Introducing our sustainability professionals interview series!
We're starting a new series to highlight inspiring people working in sustainability. Each post will feature insights from professionals making a difference in various sectors.
First up, meet Pauline Op de Beeck, Environmental Portfolio Lead in the sustainable fashion industry. Pauline shares her journey and tips that have helped her along the way.
1. What is one book that has helped you in your career that you recommend to others?
There wasn't a book I read that influenced my work until very recently - Not the End of the World by Hannah Ritchie. Having worked in climate for over 7 years I find myself periodically sliding into climate depression or anxiety. Even though the work I have done has always been impactful, being an expert on the subject you know it's never enough. This book was a great reframe that we have made a lot of progress already and that a lot of the solutions we need already exist, it's just a question of accelerating their deployment. Not only has this boosted my optimism, but also helped me reframe the phase we are in now which should be one of optimism and action and that has reinvigorated me in the work I am doing now which is implementation-focused.
2. What is one concept that has most helped you in your career/role & why?
Empathy is probably what has helped me the most. In my roles, I have always been focused on engaging people, supporting their understanding of the climate crisis and relaying technical information to guide their process. Taking the time to really understand their challenges and opportunities, rather than focusing only on the fact that it's the ''right thing to do'' has helped me bring many people on board to the climate journey who often came from a very hesitant or resistant place.
3. What is one podcast or newsletter that you subscribe to, and love?
Carbon Brief is a really good way to keep up to date with the science. But I mainly follow industry voices on Linkedin and in that way stay very interested and on the pulse of developments in the textile & apparel sector.
4. What is one technical term that you think is important to understand for your career/role & why?
$/tCO2e - I evaluate climate solutions for the textile & apparel sector according to their investment size (usually per facility) and their lifetime CO2e reduction potential. This helps to evaluate what is the best investment per reduction you can get but also gives a great indication of how scalable and mature a solution is. The lower the carbon return, the less likely it is a solution that will move the needle by 2030.
5. What is one person or organisation that you follow that inspires you in your career/role & why?
I am currently quite inspired by the legislation the EU Commission is going to put into force over the coming years as this will drive change in my sector (and others). It is great to see a political institution being bold and recognising the need to lead on climate to make meaningful progress.
6. What skill(s) do you think is/are most important for your career/role & why?
Empathy, patience, prioritization
7. If you could make one change in the world that would help your sector what would it be?
I think society lacks a vision of what a net zero world looks like. The narrative so often focuses on less. Less clothing consumption, less meat eating, less flying, less money. While we do have to reign in our consumption I think focusing on that from an individual perspective makes the transition to net zero seem like a lower quality of life we have today. If we had a clear vision of what a net zero society would look like to the average person and explained how this will benefit everyone and indeed that their quality of life will be higher than it is today, we would do a better job of bringing those hesitant to transition on board.
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