Discovering Green Finance

After declaring a finance major, Mariam Mousa became fascinated by green finance, which applies financial practices to promote sustainability and reduce negative environmental impacts, and chose to study abroad in Copenhagen to learn from a city known for sustainability. Later, through the Onsi Sawiris School of Business Cooperative Education (CO-OP) course and several internships in government sectors, Mousa gained hands-on corporate experience and enhanced her passion for the field.

“Copenhagen was so different,” Mousa said. “Everyone takes their bikes or walks to work in the morning.”

Rather than being daunted by the cultural differences, Mousa found herself drawn to the city’s sustainable infrastructure and the role it played in residents’ lives. “The big thing with Copenhagen is sustainability; it's a lifestyle there,” she said.

Putting Green Finance into Practice

Inspired by her semester abroad, Mousa sought to explore how sustainability could intersect with her finance studies. She completed an internship with Egypt’s Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, where she supported the allocation of funds to planned investments across transportation, education and healthcare, while evaluating development project proposals in alignment with Egypt Vision 2030.

 “I tell students to just apply, apply, apply, apply. All of the things I accomplished happened because I said: Let's apply and see.”

From there, her six-month CO-OP in the Finance, Planning and Control office at PepsiCo offered an opportunity to examine this relationship within a corporate setting, where financial decisions and operational practices are closely connected. The CO-OP course, a pre-graduation experiential learning program offered by the Onsi Sawiris School of Business in collaboration with AUC's Career Center, provides hands-on job experience for students within the school. Since its launch in 2021, the program has trained more than 140 students across over 10 cohorts, in partnership with 25 local and multinational companies. 

“PepsiCo was different because it was my first experience with corporate fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). It's a really different industry, and whether you work in finance, supply chain or marketing, you have to know all about the business,” Mousa said.

After learning the company's fundamentals, Mousa’s primary responsibilities involved inventory performance analysis, monitoring, forecasting and reserves. She also developed interactive Power BI dashboards that senior leaders, including the CFO, continued to use after she left the company. This experience gave her valuable insight into the financial and operational considerations involved in inventory management and international sourcing.

“I want to contribute as an expert instead of an intern to help direct a sustainable future for Egypt.”

“PepsiCo orders materials from places like India and China, and then the people in finance have to upload the numbers,” Mousa said. “We also have the reserves, which are items at the factory that we don't use. We could have a maximum of around 5 million supplies in the reserve, for example, and if we exceed that amount, then something has gone wrong.”

Beyond the technical aspects of her role, Mousa valued the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues across different departments. Working with teams in other roles gave her a broader understanding of how different business functions are interconnected and how financial decisions relate to a company's wider operations.

“In finance, you are all connected with each other; that's why I enjoy it. I dealt with people in  supply chain, sales, marketing and other departments,” Mousa said.

Her time at PepsiCo also strengthened her interest in green finance. Companies in the FMCG sector can play an important role in incorporating sustainability practices throughout production and distribution, making the industry relevant for Mousa to explore the relationship between finance and environmental responsibility.

“You can decide who you really are and discover yourself by trying many things and meeting different people. You see where you actually stand as a human.”

“Being in one of the greatest FMCGs and seeing the rules of sustainability applied through each step helped me trust in the effect of green financing and its power,” Mousa said.

Her CO-OP experience built on the interest she had developed in Copenhagen, helping her connect sustainability as a way of life with its application in a corporate environment. She also sought to understand how sustainability could be pursued at the institutional and national levels, completing a monthlong internship in the Egyptian Cabinet. Within the Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC), Mousa supported research on green finance to inform policy recommendations. “After seeing how a large company like PepsiCo applies sustainability, I wanted to look at green finance from the government side,” Mousa said. 

Building a Sustainable Future

Together, these experiences helped Mousa identify a field she hopes to pursue further. She intends to pursue a master’s degree in green finance, continuing to explore how financial practices can contribute to sustainability. “I want to learn everything about it, and then return to IDSC and help Egypt evaluate green bonds and debt swaps,” Mousa said. “I want to contribute as an expert instead of an intern to help direct a sustainable future for Egypt.”

In the meantime, Mousa works in AUC’s Office of Sustainability, where she promotes sustainability across campus. Mousa works on developing events like a clothing swap to reduce waste. “It is inspired by what I saw in Copenhagen, where sustainability reached people through things they already cared about,” Mousa said. 

“Being in one of the greatest FMCGs and seeing the rules of sustainability applied through each step helped me trust in the effect of green financing and its power.” 

For Mousa, discovering this professional interest in green finance has also been part of a broader process of personal growth. Through her academic and professional experiences, she learned the value of exploring different fields, meeting new people and taking advantage of opportunities.

“You can decide who you really are and discover yourself by trying many things and meeting different people. You see where you actually stand as a human,” Mousa said.

Looking back, Mousa credits the opportunities available at AUC with helping her explore her interests and shape her career ambitions. She encourages other students to take a similar approach by applying for opportunities, even when they are unsure where those experiences might lead.

“I am so thankful to AUC for all these opportunities,” Mousa said. “I tell students to just apply, apply, apply, apply. All of the things I accomplished happened because I said: Let's apply and see.”