Name: Deborah Carlin
Job title: Head of sustainability
Company: Müller UK & Ireland
What was your first job? Working in an Italian restaurant as a pot washer, where I perfected the art of garlic clove peeling: a skill I maintain is still deeply underrated.
What’s been your worst job interview? It wasn’t a job interview, but I did audition for Deal or No Deal years back, which was exciting and terrifying at the same time.
I had to speak for a minute to a production crew in front of camera and after rambling on, I still somehow came up short of the full minute… needless to say I didn’t get a call back!
What was the first music single you bought? New Kids on the Block – Step by Step. And no matter how many times I’ve tried, I’ve never quite mastered the dance moves.
“Small steps in the right direction are much better than giant leaps in the wrong direction”
How do you describe your job to your friends? Usually I begin with saying “I’m trying to make a difference in the world”. That’s usually followed up with saying I’m really lucky to work with lots of great people to deliver positive change, wherever and whenever we can.
What is the most rewarding part of your job? Seeing real, measurable progress. The moments when, as a team, we can point to something and say yes, that change made a difference. I have a great team around me who are equally as passionate and genuinely want to do the right thing. Watching them grow and deliver change is so fulfilling.
What is the least rewarding part? Working with spreadsheets trying to analyse hundreds of points of data. Sometimes it can make me a bit square-eyed!
What is your motto in life? Progress beats perfection. Sometimes we can get stuck waiting until we have all of the answers or the perfect solution before we move forward. I work on the principle that small steps in the right direction are much better than giant leaps in the wrong direction.
If you were allowed one dream perk, what would it be? A time machine so I could travel back and forward in time to visit people who are sadly no longer with us, and talk to those who can influence change for the future.
I’d also go back in time to warn myself about the bush next to Brian Conley… (see answer to most embarrassing moment question!).
Do you have any phobias? Yes – budgies.
When I was growing up, my nana had a budgie called Sidney who, for some reason, used to divebomb directly towards my head whenever he was out of his cage.
I’ve been terrified of them ever since.
If you could change one thing in grocery, what would it be? More joined‑up working across the food industry on sustainability challenges. We already see this a lot, and even more small steps, shared learning, and practical collaboration can make a real difference.
What luxury would you have on a desert island? A wind-up radio, so I can listen to music and desert island discs.
If I could only bring one album it would be Oasis – Definitely Maybe… the soundtrack to my youth!
What animal most reflects your personality? A bee: hard-working, collaborator, resilient, and purposeful contributor to a bigger goal – the hive.
What’s your favourite film and why? The Shawshank Redemption. It’s all about resilience, relentless patience, and holding your nerve under pressure, plus the key message of where’s there’s hope there’s a way.
What has been the most embarrassing moment in your life? When I was about 15 I met my childhood idol – comedian Brian Conley – but when I went to shake his hand I fell over into a bush at the side of him. I was mortified and the photo taken at the time captured the horror on my face.
Which celebrity would you most like to work with and why? Sir David Attenborough, because I’d like to absorb a little of his energy and ability to motivate everyone to care about the planet.
What would your death row meal be? A massive bowl of vegetable and lentil stew with fluffy herby dumplings, a pint of Cornish cider.
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