Valentin's sustainable mindset

"For me, sustainability is much more than just the climate, it's the bigger idea of wasting less and leaving things better than I found them. If I can optimize something, I do it. That's why I love my work at Conclusion. As a strategy consultant, it is always my goal to find creative ways to create value for our clients in a sustainable way.

Sustainability initiatives as a conversation starter

Throughout my time at Conclusion, I've noticed that the focus on sustainability is driven by people who really care about the topic and who are trying to make improvements in both our internal operations and in the work we do with our customers.

When I worked at Mediaan Conclusion, I worked on a 'climate sensor' project at our office in Heerlen, which is a great example of Conclusion-wide sustainability efforts. At the initiative of Conclusion Cares, AMIS has installed Conclusion 21 sensors in the office, which continuously collect data and provide useful insights to optimize the heating schedule, among other things. I now work for Conclusion AI 360, where sustainability is a pillar of our Responsible AI Framework.

Sustainability at Conclusion AI 360

In order to continue to develop sustainably with AI, we at Conclusion AI 360 believe it is crucial to find the right balance between innovation and the interests of all stakeholders involved. Our goal is to ensure that AI has a positive impact on society. Harm, exclusion and inequality must be avoided."

Sustainability as a driver for innovation

I often see sustainability associated with limitations and additional costs, but often the opposite is true. The sustainable option is often cheaper, lasts longer, is easier to use, and gives the customer a competitive edge. We often encounter this when building AI models where smaller and energy-efficient models are easier to interpret and maintain and cost less money to run.

In the projects I work on, we often come up with solutions that, sometimes unintentionally, have benefits for the climate. Customers usually only care about lower costs and higher revenues, but that doesn't mean the climate has to suffer. Case in point: a prediction system we built for a logistics company helped reduce the number of trucks needed to deliver packages. This not only saved the company money, but also reduced their overall emissions through lower fuel consumption. Adding sustainability as a measure of success means knowing more ways to succeed!"

There is always a sustainable choice

Valentin also makes sustainable choices in his private life. For example, when he moved from Maastricht to Amsterdam, he got rid of his car. He says: "Let's start by saying that I'm not a great person who does everything out of the goodness of his heart. One of the reasons I handed in my car was because I had the opportunity to do it. Conclusion has a progressive mobility policy, with plenty of alternatives. I also don't have children to drive around, and a parking permit in the heart of Amsterdam is expensive. Of course, you still have to make the choice to actually do it. I hope that there will be more and more incentives that make these kinds of choices possible.

But in a way, getting rid of my car was the same choice as going to the supermarket and bringing my own bag. It is a constant challenge. For me, it's often something I just have to do, or at least try. But I also go to the store and sometimes buy pre-packaged products in plastic, or forget my bag. Let perfect not be the enemy of good." 

Every little bit helps 

How much impact do all these choices have? Valentin: "Let's be honest. My sustainable life has little direct impact on the bigger picture. The big transformation must come from the business community. My biggest tip: look at sustainability as something you can't succeed in. After all, there is always room for improvement. You have no influence on a lot of things either. Therefore, first take the pressure off and start small, such as reducing your food waste. All the little things add up. I see it this way: the harder we all push and set a good example, the sooner the business community will feel the pressure to really make a difference."