Laura McMahon, Sustainability Analyst, Danske Bank
What subjects did you enjoy at school that supported your career path?
So in school I was actually more Arts based! At A-Level I studied English, Religion & History. At GCSE I studied Art, Drama, History, Religion, English Literature, Geography and Spanish- but was not great at Geography in school! At the time when I was in school, I always said Maths and Science based subjects were my worst- not my strength at all, so it always shock me that my career path has ended up being working in a bank, learning about Sustainability/climate change! I always mention this as it’s important to know you’re not always limited by strengths in school subjects!
Did you study at university or higher education?
Yes
What course did you study?
I went to Queens University to study Politics straight after my A-Levels- it was in my final year I realised this was not something I would pursue long term as a career, and had a slight panic moment about what I was going to do! Suddenly when I was looking ahead at the next year, I realised it was the first time ever I would not be going again into another school/university year. By chance, I applied for the bank’s contact centre as it offered part time roles- and I decided I would do this whilst studying in final year to get a bit of experience. 6 years later I am still here on my fourth new role! I completed my Politics degree, and then began the bank’s apprenticeship programme and pursued a degree in “Leading on Customer Operations”. A module in this degree was ‘Ethics and responsible business’, which educated me on the banks position on Sustainability and why this is so important for the bank and the wider NI economy. I was really intrigued by this- and a month later, a role as a ‘Sustainability analyst’ came up- we’re a small team so these roles are few and far between! So I was delighted when I successfully got the job. I then graduated with a First Class Honours in July 2025. I have also completed a Postgraduate short course on “Leading Sustainable Change” with Ulster University, and undertook a paper reduction campaign project across the bank as part of my assignment.
What does a typical day or week in your role look like?
Every week brings something new! Some weeks involve attending conferences and events, which could range from a lunch and learn session on sustainability for businesses or sustainability leadership to a farm walk exploring biodiversity and agriculture. Sustainability is connected to numerous aspects of the bank’s operations, from supporting business customers on their sustainability journeys and assisting personal customers with their mortgage journeys to addressing internal emissions, such as reducing paper usage by staff (for instance, minimising unnecessary printing).
What part of your job do you find most interesting or exciting?
I feel like with Sustainability I am constantly learning across a wide range of topics – and get to be out and about at different events. It’s not a typical desk job, from networking with other organisations to being out meeting customers- it feels like there’s always something happening!
What advice would you give to pupils who are interested in a career in sustainability?
I would say sustainability connects to far more topics and areas than you might initially expect. It’s not something I ever thought I would find myself working in, but it’s exciting to be part of such an important, constantly evolving, and expanding field. Whether you’re interested in learning more about the environment, exploring businesses, or even delving into risk and the wider market, it’s a fantastic area to be involved in. Putting yourself forward and becoming part of something new can often lead to surprising and rewarding experiences!