Thriving on change

My journey through the world of communications has been long and varied. Controversial, even. But the underlying thread has remained the same: I thrive on change. Wherever I go, I’m proud to say, I’ve always strived to contribute to change where needed. I feel a responsibility to work towards change and a great satisfaction when I achieve it.

Growing up as the child of a Holocaust victim taught me the paramount importance of communicating as means to building tolerance and bridging divides between people. Which, in turn, was the catalyst for my decision to study communications.

I took on roles in consultancies and also corporate communications in Philips, Motorola and Statoil. My work followed a traditional route for someone starting out in communications, largely based on internal messaging and communicating to external stakeholders.

Increasingly aware of the importance of providing for a sustainable world and the desire to pass on a better world to my children, I chose to leave big corporate and the oil industry – and transition to Greenpeace.

At Greenpeace I was surrounded by people who were motivated by the simple idea of doing good, to create a green and peaceful world. It felt like coming home. Communications became about building communities. About bringing together and communicating with an ever-expanding pool of stakeholders. I later joined the International Water Association where I was thrilled to build a network of professionals all working towards creating a water-wise world.

Functioning infrastructure that delivers clean water is arguably one of the most important aspects of creating a sustainable world. Unfortunately, there are many industries hindering progress. Which is why I’m now concentrating my efforts on helping change the fashion industry in my new role at Fashion for Good. It’s a role that taps into three of my biggest passions: sustainability, fashion, and being a catalyst for change.

Very simply, Fashion for Good is a global initiative that aims to make all fashion good. It’s an initiative that will bring together many different stakeholders and effect positive change throughout the fashion industry.

The sense of urgency in the industry is palpable and the time for action is now. Fashion for Good launches on the 30th of March and I’m so excited for the next leg of my journey. I will continue to aspire to the kind of change that allows all people, all companies and the entire planet to thrive.