INSIGHT

Meet GIG: I am committed to the impossible ‘Mission Drawdown’

The CEO of Green Innovation Group is determined to reach drawdown – the point where more greenhouse gasses are extracted than emitted. A ‘mission impossible’ according to himself. Nevertheless, he believes that trying is the best solution available. Meet Frederik van Deurs.

To Frederik, green transition is the main focus of sustainability:

If we don’t manage to solve the climate crisis, we can’t solve the biodiversity crisis and the other sustainability related crises,

says Frederik.

In his opinion, the climate crisis is the most present and comprehensive crisis, humanity has ever faced. He is an optimist and a business man by heart, though. Therefore, he sees a lot of potential in the climate crisis as well. That is one of the reasons, he co-founded Green Innovation Group.

The business potential to benefit from solving climate related issues is huge. We need solutions to extreme weather risks, reduced waste, and deploy new innovations. This is a driver for doing good business, and this is a journey that I want to invite companies to join,

he explains and continues:

I spent a large portion of my life and career carrying the cross and preaching green solutions like vegetarianism to deaf ears. It built so much frustration and anger in me – today I understand how valuable the long haul is. That’s why we’re building a company culture where we have to love going to work, no matter what. Positivity has to be a driver for inspiration and change, so we’re implementing that with our clients and colleagues.

Green Innovation Group started out by advising on innovation with a focus on green transition. But as the years went by, it was clear to Frederik and his partners that the health care sector had a big potential within the sustainability area.

People in the health care sector are devoted, hardworking people, who thrive to advance medicine and medical technologies every day. If they manage to embrace the green agenda as well … that would be a total game changer,

says Frederik.

There is no doubt that he is dedicated to speed up the green transition in the health care sector. He throws around regulations, mega trends and market shares doing our talk, but when I ask him, why he spend every day trying to push forward this agenda, he stops. And smiles.

»It is a mission impossible«, he says. »But it needs to be done, and Tom Cruise is not returning my calls«.


Frederik van Deurs

Frederik van Deurs

  1. 33 years old
  2. CEO of Green Innovation Group
  3. In the board of Greencubator and Sustainable Change Makers
  4. External Lecturer, University of Southern Denmark (SDU)
  5. Once lived on a deserted Vietnamese island until he ran out of supplies.

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