Starting December 4th, ESG tracking & reporting will be pronounced with a ‘soft G’. Stefan Loos, born and raised in Brabant, will be joining the Salacia team on that date. After graduating from Erasmus University, he settled in Rotterdam. “That was in 2008; I kind of fell in love with Rotterdam during my studies,” Stefan explains. “After graduating, I worked for years in the world of treasury and finance. You could say I was ‘on the other side of the line,’ working with decision-makers within corporations and medium-sized companies. As a result, I know how managers think. I understand their motivations and why there is sometimes a fear of investing in more sustainable practices.”
A warm introduction to Salacia Solutions
Stefan describes his initial contact with Salacia as very pleasant and warm. I applied for a vacancy pointed out to me by my brother, Robbert Loos. He already knew Lenny van Klink and Kees Kerstens from a previous collaboration. After an exploratory meeting with them, I spoke with Martijn (CTO) and Hans (RvA), after which the deal was quickly sealed.
We asked Stefan if he was specifically looking for work with a sustainable focus. He replied: “To be honest, not at all. I was looking for a new challenge. Being able to commute by bike is, of course, fantastic. At home, we live as sustainably as possible, but I realize that we’re making a small impact. Once I saw what Salacia stands for, I was captivated by the idea that I could now make a real impact with my work. An impact that’s many times greater than what I can achieve at home. That’s incredibly motivating!”
Scaling up is urgently needed
“The time to act is now. We urgently need to scale up to ensure that listed companies have their sustainable accounting in order by 2024, followed by the lower tier of companies in 2025. That’s where I see the challenge! With my knowledge and experience, I want to make it clear to stakeholders that ESG and financial reporting are equally important. By speaking the right language and with the right people, I should be able to get that message across. Our SaaS solution is ready for this; it’s my wonderful task to make it clear that with our software, you can have your ESG tracking & reporting up and running within a few weeks.”
In-house now, soon to be seen in the wild
It’s obvious that Stefan’s initial work will take place within the walls of the Rotterdam office. It’s a matter of finding your niche, brushing up on knowledge, and making plans. “Of course, I occasionally join clients at the moment, but in 2024, the period when I want to be primarily active outdoors will begin. The client meetings where it all happens will still take place at the client’s office.”
Salacia feels like a warm welcome to Stefan, and he enjoys the diversity of ambitious colleagues in the office. “A nice mix of people from different cultures. It’s time I introduced real Brabant sausage bread or Bossche bollen from Jan de Groot here,” he says with a laugh.
