Environmental coordinator Pieter-Jan combines a heart for nature with a passion for industry

In a nutshell:

• Unilin Panels (Belgium) hired Pieter-Jan Bogaert as an Environmental Manager in 2022.
• One of his roles as an Environmental Manager is that of an environmental coordinator, a statutory designation with a strictly outlined job description.

Constantly changing

Meanwhile Pieter-Jan has racked up more than 15 years of experience as an environmental coordinator. Along the way he has witnessed a great many changes to the legislative framework. “Hardly a day goes by without some change to the legislation. My job within the organisation is to be the go-to person for environmental management. This includes checking whether operations remain within the boundaries of the environmental permit and proposing updates when necessary. That’s also what keeps the job interesting because no two days are the same. I assess compliance with legislation across different environmental themes, I advise colleagues on regulatory changes and support their implementation. The scope is wide-ranging, covering legislation and permits regarding waste management, wastewater treatment, air and noise emissions, soil surveys, ...”

This also works the other way round: “When our production process is adapted, I help ensure compliance with the applicable legislation. That’s why I’m consulted in advance for all new projects, regardless of scope, to assess the environmental impact of the changes and determine whether our environmental permits need to be updated.”

This has resulted in quite a few visible changes across Unilin Panels’ sites. “In recent years, Unilin has invested heavily in installations and technologies such as wastewater treatment installations and measures to curb noise pollution.”

Contributing to a better living environment

It’s a technical job requiring a great deal of expertise but to Pieter-Jan that is precisely the most appealing aspect of his job. “It’s up to me to translate the statutory requirements into practical applications within a production environment. That’s why I often take on a bridging role between our company and the relevant public authorities.”

An engineer by training, Pieter-Jan opted for this role because he is eager to contribute to a better living environment on and around the sites of Unilin Panels. “This applies both to the selection of raw materials we use and the products we create. It’s not only important to know which environmental regulations we must follow, but also how we can comply with them.”

Match with our sustainability strategy, One Home

He feels supported by both his colleagues on the shop floor and management.

As Unilin puts great stock in sustainability, Pieter-Jan and his colleagues also take a proactive approach. “When I know stricter standards are coming, we prepare for them in various internal working groups.”

Due to the constant changes in environmental legislation, lifelong learning is part of the job. “Every year, I’m legally required to complete at least 30 hours of training to stay up to date. It’s incredibly interesting!”

Communication

Communication is a key part of the environmental coordinator’s role. Pieter-Jan: "An open, constructive and transparent dialogue with authorities, neighbours and other stakeholders is essential to an organisation’s environmental management. The annual neighbours’ meeting, held in collaboration with the management team, is a textbook example of how Unilin Panels implements this. The collaboration between the environmental coordinator and external partners also ensures continuous improvement in environmental care."

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