Hanne Vandenbroucke
Career story
Can you introduce yourself in a few sentences?
I am Hanne, 24 years old, and I live in Beernem. Always optimistic and enthusiastic. I enjoy outdoor running, dining out with friends, and immersing myself in concerts and festivals.
What is your function at Joris Ide?
Divisional Sustainability Graduate. I work together with Laurence in the Planet Passionate team.
There are many projects underway where we aim to minimize the environmental impact of the Joris Ide Division.
How long have you been working at Joris Ide?
I started at Joris Ide in January 2023 as part of the Start Up Master Programme, initially taking on the role of production planner, mainly handling the scheduling for Isometall. Then, in November 2023, I transitioned to the Planet Passionate team.
How did you end up at Joris Ide?
I came across this opportunity via a job posting on LinkedIn. A recruiter reached out to me, and after completing several tests, I was invited for an interview.
What makes you the ideal person for this job?
I graduated with a degree in Economic Science, specializing in Environmental Economics, and wrote my thesis on the Potential of the Circular Economy. In 2021, I also attended a summer school on Climate Change. I have always been passionate about the environment and sustainability.
Were you able to settle in easily?
Yes! I started as a production planner, and thanks to the young team and great colleagues, I was able to settle in quickly. Everyone was extremely friendly and very open, which made me feel comfortable right away. The atmosphere in the production office is also fantastic; you feel welcome right from the start!
What would you still like to achieve at Joris Ide?
I am part of the Planet Passionate team for almost 4 months now, and I would especially like to develop further within my role. I would like to continue contributing to the greening of all our sites and making our production processes more environmentally friendly.
We are constantly exploring ways to improve the environmental performance across all our sites: 'Can waste be recycled instead of incinerated or landfilled?' 'Can sites transition to renewable energy?' 'Can machines operate on electricity instead of gas?' 'Can rainwater be utilized instead of third-party water?' 'Can recycled steel be used?' These and similar projects for various sites are tracked, enabling us to forecast whether Joris Ide Division will meet the Planet Passionate targets.
How does a working day look like?
The scope of responsibilities within the Planet Passionate team is highly diverse and continually evolving, with new projects emerging regularly. Currently, our primary focus is on creating EPDs (Environmental Product Declarations) for all our products within Joris Ide. These standardized documents transparently communicate the environmental performance and effects (including the impact on human health) of a product throughout its lifecycle. This allows companies to compare their products with those of competitors, a demand increasingly voiced by our customers.
Furthermore, each of Joris Ide Division's 38 sites must report their environmental data monthly via the 'Diligent' system. This includes the consumption of water, gas, (non-)renewable electricity, LPG, and pentane. Additionally, the monthly generation of all waste types at each site (steel, plastic, paper, aluminum, wood, EPS, PIR, rock wool, hazardous waste, etc.), along with their disposal methods, must be reported. I am responsible for ensuring accurate and timely reporting and personally handle the data from the Hille, Akkerstraat, and Oostkamp sites. This involves monthly readings of water and gas meters at these three sites.