Tackling global issues is not the sole preserve of world leaders, inventors or idealists.
Klaske Kruk - Founder Circularities
The world as we know it is changing at an extraordinary rate. While we may not stop to think about it every day, this change has a major impact on our economy, which is directly dependent on nature. Fortunately, new professionals are daily joining the ranks of those looking to make a positive impact. But how do you actually make an impact through your job or your company? Despite the day-to-day frenzy, how can you make your company future-proof? And how can you make an impact – that goes beyond double-sided printing, drinking fair trade coffee and separating rubbish – without having to switch careers? Using inspiring stories and practical tools & tips from colleagues, ‘Change makers’ equips you to make a positive impact starting today, while still working towards a future-proof company, a healthy economy and a liveable world.
Everything around us is made from raw materials taken from nature: our mobile phone, our clothing, our homes and our food. For the first time in history, we are consuming these raw materials faster than nature can produce them. And nature simply cannot process all the waste we are producing. This unprecedented appetite for consumption means both nature and our economy are on the line. It is a problem that is growing more serious by the day due to our rising consumption, products with ever-shorter lifespans as well as a growing world population and increasing prosperity.
One way to effectively counteract the depletion of our planet and meet the evolving customer demands for responsible products and increasingly stringent environmental regulations is the circular economy. The circular economy brings our economy and nature into balance by focusing on smarter and reduced consumption, by designing products that can be repaired or whose components can be reused so they last longer or by using renewable or reused raw materials. It is an effective method for reducing waste and the emissions of harmful substances like CO2. A circular economy means we can extract fewer raw materials, produce fewer goods and engage in less global transport. In short, we can curb energy-guzzling, polluting activities. With a circular economy, we ensure that the very air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink remains clean and healthy. Put simply, a circular economy benefits our wallet and our health.
Although the challenges of our times can feel beyond our ability to make a personal impact, it is less complicated to make a difference than many of us believe. It is people, not companies, who make the difference. Tackling global issues is not the sole preserve of world leaders, inventors or idealists. Most people work in a profession where they themselves can make a positive difference and are, in fact, crucial to achieving a future-proof company and a vibrant, sustainable economy.
““Het aanpakken van wereldwijde problemen is niet voorbehouden aan wereldleiders, uitvinders of idealisten. Iedereen kan met zijn of haar werk het verschil maken.””
Dutch industry now has many circular innovations and professionals to its credit. We chose four crucial positions in the business sector and went in search of the professionals who are already making a difference. In ‘Change makers’, we focus on the practical and professional applications of the people who are realising such innovations. We highlight their intrinsic motivations and zoom in on the steps taken and lessons learned through their new approach to their profession. This new approach is cross-sectoral and, using their approach as an example, every professional can get down to work immediately.
We highlight:
Directors: strategic management, CEOs and CFOs
Designers: product development and R&D
Buyers: supply chain management and purchasing
Marketers: sales, business development and marketing
Each interview contains helpful links to practical examples, informative websites and handy tools, so no one has to reinvent the wheel.
Companies will only be able to survive and thrive in a healthy world in which economy and ecology are in balance. As a professional, you have a crucial role to play because of the choices you make every day in the course of your work. Get inspired by the professionals in this magazine and start working today on a future-proof company and a liveable planet.
