This time at our special column ”Career Paths” , we are delighted to host an interview with Mrs. Annette Stube, the Head of Sustainability at A.P. Moller- Maersk who is explaining why sustainability reaps tangible benefits for an organization. Having a 20-year experience with corporate sustainability and being influenced by the Head of Sustainability and Innovation at Nike, Mrs. Stube is feeling very privileged to work with Maersk, due to its ‘vast reach and strong leadership mindset’. The way Maersk is helping ship breaking conditions in Alang, India, is one of the most exciting projects within sustainability, she says, hoping that other stakeholders will follow the example.
SAFETY4SEA: How did it come about that you joined shipping industry and your field of expertise specifically?
Annette Stube: I started working with corporate sustainability 20 years ago and find it a very meaningful way to spend most hours of the day. I was excited to continue this journey in Maersk that I joined 10 years ago due to its vast reach and strong leadership mindset.
S4S: What about your current job/ role most excites you and why?
A. St.: Probably the fact that Maersk has real impact on people and the planet – whether that’s by reducing CO2 emissions, taking out facilitation payments in ports or by removing trade barriers so smaller companies from developing countries can access international supply chains. Then on a daily basis I am thrilled to work with bright, humorous people which is a real gift.
S4S: Who is/was the most influential person/mentor to you & why?
A. St.: I find Hannah Jones, who is Head of Sustainability and Innovation with Nike, truly inspiring. She has demonstrated how sustainability is not just about being a responsible company, it can also deliver business innovations that will drive both company revenues and a more sustainable world. For instance, their knitted sneaker produces 60% less waste while improving athlete’s performance.
S4S: What is the best and what was the worst piece of advice you’ve ever been given and why?
A. St.: Best advice: ‘Get the right people on the bus’, meaning hire the right people with strong personal competencies (in my view: Intelligence, Integrity and Energy) rather than people fitting the job description exactly.
Worst advice: Hmm.. can’t think of any, must have weeded them out.
S4S: What would you like to change in the current maritime landscape and your area of expertise specifically and why?
A. St.: Shipping companies has turned their blind eye extremely poor standards for workers and the environment in the ship breaking industry for decades. Maersk has started this process in Alang, India, and it is one of the most exciting results of my many years within sustainability to see that yards we have worked with here have come up at international levels in just 20 months on social and environmental standards. Nobody thought that could be done so quickly. Why should the guy working next door not get paid the minimum wage or have a safe working environment? The industry must come together to change this.
About Annette Stube
With a MA in organisational psychology from Copenhagen University, Annette has previously worked within Human Resources. She started her career with SOS-International, a Nordic alarm centre, as a Manager for psychological crisis intervention teams and as Manager of supplier relations in Eastern Europe and Africa.
Excellent article.