Eduardo Patino

It seemed to be a great fit given my background in administrative and statutory law and my interest in learning about sustainability. So four years ago, I applied to ERM in Mexico City and was hired as an intern.

For the next two and a half years, ERM enabled me to work in the office in the morning and attend classes in the afternoon. Although I was not an expert at sustainability law, I fell in love with the subject and started learning about the environment, human rights, social impacts, and how these issues are managed in Mexico and beyond. I took advantage of the courses available to me, so there was a symbiotic relationship between my coursework and my job. I started working here full time as soon as I earned my law degree.

You never get bored at ERM. Although I started my ERM career with the performance and assurance team, my colleagues working on environmental and social impacts, transaction services and contaminated site management soon reached out to me for assistance. The experiences we gain working with companies in one sector enhance the solutions we develop for companies in other sectors. On any given project, I may be working with experts in sociology, biology and community relations from ERM offices in Mexico, the United States and Europe, for example, and together we help shape solutions from our own perspectives. This is helpful not only for our clients, but also for our own professional development.

We provide state-of-the-art services at ERM. We understand the client’s entire business cycle. We work with government authorities to propose alternatives that meet the objectives of our clients, the community and the regulations. As an attorney, I could have a mindset where one party wins, the other loses. Yet at ERM, our purpose is not to create winners and losers, but to develop innovative approaches that enable our clients to address important sustainability challenges.

We have a great office environment. Each of us has the opportunity to work with and learn from each other. If there is something you enjoy working on in one area, you can talk to your supervisor and they will help you find a way to do it. We have flexibility in terms of work schedule, such as working from home when needed, but most importantly your manager truly knows, cares about and supports you. You give your best because you know you are being supported.

I really appreciate ERM’s approach to ethics, because we always do things the right way. Promotions are not a zero-sum game. We are not in a competition, but help each other achieve our professional goals.

Helping great companies address local challenges is very exciting for me. At ERM, I am shaping the world that I would like to see for my children. Through my work, I am helping my community as well as our clients. Working at ERM truly matches my life objectives and my concern for the environment.

I am proud to talk about my job with others. As I tell people, if you want to understand how things are managed, work at ERM. If you want to be innovative, come to ERM. The types of work we do today will be done by our competitors two years down the road, and by that time, we will be working on even more cutting edge projects.