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History
MARIA THOM, SUSTAINABILITY MANAGER, PROTON GROUP
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?
“I studied chemical engineering and physics at Chalmers. At the end of my programme, when it was time to specialise, I chose a focus on 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, my friends and community, and also for myself.”
You’ve worked professionally with environmental issues for almost the whole of the 2000s. How has the situation changed?
“The most important change is that demands from all sorts of stakeholders have increased. It isn’t just the v – the customers, suppliers, the media and the neighbours across the street all care more about the environment these days. Not to mention all the young people who prioritise the environment and sustainability. I’ve had the pleasure of working with companies that have had a strong environmental focus over the years, where these issues are taken very seriously, but the biggest difference now is that so many really care about what we do!”
Why is sustainability so important to the Proton Group?
What do the stakeholders think is most important right now?
What is the greatest sustainability challenge for the Proton Group?
“Carbon dioxide emissions and reduction of emissions are a very important issue, and our stakeholders will demand even more in this area in the future. Another major challenge is to go even deeper into the supply chain and ensure that our sustainability demands are met the whole way – not just in terms of climate sustainability but also other sustainability-related requirements. The challenge is that we often have complex supply chains. For example, Proton Lighting works with many components from different parts of the world.”
What is the greatest opportunity?
“The drive and will in the organisation and from the owners. We have an opportunity to show that we are forward-thinking and we make things happen. In some areas, we’ve got a bit of a lead on our competitors, especially in surface treatment. And having the whole Proton Group behind us also gives us extra muscle and investment opportunities. The fact that we have such breadth in different business areas, which are not always synced in the business cycle, can sometimes be an advantage.”
What do you look forward to working further with?
“On a personal plane, I think it’s going to be fun working with all of the group’s business areas and getting to know them even better. Previously, my focus has been entirely on Proton Finishing. Climate calculations and supply chains will be an exciting challenge that we will invest a lot of energy in. The plan is to complete climate calculations for all of Proton Finishing’s facilities in 2022, then to apply what we have learned and continue working systematically with the other business areas. The cataloguing of supply chains will begin in autumn 2022.”
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with companies that have had a strong environmental focus over the years, where these issues are taken very seriously, but the biggest difference now is that so many really care about what we do!”
