Kicking off Gold Network’s special interview series featuring women making an impact across the gold value chain, we sit down with Anastasia Kuskova. A WIM100 Inspirational Woman in Mining, Anastasia is the CEO and Co-founder of Sirius, building AI-powered sustainability intelligence for metals and mining value chains, transforming how companies manage, exchange, and act on sustainability data while delivering immediate ROI.
Anastasia, you’ve worked across corporate sustainability, governance, and startups. What has been the biggest shift in how companies approach ESG today compared to five years ago?
A lot has changed in the past five years. We went from peak ESG and sustainability hype in the early 2020s – driven by the EU Green Deal, IRA, CBAM, and a wave of corporate commitments – to a much more challenging landscape today, with ESG under fire.
During this time, companies built stronger teams and set massive commitments, many of which were unrealistic or impossible to fulfill. Now, we’re seeing the hype deflate, following a typical maturity curve. With greenhushing, backpedalling on goals, and shifting priorities, we’re likely nearing the bottom of that curve.
And I think, overall, this is good. Sustainability is becoming more strategy – and revenue-driven rather than a PR exercise. The current shake-up is forcing a more focused, pragmatic approach that drives real impact where it is most material.
With increasing pressure on mining companies to meet ESG commitments, how can technology help bridge the gap between ambition and execution?
Even as regulations evolve, mining companies remain under intense scrutiny, even more intensely, especially on adaptation, biodiversity, and community concerns.
Technology is critical in closing the gap between ESG ambition and execution, but it won’t work magic. What it can do is remove the biggest bottlenecks: data overload, regulatory complexity, and inefficient processes.
Right now, most sustainability teams spend more time responding to ESG data requests and compliance demands than driving real improvements. AI and automation can shift this dynamic by structuring messy data, streamlining workflows, and providing real-time insights. This allows decision-makers to move from reactive reporting to proactive action, aligning sustainability efforts with clear business and stakeholder priorities.
Sirius is revolutionizing sustainability intelligence for metals and mining. What inspired you to develop an AI-powered solution for this sector?
I’m a former Head of Sustainability at a multibillion metals and mining company. So I experienced firsthand all the challenges and inefficiencies in sustainability management. I know the reality, I know the pain. I tried every tool from Gen 1 and Gen 2 sustainability solutions, and none truly addressed the complexities of the industry and of working with highly contextual sustainability data.
I understand exactly how sustainability officers in this sector feel – the pressure, the overwhelming data, and the lack of effective solutions. So, I decided to build something I wished I had when I was in their position, something that doesn’t just collect and report sustainability data but actually connects sustainability with ROI. Our goal is to become the ultimate workspace for working with non-financial data: for CSOs, compliance and sales teams.
AI and automation are sometimes seen as threats to jobs. How do you address concerns about technology replacing human expertise in sustainability roles?
AI is not here to replace human expertise but to enhance efficiency and free up time for more strategic, high-impact work. It will continue to evolve, and the smartest approach is to embrace it.
AI won’t take your job – but someone who knows how to use it will. Research shows that employees who integrate AI into their workflows increase throughput by 60% on average, leading to direct gains in efficiency and margins.
Not using AI today is simply not strategic. Every CEO needs a strong AI story, and it’s not really about hiring a Chief AI Officer, but rather empowering employees in every department to find the solutions that bring value to their particular area of work.
Adopting AI means automating repetitive tasks, researching and testing tools suited to your role, experimenting with prompts, and understanding where AI can – and cannot – drive productivity.
The future belongs to those who know how to work with AI. Educating your workforce and building AI proficiency will soon be essential, not optional.
You were named a WIM100 Inspirational Woman in Mining. What advice would you give to women looking to build careers in mining and sustainability?
Go for it. This industry needs more young and diverse talent. It’s the key industry for the energy transition, yet it’s massively overlooked by the younger generation. I also think it’s critical to approach things differently. Bold changes are necessary. But it’ll be hard, so rely on networks (WIM, W4Metals, Femina Collective, and many others) and build a support group around yourself.
