Lilia Victoria Torno is a visionary leader, sustainability advocate, and cross-cultural strategist redefining modern leadership. Known for her human-centered approach, Lilia—widely called “Vickie”—champions responsible risk-taking, ESG integration, and purpose-driven innovation across emerging markets. Her work empowers teams to balance profit with people and planet, transforming complex sustainability challenges into actionable impact. Passionate about leveraging AI and climate technology for a resilient future, she inspires leaders to blend empathy, systems thinking, and bold action. Through “The Social Digest,” readers will discover how Lilia Victoria Torno turns values into value, building trust, transparency, and tangible change in the global sustainability landscape.
The Social Digest: Vickie, from your experience leading across cultures and industries, what foundational principles define your leadership approach?
For me, leadership starts with deep listening and genuine care for people. Every culture, team, and industry teach me something new, so I lead with curiosity and respect. I believe in creating safe spaces for open dialogue, turning complexity into clarity, and always keeping our shared purpose front and center. Ultimately, my approach is to empower others to do their best work—because that’s when real change happens.
The Social Digest: How do you balance bold risk-taking with responsible stewardship—especially when steering sustainability-driven ventures?
I think boldness and responsibility go hand in hand. When I take risks, it’s because I see an opportunity to make things better for people and the planet, not just to chase headlines. At the same time, I’m conscious that sustainability decisions affect lives today and generations tomorrow. So, I always ask: “Is this decision true to our values? Will it build trust?” For me, responsible leadership is about courage with compassion.
The Social Digest: In launching new ventures, how do you prioritize purpose alongside profit, especially in emerging markets?
I’ve seen firsthand how purpose can open doors that pure profit never will, especially in communities that feel left out or underserved. I make sure our products solve meaningful problems and create value that uplifts people, not just bottom lines. When purpose is woven into every decision, profit follows—not at the expense of people or the environment, but because we’re building something genuinely needed and trusted.
The Social Digest: What sustainability challenge in your industry keeps you up at night, and how are you actively working to address it?
What worries me most is how often sustainability becomes a buzzword instead of real action. I see companies talk about ESG but struggle to integrate it into their products or cultures. That’s why I focus on making sustainability practical and human-centered, using tools like predictive analytics to show what impact looks like in people’s everyday lives. Through my work, I aim to help others turn good intentions into real, lasting change.
The Social Digest: How do you measure success beyond revenue—what non-financial metrics do you consider essential for true impact?
To me, success is when our work leaves people and communities better off. I look at whether we’ve improved access for underserved groups, strengthened trust with users, reduced environmental footprints, or built skills that stay with people long after a project ends. If what we’ve done helps others stand taller and dream bigger, that’s the real win.
The Social Digest: For aspiring leaders aiming to build sustainable enterprises, what are the top three capabilities or mindsets they need today?
Empathy – Truly understanding the hopes, fears, and needs of the people you serve. Systems Perspective – Seeing how your decisions ripple through communities and ecosystems. Optimism with Action – Believing we can build a better future and taking bold steps to make it happen.
The Social Digest: Looking ahead, what global trends in sustainability and tech excite you most—and how are you positioning your work to capitalize on them?
I’m inspired by how AI and climate technology can work together to solve problems that once felt impossible, like making supply chains transparent or bringing green finance to small businesses. I’m positioning my work to help organizations not just understand these trends, but harness them to create fairer, more resilient systems, because I believe the most exciting future is one where technology and humanity grow stronger together.
This interview was conducted by Riddhi Moteria from The Social Digest on 05/07/2025. If you have any interview recommendations or have a story that you want to share with our readers, get in touch with our editor Vedant Bhrambhatt, at editor@thesocialdigest.com
