“I come from France, to be more precise from the town of Calas, near Marseille. To give you an idea of the area where I grew up: Paul Cézanne painted the famous Mount Sainte-Victoire visible from my house,”, Mathias opens the conversation. “I am currently working on my Masters in Global Business & Sustainability at Erasmus University in Rotterdam, the program is part of the Rotterdam School of Management.” When asked how Mathias came to be in the Netherlands, he replies, “In my view, the Netherlands is a country that leads the way when it comes to sustainability. That combined with an innovative spirit makes the Netherlands very attractive to people like me.”
Sustainability also has a social side
Mathias explains that sustainability has always been a part of his childhood. When he was 13, he found a huge source of inspiration in a teacher at school. “This teacher taught us that sustainability also has a social side, in addition to the more obvious environmental aspects. She showed us why sustainable living is so difficult for people, but also what you can do to influence their behavior in a positive way.” he explained.
The teacher involved also did a lot of refugee work. “That too is part of the social side of a more sustainable society,” Mathias outlines. “I myself, inspired by her, also helped out. From her I really learned to look at sustainability in its broadest sense.”
Salacia offers every opportunity for further growth
Mathias had just completed a course on Sustainability Accounting & Reporting when he came across the Rotterdam-based company through its website. “Immediately I saw that Salacia offers a perfect balance for compliance between the social and the environmental part of sustainability. An internship at Salacia was therefore a great step for me, here I can continue with my own development in an all-encompassing way. The great thing is that Salacia Solutions perfectly meets the needs of companies struggling with the complex world of sustainability reporting. I suspect many companies think they’re on their own and don’t really know where to start or get stuck along their reporting journey. Salacia really helps them. That’s why I’ve been inspired by this fine club of experts from the very first contact.”
Mathias is still in regular contact with his teacher in France. In his own words, “By now she has retired, but I’m very grateful to her. A muse, partly responsible for the journey I have taken so far.”
‘I am the coffee boss’
Asked about the work on his plate, Mathias jokingly replies, “I am the coffee boss. Salacia rapidly integrated me into the ESG team,” he explains. “Currently, I offer help on six ongoing projects, analyzing data for these and attending meetings with clients. In parallel, I’m working on quite a few internal projects. It’s nice to be so included in the team, I get very good guidance and a lot of help. It’s exciting to be able to work here.”
Of course, we also ask Mathias where he thinks he will be in five years. “That could really be anywhere. I am very flexible and not tied to a specific place, I take life as it comes to me. Maybe I’ll be a project manager at an NGO by then, working in partnership with companies and governments. Because that’s what I believe in, working in partnership.” Finally, we asked him about his favorite Dutch food, after all, he lives in Rotterdam. With a smile, Mathias replies, “Well, a big bowl of mixed Dutch fried mini snacks. Delicious!”
