FOSSI scholar Cianni Wallace, a rising junior majoring in environmental science at Howard University, participated in an eight-week internship for a second consecutive summer at Quaker Houghton, a leader in industrial process fluids.
Being at Quaker Houghton has taught me so much about corporate sustainability and the behind-the-scenes work that comes into play with making a company more aware of its environmental, ethical, and economic footprint.
Cianni’s focus during her internship
Cianni’s focus was to learn more about sustainability data reporting as well as upcoming regulations and EcoVadis rankings, which help companies improve their sustainability practices and global regulation compliance across their supply chains. She met subject matter experts across the organization to identify areas for improvement that would help boost Quaker Houghton’s current EcoVadis ranking.
Cianni also reported on how customers use Quaker Houghton’s sustainable product portfolio, which sustainability metrics are most in-demand, and she updated an internal FAQ to help Quaker Houghton colleagues talk with customers about the company’s approach to corporate sustainability.
Cianni highlights the importance of building connections and skills
"My experiences from last summer were fundamental in building skills in Excel and compiling information that I use now,” she noted. “They have shaped the way I move throughout the workforce, and I have gained many skills that will be applicable in broader life.”
Manager and Quaker Houghton Corporate Sustainability Specialist Natalie Amparo commented, “Since this was Cianni’s second year, she hit the ground running and was fully equipped to efficiently tackle the projects assigned to her. During her internship, she has developed new insights on changes made within the ESG landscape and continued to hone her soft and technical skills.”
Cianni reflects on her internship experience
Reflecting on the experience, Cianni said, “Being at Quaker Houghton has taught me so much about corporate sustainability and the behind-the-scenes work that comes into play with making a company more aware of its environmental, ethical, and economic footprint.”
Quaker Houghton embraces opportunities to champion diversity in STEM
Melissa Leneis, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Quaker Houghton, underscored the importance of building a diverse STEM workforce: “Our partnership with FOSSI allows us to offer the next generation of leaders opportunities to gain firsthand experience, develop relevant job skills, and build connections that can shape their future careers. When we think about driving innovation and finding creative solutions to our most pressing challenges, we recognize the importance of engaging people with different experiences, perspectives and passions. As STEM professions evolve and grow, we’re proud to make experiential learning accessible to students from all backgrounds so we can support a more inclusive and equitable workforce at Quaker Houghton and throughout our industry.”
We invite companies not currently supporting FOSSI to build their pipeline of outstanding and diverse talent by supporting a FOSSI scholar. Learn more.