Welcome to All Antean, a blog series where we show you the person behind the job title. From biologists to the ICT team, we engage with a diverse group of people and discover what makes them so unique. What exactly do they do? And how do they bring their own values and interests to their work?

Get to know Ruben Beel

We would like to introduce you to Ruben Beel, Senior Advisor in our Environment team. Ruben has been a loyal force within Antea Group since 2010 and was instrumental in achieving level 3 on the CO2 Performance Ladder.

Can you briefly tell us what the CO2 performance ladder is exactly?

"The CO2 performance ladder is a quality tool from the Netherlands, managed by SKAO. It was devised by ProRail to encourage contractors to make more sustainable choices and reduce CO2 emissions. It has now also made its way over to Belgium and is being applied in various sectors.

Depending on the level you want to reach on the ladder, you dive deeper into certain areas. There are 5 levels, each with their own requirements, but they basically always revolve around having insight and transparency about your CO2 emissions. At Antea Group Belgium, we entered level 3. As a matter of fact, this level is also increasingly required in public procurement, so the initiative is spreading rapidly."

What was your role in obtaining the certificate?

"Together with a colleague, I focused mainly on drafting crucial documents and emission inventories. This was necessary for us to apply for the certificate. We were then fully occupied with documents such as the energy assessment, the reduction plan and the energy management plan. That was challenging at times. (laughs)"

How long have you been working on this?

"Antea Group had been working on this project for a while, but in 2022 we really went full steam ahead! We accurately inventoried emissions for the years 2019, 2020 and 2021. The reason for also surveying 2019 emissions was that the 2020 or 2021 figures were not fully representative due to the corona crisis. Because of my previous experience measuring carbon footprints, I was assigned to this project. I really appreciated that."

So does this initiative align with your personal values?

"Absolutely! In addition to work, I am also heavily involved in raising climate awareness on a personal level. For example, I have made a life cycle analysis of my own house and every year I look at how the environmental impact evolves. The CO2 Performance Ladder initiative is therefore perfectly in line with my personal values and my keen interest in sustainability."

The initiative originated in the Netherlands. Do you think Belgian companies are already making a good commitment to it?

"Awareness around climate change and other environmental impacts is growing steadily and I am happy to see that we are moving in the right direction. A good example of this is the emerging legislation that is becoming stricter on emissions. This is encouraging companies to reduce their carbon emissions, thanks in part to the financial incentives involved. This is not only good news for the environment, but also for the corporate wallet. There is still a lot of work to be done, but we are on the right track!"

Got any concrete tips for us?

"The CO2 Performance Ladder focuses mainly on organisations, because individual efforts at home are simply not enough to combat climate change. It is therefore essential that we take action on a large scale. Fortunately, we can easily make a difference at home by using green, as well as local electricity, for example.

Almost all European countries already charge for exported green power, so it would be a double count if you sell that power outside the country and present it again as green power. Only Luxembourg has agreements on this with Estonia and Lithuania. Therefore, green power in Belgium is only really green if it was actually generated in Belgium. Fortunately, you can use the handy green check on the VREG website to check whether the green power you consume is really green. I definitely recommend you make use of this green check and make conscious choices."

Working at Antea Group

At Antea Group, we have an important role in creating awareness and encouraging choices that contribute to a more sustainable future. Would you like to be part of our team? Check out our vacancies and become an Antean too.

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