GRIP, Internships Abroad My Version of S&P: Sydney & Possibilities

Business in Sydney, Australia

In my time in Sydney thus far, I have surprised myself with my newfound passion for research. Prior to this internship, I was unaware of the unexplored areas of business thinking and the intersectionality of research with the business world and economy. 

Looking back, the first days of my internship were extremely different from my expectations. I had never worked in a Research Assistant role before and thus, the free and spontaneous workflow was a large adjustment for me. Upon selecting the projects I would be working on for the duration of the internship—one on ESG performance and the other on stock market inflection points—I was immediately submerged into the world of investment analysis of which I had limited experience and knowledge. The project I am working on for the first half of the internship is regarding companies’ ESG performance, ESG rating agencies’ methodologies, and superfund involvement. Alongside my fellow GRIP intern, Katie, we have been able to work closely with Dr. Massimo Garbuio.

One of the greatest highlights from my internship at the University of Sydney Business School was getting to attend the S&P Sustainable1 Global ESG Summit at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Katie and I have been looking at S&P as one of the rating agencies for our research, so being able to hear from S&P leadership directly was a monumental experience. S&P only hosts this summit in three different cities, and it was a great opportunity to learn more about Australia’s political and economic state in relation to the climate change and sustainability movement. They had speakers and panelists ranging from energy company CEOs to financial analysts to government officials which helped us understand the impact of ESG policies on all stakeholders involved. We were also able to network with other conference attendees; Katie and I had the pleasure of meeting a freshly-graduated sustainability consultant and learning about his mission and podcast! The food was also amazing – I’ve been enjoying Australian tea time (light snacks and beverages in the morning)!

Ultimately, I’ve really enjoyed getting to learn something outside of my comfort zone and look forward to continuing learning about a new field within business. I hadn’t seriously considered a career in energy or finance but thanks to my experience so far, I have broadened my horizons and will welcome any opportunities that come my way here in Sydney!