How have you seen the role of sustainable material innovation shift from a 'nice-to-have' to a critical 'business imperative' for our industry's future?
It’s no longer only about doing what is right; it’s about resilience and competitiveness. We’ve moved past the era where sustainability was an optional green alternative. Today, our customers and regulators require transparency. We are seeing a steady increase in requests to share our sustainability data and the strategy behind it.
This shift has turned data into a business necessity. Internally, we are focused on improving our data quality to ensure we can meet these requirements both now and in the future. If we aren't innovating for circularity and backing it up with rigorous, transparent data, we aren't future-proofing the business.
As a woman in the field, have you encountered any unique challenges and could you share how you've navigated them?
While I have been fortunate to have supportive managers, a broader challenge I see is a lack of visibility of women in senior leadership. When leadership remains predominantly male, it’s harder for early-career women to find role models who mirror their own path. It makes reaching those levels feel more special or rare, rather than a standard career progression.
How does your passion for the theme translate into your personal life outside of Avery Dennison? Are there specific daily habits or lifestyle choices that keep you grounded in this mission?
Sustainability is truly my hobby. I try to live in a way that has a positive influence. Whether that’s driving electric, eating vegetarian or maintaining a natural garden designed to support local biodiversity and water conservation. I’m also a huge fan of vintage clothes and second-hand items; there are already so many great things in the world, we don't always need to create 'new’. I love the Dutch website Marktplaats (Marketplace), where I both sell and buy many great second-hand items and clothes.
