TRECIA Mullings-Allen laughs when people express surprise about finding cutting-edge sustainability work at a chicken processing plant in Jamaica. But as group safety, sustainability and standards manager at Jamaica Broilers Group, she’s spent years proving that the most meaningful careers often emerge in the most unexpected places.

Her journey from environmental compliance to strategic sustainability leadership offers a refreshingly practical blueprint for professionals who want to make real impact while building their careers.

Mullings-Allen didn’t wait for the perfect opportunity — she created one. When Jamaica Broilers became the first poultry business in the Caribbean to achieve ISO 14001 certification in 2007, she saw potential where others saw paperwork.

“That was the turning point,” she recalls. “We’ve seen first-hand the seriousness of climate change. So the shift towards sustainability was a natural progression for me, both in response to the far-reaching impacts and because I had already been exposed to environmental management, and I wanted to deepen my competence and that of my team in business sustainability.”

Instead of chasing roles at traditionally “green” companies, she chose to transform the industry she knew best. That decision has paid off dramatically.

Early in her sustainability leadership, Mullings-Allen made a career-defining choice: focus over breadth. Rather than tackling all 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), her team prioritised just three that aligned with their business reality.

“My role touches every aspect of occupational safety and health, environmental management, and standards. I have been working with my team across the group to measure the carbon footprint of our operations, from our grow-out operations in the field, to the processing plant and all the facilities in between,” Mullings-Allen explains. “Our purpose is two-fold: one, aligning our goals and objectives with key SDGs, and secondly, embedding sustainability into every aspect of our business.”

This strategic focus allowed her to deliver concrete wins: a 25 per cent reduction in water usage per bird processed since 2019, plus significant cuts in solid waste and energy consumption.

Mullings-Allen’s secret weapon? She treats data like currency. Every sustainability initiative gets measured, analysed, and translated into business language that executives understand.

“We are making changes and understanding our impact,” Mullings-Allen says. “We have estimated our carbon emissions and looked at every activity involved in producing a case of chicken. Now, we know exactly where we are and how to move forward.”

But she’s learnt that numbers alone don’t create change — people do. Her approach to water conservation perfectly illustrates this insight.

“We are an energy and water-intensive business, as these elements are important for sanitation which is crucial to food safety. Managing water sustainably is a priority,” she emphasises.

Reducing water consumption at a facility where water is so essential for each process required more than new technology — it meant changing how thousands of employees think about resources.

“We are changing the thinking and practices of our workforce with respect to water consumption and conservation. Water used in our operations is harnessed from wells, which is great, but we’ve also made the effort to maintain the mindset that water is a high-value resource that must be used responsibly. In order to sustain this approach, we regularly measure and monitor our consumption patterns while presenting opportunities for reuse and recycling. The result: since 2019, the processing plant recorded a 25 per cent reduction in water used per bird processed.”

Mullings-Allen’s most strategic career move? Investing in her team’s growth alongside her own. She’s built a group of environmental health scientists, environmental engineers, and sustainability professionals who meet regularly for training and development.

“Our team of environmental health scientists, environmental engineers and sustainability professionals meets regularly for training and professional development activities to ensure we are current and relevant in sustainability management,” Mullings-Allen expresses. “A key component of driving change is increasing awareness among our internal and external stakeholders on environmental management, sustainability and corporate governance through regular ESG communiqués. The journey to sustainable agriculture and business is one of continuous education, exploration and implementation of new programmes and innovations to ensure viability of our operations for the future.”

Mullings-Allen’s career proves that sustainability leadership isn’t about finding the perfect company or waiting for ideal conditions. It’s about starting where you are, focusing strategically, measuring relentlessly, and remembering that lasting change happens through people, not just policies.

For ambitious professionals, her path is clear: build technical credibility, choose your battles wisely, make data your friend, and never underestimate the power of changing minds one conversation at a time.

Trecia Mullings-Allen and Joshua Thorpe, pre-placement & biosecurity officer, demonstrate how lasting change happens through collaboration, not just policies.

Trecia Mullings-Allen created opportunity instead of waiting for one, transforming Jamaica Broilers into a Caribbean leader in sustainability.