Edwin Muijt, the Sustainability Officer at Koppert, has been at the forefront of the company's sustainability initiatives for the past five years. Under his guidance, Koppert has made significant strides in measuring the reduction of pesticide use—a core principle since its foundation.
Koppert's sustainability efforts extend beyond pesticide reduction. The company has broadened its focus to include energy and emission reductions, as well as overall operational improvements. ‘This helps us to widen our scope and also pay attention to things that we might have lost sight of in the past,’ Muijt notes. By integrating these efforts into a comprehensive sustainability framework, Koppert highlights the significant progress it is making on multiple fronts.
Muijt acknowledges the often unnoticed efforts of many individuals within the company who have worked tirelessly over the decades to enhance sustainability. ‘I see many people in the company working on making our processes, our products, our company more sustainable. Some of these efforts go unnoticed by becoming an integral part of what we do. Aligning with an international sustainability framework allows Koppert to showcase these collective efforts as milestones in its sustainability journey.’
Sustainability strategy launched
Clear definitions of sustainability goals are essential for rapid progress. ‘By clearly defining what we're working on, we can make quicker progress towards a more sustainable future,’ says Muijt. To achieve this, Koppert has formed dedicated groups within the company, such as a team focused on energy reduction. ‘At our headquarters, we have a group focusing on reducing our energy use, measuring our energy use, reporting our energy use, and shifting our energy towards more renewable sources,’ he explains. Other groups will be formed to work on key sustainability topics for Koppert.
Koppert's sustainability journey involves a dual focus on enhancing positive contributions and mitigating negative impacts. ‘We're contributing to more positive impacts in agriculture and horticulture, but we also see we're addressing specific topics on our negative side more specifically,’ says Muijt. This balanced approach requires shifts in processes and products, encouraging participation from all organizational levels.
Muijt's vision for the future is inclusive and forward-thinking. ‘People in all layers of the organization can contribute to our sustainability journey, both in highlighting and accelerating our positive impact, but also in addressing and finding solutions for the parts that we consider to be negative,’ he emphasizes.
Watch the full interview with Edwin Muijt, Sustainability Officer here: https://youtu.be/bjNoj7hNIw8