In a world where corporate responsibility is increasingly becoming a condition for genuine progress, Ioana Voinescu, Head of Sustainability Department at Banca Comercială Română S.A., speaks about her professional journey, the balance between ethics and performance, and how sustainability has become an integral part of BCR’s organizational culture. A conversation about vision, values, and authentic leadership, where purpose and consistency intertwine in an inspiring career story.
C&B: You’ve built a solid career in a field that, until recently, didn’t even exist in its current form – corporate sustainability. How did this professional journey begin for you?
Ioana Voinescu: My professional journey began in the world of corporate banking, where for almost 20 years I learned how value is created through a deep understanding of business, risk, and financial responsibility. Over time, I discovered that the true value of an organization is not measured only in numbers, but also in how it contributes to the well-being of communities and the protection of the environment.
At that time, there was no sophisticated regulatory framework for ESG, but intuition and curiosity about the non-financial impact of decisions gradually led me toward the field of sustainability. I developed during a period in which I learned from every project and every partnership, building step by step a practical understanding of how sustainability principles can be integrated into a bank’s activity.
Today, in my current role, I see this transition as a natural evolution: sustainability has become a way of thinking — one that constantly challenges you to connect economic performance with long-term impact and responsibility toward people and the planet.
What has motivated me most is the fact that sustainability is a living practice — one that pushes you to stay mindful of the consequences of every decision. I have seen how, step by step, sustainability has become part of strategic conversations. I believe my true professional journey began when I realized that sustainability is not just a profession, but a mindset.
C&B: What attracted you most to the idea of sustainability, and how did you know this was the right path for your career?
Ioana Voinescu: I’ve always been drawn to the idea of balance — between performance and responsibility, between results and the way you choose to achieve them. In sustainability, I found that space where strategic thinking intertwines with ethics. It’s a field that challenges you to look at things systemically, to understand the interdependencies between economy, society, environment, and governance, and to build bridges between them.
For me, it was the place where personal values and professional skills met naturally. I knew I was on the right path when I began to see results that were not measured only in KPIs, but in trust, long-term partnerships, and stronger communities. Sustainability offered me the deeper meaning of my work: the conviction that every good decision, no matter how small, can generate real and positive impact.
C&B: If you could go back in time, what would you tell Ioana at the beginning of her professional journey?
Ioana Voinescu: I would tell her to be patient with herself and to trust the process. Not to rush to have all the answers, because a career path is not a straight line — it’s a construction that reveals itself step by step. Her curiosity will always be her best guide — she should follow it, even when the direction seems unclear.
I would also tell her that perfection doesn’t matter as much as the meaning behind every decision. That experiences, people, and challenges will shape her professional identity — and in time she will realize that everything had a purpose, even the stages that seemed like detours.
C&B: What was the most difficult moment in your career, and how did you manage to turn it into a leadership lesson?
Ioana Voinescu: The most difficult moment in my career was when I had to maintain a balance between what was urgent and what was right in the long term. In a complex project, external pressures were high, expectations were different, and solutions were not obvious. That was when I truly understood what leadership responsibility means — to stay calm, to listen, to bring people together around a shared direction, even when the path seems unclear.
That episode taught me that leadership is not only about vision but about moral resilience — about the strength to remain faithful to your values, even in difficult times. Looking back, I realize that those situations, which seemed like impossible challenges, became turning points — moments when trust was built, both within the team and within myself.
Path and professional development
Ioana Voinescu’s journey in sustainability proves that this profession cannot be learned only from regulations — it is built through experience, courage, and consistency. From banking to sustainable leadership, her path reflects the maturity of a field that transforms not only companies but also mindsets. In a world where performance is often measured only in numbers, Ioana’s voice reminds us of the importance of balance, purpose, and responsibility. Sustainability, as she describes it, is not a trend or a profession, but a conscious choice — the choice to create value with care for people, community, and the future.
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