Graduate Nicolas Poolen works towards a greener financial sector

Why did you choose the Master's programme in Sustainable Business & Innovation?
“I always wanted to work in innovation but I wasn't sure exactly what my goals were. When I was a Bachelor's student in Future Studies at the University of Amsterdam, I was given the choice to proceed in either a Hard Sciences or Social Sciences direction. In the end, I specialised in business administration. At UU, I was able to combine the two thanks to the Master's in Sustainable Business & Innovation, a programme that encourages you to look for multidisciplinary solutions to multidisciplinary problems. That really appealed to me.”

Have you always been environmentally conscious?
“No, that realisation only came when I was a Bachelor’s student. The first two years of Future Studies were rather depressing as the programme invites you to think about the world's biggest challenges every day. But, afterwards, we would try to figure out solutions for those challenges, which was a real eye-opener for me. There are so many ways in which you can contribute positively and minimise the risks of climate change and loss of biodiversity.”

How did you find your current job?
“During my Master’s, I worked as an intern for WWF Netherlands. I also volunteered at Follow This, an organization that influences big companies to become more sustainable. When I asked WWF's then-financial director how sustainable the pension schemes of the staff were, he asked me whether I would be interested in becoming part of the green finance team he was setting up, which would cover this kind of topic. This is a great example of being at the right place and time. I was also offered a job at Follow This around that time but WWF allowed me to combine more topics I'm interested in.”

What is your favorite part about your job?
“I get to apply many of the things I've learned in my studies. What I like about working at WWF is that I'm part of an extensive international network with employees from all kinds of backgrounds. Since I collaborate with a lot of other departments and offices, I'm constantly meeting interesting and talented people who teach me new things.”

What is the most challenging aspect of your work?
“Climate and biodivesity are high on the agenda in the Netherlands but it is hard to convince financial institutions of their responsibility in this regard. According to the World Economic Forum, about 50 percent of our economic value creation is somewhat dependent on natural ecosystems. If these ecosystems collapse, the economy does as well. In fact, the economy is a kind of ecosystem itself, so we must make sure it is resilient. Moreover, a nature-positive economy also offers around 10 billion dollars of business opportunities. But measuring the impact of investments in biodiversity is still a work in progress, so it is a challenge to convince financial institutions to invest in sustainable practices.”

What do you like to do in your spare time?
“I like going to techno parties and I started gaming with a group of friends during the pandemic. Since we weren't able to meet in person, we all bought an Xbox and started competing together every Monday evening. I also love travelling, mostly in Europe, but sometimes I travel further away as well. I've just been to Svalbard, in Norway, where I could see the effects of climate change in real time.”

How do you feel about taking a plane to travel to Svalbard?
“An individual’s influence on nature consists of two aspects. The first is your footprint, the impact associated with the products and services you consume. The second is your handprint, the environmental impact that we cause outside of our footprints. With regards to the handprint and the footprint, individual behavioural change will be necessary if we want to reach nature positivity. Personally, I think I’m doing well with both. In terms of footprint, I don’t use a car, I'm practically vegan, and I always choose sustainable products. As for my handprint, I have chosen a sustainable job, I've volunteered for green parties and also tend to vote for them. Flying is one of the aspects I could still do better at. I usually don't fly when I'm travelling in the Netherlands and Europe, but I do take a plane for more distant trips.

“I don’t think the positive steps I've taken to improve my handprint and footprint are incompatible with the fact that there are still steps to take when it comes to flying. It is part of a behavioural transition in which I’ve already taken large steps. Moreover, I’m convinced that traveling to the 'ground-zero' of climate change has inspired me to continue adjusting my footprint. It's also given me stories with which to inspire others, therefore impacting my handprint.”

What is the biggest difference between studying and working?
“When you're a student, your schedule is a lot more flexible. My ability to organise my day my own way and meet with others is more limited now. At the university, your work also has peaks and troughs, with exams being the peaks. Now, everything feels like a peak. On the other hand, I work from intrinsic motivation and I think I'm contributing to the bigger picture at an organisation that has a clear mission. I also really like being part of a team. During our academic studies, we tend to be focused on ourselves.”

What is your advice for students preparing to enter the job market?
“Talk to others about your career plans and ask for feedback. Thanks to family and friends, I got in touch with people that already worked in this field. These people gave me advice and a better understanding of what the work entails. That was really beneficial to me. Apart from that, I would look for initiatives and organisations that you're excited about and see whether you can mean something for them. I started volunteering at Follow This because it allowed me to work with things I was interested in. In my case, that led to additional expertise and, eventually, a job.”

Where do you see yourself in the future?
“I want to stay at WWF Netherlands for the time being as they give me a lot of freedom to express my ideas and develop myself, which I really appreciate. In a few years, I would also like to gain some experience in the private sector. Today, I'm trying to convince financial institutions to mobilise capital for nature and society as an outsider but it is also useful to know how they work from the inside. Besides, the amount of jobs at companies that focus on the climate and biodiversity is increasing. Finally, I dream about setting up a worldwide initiative to make the financial sector more sustainable through international partnerships. I mostly work with Dutch financial institutions now, which I enjoy, but the Netherlands is too small a scope when you work with global topics.”

CV
Nicolas Poolen (27) studied Future Planet Studies at the University of Amsterdam, followed by a Master’s in Sustainable Business & Innovation at Utrecht University (2016-2018). As an Advisor on Green Finance at the Worldwide Fund for Nature in the Netherlands, he advises financial institutions about how to invest in a sustainable future.