News Reporter Ellie Hsu attends Amsterdam Commercial Night and explores the theme of “Sustainable Innovation.” Speakers from technology and consultancy companies give their insights on this topic.
On Nov. 9, 2023, the Marketing Association Amsterdam (MAA) hosted its annual Amsterdam Commercial Night (ACN) at Posthoornkerk. The ACN is an educational event featuring keynote speakers from companies such as Adyen, Accenture and KPMG. They delved into the theme of “Sustainable Innovation.”
Sustainable Innovation
The MAA board began the event by emphasizing the fusion of sustainability and innovation as the theme of the event. To address pressing sustainability challenges in daily life, three industry experts from renowned companies elaborated on their strategies to tackle this issue.
Tia Kroenke, a 21-year-old Business Administration student at the University of Amsterdam and Sales Director of the MAA executive board chose this topic due to its relevance and personal significance in her life. The MAA’s goal is to connect students with companies that share their values, emphasizing the importance of selecting a theme “close to people’s hearts.”
“The Role of Tech Companies in Solving the Climate Crisis” by Brian O’Malley
The first speaker was Brian O’Malley, Head of Sustainability at Ayden. Ayden is a Dutch technology and e-commerce company. He explored the role of tech companies in addressing the climate crisis.
“Don’t always try to reinvent your wheel, look at where you [your company] are really strong and make use of it,” Brian says, stressing that you cannot fix everything. Companies should pick a couple problems to address, using their core skills. An example is Ayden’s “Giving” feature, which provides the customers of their clients with the option to donate to a nonprofit as part of the payment flow.
At the end of Brian’s speech, he emphasized the pivotal role of students, calling them the “next generation to drive solutions.” He encouraged them to communicate effectively, ask questions to challenge the status quo and come up with solutions where possible, highlighting the career growth opportunities in companies prioritizing sustainability.
“Sustainability in IT” by Adriana Begeer
Adriana Begeer, Managing Director of Energy & Sustainability Strategy and Consulting at Accenture, took the stage to discuss integrating sustainability into IT. Accenture is a large company that specializes in technology and consultancy.
Adriana began the speech by discussing planetary and business challenges. She then introduced Accenture’s “360° Value” strategy, which helps clients create their company values based on six dimensions: sustainability, talent, inclusion & diversity, client experience and finance.
She mentions that we have a tendency to look at the world the same way as in the past, and it is thus important to dare to think differently. As Julie Sweet, CEO of Accenture said, the key question is “not making humans more sustainable, but making sustainability more human.”
Adriana showcased IKEA’s “Bring Back Friday” initiative, a sustainable alternative to traditional Black Friday sales, encouraging customers to participate in a circular economy by reselling or recycling IKEA products.
“Integrating Sustainability into the Consultancy Sector” by Hassan Harajli
The final speaker, Hassan Harajli from KPMG Decarbonization & Climate Risk Services, discussed sustainability in the consultancy sector.
In an effort to be more sustainable, KPMG adopts an “outside-in” approach rather than an “inside-out” one, in which the “inside” is the business and the “outside” is society and the environment. Inside-out organizations make decisions based on business priorities. Outside-in organizations make customer-centric decisions.
Harajli outlined how KPMG weaves environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations into business strategies, involving government, society and industry in driving sustainable practices. Having spent 13 years as an Energy & Environment Program Advisor at the United Nations Development Program, Harajli underscored the urgent need for more decisive action against climate change: “humanity is failing to fight against this big monster [climate change], […] we are not even doing the scale that is required.”
Student Voices: Reflections on Amsterdam Commercial Night
Following the speaker sessions, Irene Taverna, an Entrepreneurship Master’s student at the UvA and the Vrije Universiteit, and Sinela Gong, a Communication Science student at the UvA, shared their perspectives on the event.
“I think it [the event] is a good way to get to know a company and see if you fit with them. It’s a reverse job interview in a way. You are here and the company’s presenting to you,” said Irene. However, she suggested improvements such as providing name tags for company representatives to facilitate networking.
Sinela also used the event as a chance to explore possible future employers. The ACN “gives me some further perspective of what I want to do in the future and how I place myself,” said Sinela.
Sinela also welcomes the new perspectives presented, despite lacking interest in the theme prior to the event. She highlights the event’s effectiveness in broadening her knowledge in linking sustainability with real-life practices: “I feel like even though sustainability and climate change are trending topics, people don’t usually link them with how to actually do it, for example, on commercials, advertisements, and how it affects [the companies]”.
The End of the Night
The Amsterdam Commercial Night concluded with a networking event, providing attendees the chance to connect with company representatives and peers. This closing session added a practical dimension to the educational speeches, fostering collaborations and inspiring attendees to pursue sustainable careers and projects. As the night came to an end, the MAA expressed the hope that attendees had recognized the problem and felt empowered to actively contribute to positive change in their own way.
Ellie Hsu is a university student in Amsterdam. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Amsterdammer.
