During the summer of 2024, George Qiao (MBA '25) interned as an NYU Stern MBA Sustainability Fellow at Williams Sonoma. Read on to learn more about his time there:

Name: George Qiao

Year: 2025

Specialization: Impact Investing, Corporate Finance and Strategy

I have always been deeply passionate about design and home decor, with West Elm being my favorite furniture brand. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, what draws me most to West Elm is its commitment to sustainability. This summer, I was thrilled to work as a sustainability intern at Williams Sonoma, the parent company of West Elm and other popular brands like Pottery Barn. My time there was nothing short of incredible. The internship provided me with a comprehensive understanding of how a sustainability team functions within a large corporation, further igniting my passion for sustainability research and clarifying my future career direction.

Given that Scope 3 emissions typically represent the largest portion of a retailer's carbon footprint, I was excited to be entrusted with a project aimed at encouraging Williams Sonoma's vendors to invest in energy transition initiatives, which would help reduce the company’s Scope 3 emissions. I leveraged insights from Professor Whelan’s course on Sustainability as a Competitive Advantage and continued researching green finance options for the company’s global vendors. I sharpened my creative thinking skills in designing innovative support models and later presented my findings and recommendations to the company's executives.

In addition, I completed a research project focused on transforming Williams Sonoma's portfolio of retail stores and distribution centers. I conducted benchmarking analyses, studied best practices from industry leaders, gathered insights and perspectives from internal stakeholders, and developed actionable strategies to make the company’s leases more sustainable. I'm excited about the potential impact of this project on reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions.
Before pursuing my MBA, I was heavily involved in quantitative work, so this internship was a refreshing change, allowing me to tackle challenges from a more qualitative perspective. The team I worked with was incredibly supportive, patiently guiding me through everything I needed to know. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience, and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in sustainability.