Features Environment & Sustainability Water & Chemicals Workforce
Pulp and paper’s future leaders: Meet Mahima Sharma

The future of pulp and paper looks bright.

Armed with a strong work ethic, initiative, curiosity, and a commitment to training and safety, the 2021 winners of our Top 10 Under 40 program are setting the bar for young professionals across the industry in management, operations, maintenance, sales, support and research.

To highlight the achievements of each individual selected for the Top 10 Under 40 list, Pulp & Paper Canada will feature one of 2021’s winners every week for the next 10 weeks. Nominations for the 2022 contest open at the end of the year.

This week we introduce Mahima Sharma, director, environment, innovation & mill regulations for the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) in Ottawa, Ont.

As she’s climbed up in her career, Sharma, 34, has proven herself to be invaluable to FPAC’s senior leadership team, says Derek Nighbor, FPAC CEO.

“Her work is instrumental in ensuring that FPAC maintains its reputation for housing the latest and most relevant scientifically verified data on environmental performance,” he says.

In her role, Sharma assesses environmental regulations for mills, analyzes and reports on sustainability measures, and works with FPAC’s membership to communicate the stance of the forest products sector on issues pertaining to climate change, air, water and chemicals.

She was also responsible for spearheading a partnership with Statistics Canada to ensure the government has access to current forest sector data through reporting by FPAC’s membership.

As lead on the association’s innovation file, Sharma is also hard at work promoting the part the forest sector plays in solutions to climate change and the low-carbon economy.

Sharma has been building on her knowledge ever since her post-secondary schooling, when she earned two bachelor’s degrees in biochemistry and chemical engineering, and two master’s degrees in chemical engineering and health administration. She cut her teeth in compliance when she joined FPAC in 2014 as an environmental analyst.

“Mahima has deep technical knowledge, a ready grasp on complex files, and is highly respected and trusted by her colleagues,” says Nighbor. “She is an important conduit between the industry and the federal government on issues related to carbon, innovation and the forest bioeconomy.”

Up next: we highlight the contributions of our final winner, Leonardo Gomez.