Women on the Frontlines of Sustainability: Bridging HR and Sustainability with Paula Jacobson

Paula Jacobson, Senior HR Business Partner at PAPEL Holding

We had the privilege of speaking with Paula Jacobson, an accomplished HR leader whose career spans aviation, beauty, fintech, and sustainability. With a reputation for building people-first cultures and championing social and environmental impact, Paula brings a unique perspective shaped by lived experience across industries.

Our conversation offered thoughtful reflections on purpose-driven leadership, the evolving role of HR in sustainability, and the importance of empathy, adaptability, and inclusion in today’s workplaces.

Bridging HR and Sustainability: Paula Jacobson

Paula’s career journey highlights her passion for sustainability and her ability to grow organically in the professional world. Beginning as Cabin Crew at Virgin Airlines, she developed a deep understanding of people, culture, and diversity skills that naturally transitioned into her HR career. Despite no formal HR training, she excelled in hiring, providing end-to-end HR solutions, and even establishing the HR department for HUDA Beauty. Motivated by the dynamic business environment, she founded and led her HR consultancy as a Fractional HR Director for three years before moving into her current role in the fintech sector. As Senior Human Resources Business Manager, Paula focuses on recruiting top talent and developing fintech solutions that align with her commitment to sustainability and societal impact.

Beyond her professional roles, Paula is a founding member of the MEPRA Sustainability Committee, which she co-leads with her sister.  They educate organisations and professionals on fostering impactful, sustainability-focused conversations. This initiative was inspired during COP28 and aims to enhance meaningful dialogues across industries.

As a woman leader, Paula feels fortunate. During her role as a Fractional Director, her ideas gained respect, and clients readily embraced her expertise. She reflects on women's progress in industries like banking, while noting that areas such as cryptocurrency remain male-dominated. Despite these challenges, Paula champions people-first strategies, including designing performance management systems, fostering empathetic workplaces, and aligning company culture with sustainability principles.

Her advice to entrepreneurs is to prioritise hiring the right people with the right mindset. This approach reduces turnover and supports the "People" pillar of sustainability, enhancing overall business success. Paula’s journey is an example of how passion, adaptability, and purpose can shape a career and positively impact the world.