Marilyn Johnson is the Chief Sustainability Officer of Go Big Strategies and a Life in Motion wellness coach. Guiding leaders through system change, ethical business, and positive social impact is her expertise—and she continues to be a sounding board for those seeking to increase their company health and engagement.
Shiwon Oh: Your mission is to “transform how people and organizations thrive.” Can you share what inspired you to do this type of work?
Marilyn Johnson: All throughout my career, I’ve taken roles that for me, were about making the world a better place through individual action. I’ve always focused on health, as it’s foundational to our overall wellness and what we can achieve in the world. So, naturally, I thought about going into the medical field; however, I quickly realized I didn’t want to be on the curative side of health, and pivoted toward the preventative and proactive. I ended up pursuing Health Sciences, with a focus on Environmental and Occupational Health, which addresses the long-term consequences of workplace exposures, and that led me to the broader field of corporate sustainability.
Sustainability can be broken into environmental, social, and governance factors. Within governance, for example, cybersecurity and supply chain are critical. The environmental dimension of course addresses how we impact the planet, and the social dimension is all about people - both within an organization and beyond, into our communities, and future generations. Systems thinking and an integrated approach is critical to managing and having impact on such a broad array of business issues.
There are always problems to fix. If we approach them proactively, we can build the future more efficiently. I didn’t want to focus on repairing issues after they happened, but work on preventing them from the very beginning.
SO: What does it look like to prioritize sustainability and wellness in the workplace? Do you have any specific examples?
MJ: As I shift into personal health and well-being coaching, I prioritize a future-oriented lens. I focus on what is possible, as an accountability partner, encouraging and working with clients to consider possibilities: what is working? What could be better and how? What actions, behaviors and choices will help get us there? How can I help an organization operate more successfully than today, with positive intention, so we’re thriving for generations to come?
I once worked at an integrated forest product company that, at the time, had about 45,000 employees globally. It’s a natural resource-based business, so I learned the importance of protecting the planet. I was in the environmental health safety department, and I noticed we spent a lot of time, energy, and costs protecting animals like the spotted owl. We were among the first to start reforestation efforts, because without trees, there’s no forestry company. Protecting the resource is essential for long-term success.
SO: We live in a hyper-consumerist, quickly evolving landscape that can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially when workers feel more like cogs in a machine. How can leaders slow down and engage their workforce more strategically?
MJ: Let’s use the fashion industry as an example. It’s always about having the newest, latest, and greatest, and a lot of this sentiment is superficial. How much do we really need?
Leaders must return to organizational purpose. Creating spaces where everyone can show up sustainably is unique; some do a good job, others can be better. No one is ill-intended, because we can easily get caught up in day-to-day business, forgetting that business is run by people. And when you forget, employees become burnt out and stuck, and you notice a more drone-like culture.
Our life on this planet isn’t long; the work we do matters. Workforce engagement requires intention. Not every leader has the skills or resources to navigate it—and while individual contributions play a role, you can only work within the structure you’re in.
SO: What are some top characteristics of businesses that are deeply shaped by their core values?
MJ: Why does a business exist? What problem is it solving? Starting with that question, leaders must build from there and consider the values that humans would live by. Corporations should aim to embody responsibility, integrity, and respect for their employees, suppliers, partners, and colleagues. They should also prioritize honoring the planet, like I said before.
At its core, a business should be people-first. When you’re deeply embedded in a corporation, its culture can shape you—not necessarily in a bad way, but it makes you wonder how much of your thinking is influenced by your environment. If you’re in a less healthy workplace, your habits can change insidiously. A simple example: in some organizations, meetings tend to begin five to ten minutes late. Over time, this becomes accepted as “just the way things are,” but it also represents an opportunity. Culture, like any meaningful outcome, thrives when it’s intentional. It’s designed for the people and shaped by the people within that organization or group. When approached this way, even small shifts can unlock significant impact.
Leaders should intentionally live out their core values, not just write them down and put them on a wall. If you say you value respect and inclusion, then your decisions should reflect that.
SO: If leaders feel that they’ve disconnected from their values, what tips do you suggest to get them back on track?
MJ: If you feel disconnected from your company’s values, consider it a call to lead. Your team likely feels it too, making this the perfect moment to start meaningful conversations and rebuild alignment together. Culture isn’t created alone, but is strengthened through shared ownership.
In every organization I’ve been a part of, values mattered, and the most impactful leaders brought them to life. At one company, our CEO and executive team personally connected with employees through a mission, vision, and values tour—because as organizations grow, alignment doesn’t happen by chance. It happens through intentional leadership that keeps everyone moving in the same direction towards a common vision.
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