Introducing Ann Lee-Jeffs, the newest member of Beyond Benign’s Executive Board! With nearly 40 years of experience leading sustainability initiatives at companies like Colgate Palmolive, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Teva Pharmaceuticals, Ann is an innovative leader in advancing green chemistry and healthcare plastic recycling. Ann’s journey reflects a profound commitment to environmental sustainability, evident not only through her corporate achievements but also through her founding of the Sustainability Women in the World (SW2) movement, which empowers women leaders in sustainability globally.
As she joins Beyond Benign’s Executive Board, Ann brings a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective on sustainable chemistry. Beyond Benign caught up with Ann to discuss her career journey, her dedication to green chemistry, and her vision for how sustainability can drive meaningful change in industry and education as we enter the era of the Artificial Intelligence revolution. Read on to learn more about Ann’s impactful work and her inspiring outlook on the future of sustainable chemistry!
First, we’d love to hear about your career journey and the passions that have driven you! What inspired you to focus on sustainability, and how did that lead you to green chemistry?
I have always been moved and motivated by my family and friends who go out of their way to do things to help me and others. Starting at a young age, I was driven, curious, and motivated by taking on the hardest challenges that I believed I could handle. Becoming a chemical engineer, which was encouraged by my mom, was one of the challenges I took on—and it was one of my hardest and proud accomplishments. As a chemical engineer, I had an opportunity to work for several multinational companies, including Colgate Palmolive, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Teva Pharmaceuticals, to help them become leaders in sustainability and green chemistry. Green chemistry is an innovation platform for sustainability. Many companies have practices related to green chemistry—utilizing principles to minimize waste or emissions—the key is leveraging those practices for innovation.
During my time with Pfizer, I was a leader of the green chemistry movement and was involved in establishing the ACS Green Chemistry Institute Pharmaceutical Roundtable. There, I led work to help them recognize green chemistry as a platform for not only increasing the efficiency of drug development but also innovating the process. This resulted in both top and bottom-line growth. I took this experience and applied it at Johnson & Johnson to integrate green chemistry across their 200+ family of companies.
Before joining the Beyond Benign Board, you founded the Sustainability Women in the World (SW2) movement. How did your work at SW2 help shape your approach to sustainability leadership?
Leading sustainability at Teva Pharmaceuticals and Modern Meadow, I navigated the shift from seeing sustainability as an opportunity to a risk-focused necessity. Founding SW2 was about empowering women executives to lead with innovation in sustainability, which is especially important as we face the transformative challenges and opportunities of the AI revolution. SW2 activates the power of women executives in sustainability to bring about a tide that helps all sustainability leaders facing this crossroads—ensuring that this key growth innovation platform remains and we can continue aligning our work for the good of the planet and the health of people.
As someone with extensive experience in corporate sustainability, what do you see as the most significant challenges and opportunities for the green chemistry movement in the next decade?
The primary challenge and opportunity for green chemistry is to evolve from a scientific to a business movement, gaining traction among CEOs, investors, consumers, policymakers, and sustainability officers.
What drew you to join the Beyond Benign Board of Directors? How do you see your background in sustainability and green chemistry contributing to the organization’s vision and goals?
Having advocated for green chemistry for over 20 years, joining Beyond Benign was a natural step. I aim to help expand the organization’s reach and impact and connect the sustainability and green chemistry communities more closely. As such, I am very excited about connecting the dots between green chemistry and sustainability to bring the two communities closer together.
In your career, you’ve launched several industry roundtables. How do you think Beyond Benign’s focus on education and green chemistry can benefit collaborative industry efforts like those?
We are what we teach. Education shapes our future workforce, which is crucial as we still face gaps in innovation and sustainability skills. Beyond Benign’s role in educating from elementary to graduate levels is pivotal. I see an opportunity for Beyond Benign to lead collaboration between the industrial and academic sectors to develop education that aligns with modern needs in innovation and sustainability.
How to get involved:
- Join the Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC) to connect with your peers in a collaborative environment focused on green chemistry education.
- Subscribe to Beyond Benign’s newsletter to get green chemistry news, resources, and inspiration delivered to your inbox monthly.
