of environmental, social and governance practices at QuadReal properties internationally. Nisha brings 15+ years of experience in the commercial real estate industry, beginning her career in Finance at Bentall Kennedy (now BGO).  She then moved into Sustainability and for the past 10 years has been developing programs to effectively streamline and integrate sustainability initiatives with operations. 

Nisha holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of BC and is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of BC. She is on the Board of Directors at the Canadian Green Building Council and part of the ESG Committee at the European Association for Investors in Non-Listed Real Estate Vehicles (INREV).