By the day, sustainability is becoming more important for companies. Mathijs van der Mars, sustainability solutions manager at Coolset, helps companies navigate the complexities herein by connecting them to Coolset - a platform that streamlines carbon calculations and CSRD reporting. We spoke to Mathijs about his experiences over the past two years.

Can you describe the main responsibilities of your role?

Mathijs: I am responsible for sustainability solutions at Coolset. The main responsibility of my role is business development - approaching new companies, talking to them about our product and trying to get them onboard. The main difference between classic business development roles and my role here at Coolset is that the largest part of my conversations concern educating people about sustainability and new legislation. Because this is such a new topic, businesses are not just searching for a solution but learning about what the problem they are facing is. My role is to know their problems well and help them find their way to a solution that fits them.

On a more practical level this means that I not only approach companies and go through the sales process with them but I am also constantly making sure I am up-to-date with legislation and new developments within the sustainability space. This then allows me to host webinars and other sessions.

What does a typical day look like in this role?

Mathijs: An average day in my role largely consists of researching companies that would benefit from our software. Working in sales at a start-up means there is always lots to do. Once I have identified the relevant companies, I work to find the best people within that company to talk to and then get in touch. Another big part of my day is educating myself on any developments in legislation and general sustainability trends that are relevant for the people I am talking to. Being up to date on my sustainability knowledge is crucial as it allows me to best relate to prospective and current clients, and be able to give them accurate and relevant information. This also allows me to do additional things such as host webinars and events!

Are there any particular people or companies that you try and target?

Mathijs: Yes - definitely! Coolset is a sustainability platform designed primarily for mid-market companies. This means that the companies we work with generally have between zero and two sustainability people in their team, which is not a lot. If there is a sustainability manager, I will focus on contacting them to discuss how our software can make their job easier. If not, I would focus on business controllers or individuals working in the finance team who are generally involved in CSRD compliance. In any case the CFO of a business is ultimately responsible for the reporting, so I often aim to get them involved in the discussions.