BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Marie-Claude Dion St-Pierre
Administrator
“I’ve learned over time that the key to successful projects is trust. You don’t need to know the end result before you start. Jump in, trust your people, have faith in the journey, and have fun along the way: that’s my approach.“
“Change gives me energy,” says Marie-Claude, and in her role as General Manager of GCM Enviro Synergies (GCM Enviro), where the opportunities for innovation and new business seem boundless, she certainly is energized.
Having started out in water treatment studies and mining reclamation estimates, Marie-Claude has watched, over her 20 years career, the sustainability field evolve rapidly, and she has grown along with it. A skilled leader of both people and projects, Marie-Claude believes in the art of letting go and trusting in the capabilities of her team. “I try to give people room to grow. I’m there for them, but I also give them the space to figure things out on their own.”
This trust is empowering. As teams become more effective, leadership can identify new projects of varying scales and types, creating more opportunities to grow and learn – a “virtuous circle” that Marie-Claude feels reflects the sustainability industry itself. “For sustainable development to truly be sustainable, a project must also be economically viable.” When companies remain profitable while reducing their environmental impact, they can reinvest in sustainability, creating a positive feedback loop. “When done right, it’s just good business.”
From her early days in the male-dominated mining industry, Marie-Claude learned about the importance for women to “own” their expertise. Imposter syndrome, as Marie-Claude puts it, can be a real phenomenon. “When you are on a job with a client, you have to keep clear in your mind that YOU are the specialist. Our clients bring us their difficult problems. We at GCM Enviro have the time and training to dedicate ourselves to solving those problems. That is our role, and we own it.”
Marie-Claude feels at home in GCM Enviro, with its culture of helpfulness and, as she puts it, “serious fun”. “At GCM Enviro, we don’t take the need for fun lightly. It’s actually a very important part of our core.”
To be able to work at the highest of levels but keep your sense of humor alive throughout it all, Marie-Claude believes this is what sets GCM Enviro apart. “These are serious projects, but when you have the right values anchoring the core of the company, the experience of hard work, and the sense of achievement that comes with it, just feels different.”
“It is very special, this feeling at GCM Enviro. And I see this as my most important job: to keep the spirit of GCM Enviro alive.”
Having started out in water treatment studies and mining reclamation estimates, Marie-Claude has watched, over her 20 years career, the sustainability field evolve rapidly, and she has grown along with it. A skilled leader of both people and projects, Marie-Claude believes in the art of letting go and trusting in the capabilities of her team. “I try to give people room to grow. I’m there for them, but I also give them the space to figure things out on their own.”
This trust is empowering. As teams become more effective, leadership can identify new projects of varying scales and types, creating more opportunities to grow and learn – a “virtuous circle” that Marie-Claude feels reflects the sustainability industry itself. “For sustainable development to truly be sustainable, a project must also be economically viable.” When companies remain profitable while reducing their environmental impact, they can reinvest in sustainability, creating a positive feedback loop. “When done right, it’s just good business.”
From her early days in the male-dominated mining industry, Marie-Claude learned about the importance for women to “own” their expertise. Imposter syndrome, as Marie-Claude puts it, can be a real phenomenon. “When you are on a job with a client, you have to keep clear in your mind that YOU are the specialist. Our clients bring us their difficult problems. We at GCM Enviro have the time and training to dedicate ourselves to solving those problems. That is our role, and we own it.”
Marie-Claude feels at home in GCM Enviro, with its culture of helpfulness and, as she puts it, “serious fun”. “At GCM Enviro, we don’t take the need for fun lightly. It’s actually a very important part of our core.”
To be able to work at the highest of levels but keep your sense of humor alive throughout it all, Marie-Claude believes this is what sets GCM Enviro apart. “These are serious projects, but when you have the right values anchoring the core of the company, the experience of hard work, and the sense of achievement that comes with it, just feels different.”
“It is very special, this feeling at GCM Enviro. And I see this as my most important job: to keep the spirit of GCM Enviro alive.”
