MARIA THOM, SUSTAINABILITY MANAGER, PROTON GROUP
“ Sustainability is a matter of survival from many perspectives” Maria Thom is Sustainability Manager at the Proton Group and has worked with environmental issues in the industry for nearly 20 years. She started working at Proton Finishing as quality and environmental manager in 2014 and now also has strategic responsibility for sustainability at group level. Why did you choose to get involved in sustainability issues?
ability. I’ve had the pleasure of working with companies that have had a strong environmental
“I studied chemical engineering and physics at
focus over the years, where these issues are taken
Chalmers. At the end of my programme, when
very seriously, but the biggest difference now is
it was time to specialise, I chose a focus on
that so many really care about what we do!”
energy and the environment, and my interest in the field grew more and more as I entered the professional world. I’m driven by the idea of contributing to long-term sustainability – for Proton, of course, but also for my family, my children,
Why is sustainability so important to the Proton Group? “It isn’t more important to Proton than to anyone else. Working consciously with
my friends and community, and also for myself.”
sustainability-related issues is extremely
You’ve worked professionally with environmental issues for almost the whole of the 2000s. How has the situation changed?
relevant on the market. Sustainability is a
important to any company that wants to stay matter of survival from many perspectives.”
“The most important change is that demands
What do the stakeholders think is most important right now?
from all sorts of stakeholders have increased.
“What they care about most right now is the
It isn’t just the v – the customers,
climate. Proton’s stakeholders are very clear
suppliers, the media and the neighbours across
that they want us to show progress in our efforts
the street all care more about the environment
to reduce our climate impact and our carbon
these days. Not to mention all the young people
dioxide emissions.”
who prioritise the environment and sustain-
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