Accounting for a greener future

From a WWF-Singapore internship to networking opportunities, this SUSS student is building a portfolio in sustainable finance

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Even before graduating, second-year accountancy undergraduate Harpreet Kaur Gill has already turned classroom theories into real-world impact.

She co-authored a World Wildlife Fund (WWF) report presented at the Nepal Infrastructure Summit 2024, offering guidelines for banks and financial institutions to balance economic growth and infrastructure developments – such as hydropower, irrigation and transportation – with nature conservation.

“Rapid infrastructure developments, if not managed sustainably, can quietly destroy ecosystems,” says the 20-year-old Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) student.

“It was exhilarating to see my work contribute to global discussions on sustainable infrastructure finance.”

A 10-month internship with WWF-Singapore in 2024 offered Harpreet the perfect stage to immerse herself in research, uncovering the intricate links between financial institutions, environmental challenges and evolving regulatory demands.

Thanks to the flexible curriculum at SUSS, Harpreet was able to strike a balance between academics and hands-on industry exposure by condensing her coursework into three days a week while dedicating one-and-a-half days to her internship.

“I am really grateful that SUSS has given me the chance to take on so many opportunities,” she says.