Antoine Geerinckx: “Combining your passion with what you’re good at is the recipe for success on every level.”
Antoine Geerinckx, founder of CO2Logic, was the first guest in the podcast series “Beyond the Meeting Table,” where CEO Jo De Wolf takes a walk with someone who has a professional connection to Montea. Here’s a summary of his key insights.
A Pioneer in Tackling Air Pollution
For over 15 years, Antoine Geerinckx, a lover of the sea, has been addressing air pollution and exploring solutions. His company CO2Logic, specializing in measuring and reducing carbon emissions for organizations, was recently sold to the Swiss company South Pole. Through initiatives like Airscan, Go Forest, and Earth Funders, his approach is rooted in pragmatic action to address the world’s significant challenges.
Connection with Nature
“Growing up by the sea and spending a lot of time with my grandfather, who practiced sustainable forest management, I’ve always been fascinated by the immense richness of nature and what it offers us. For example, stepping into the sea water always has an effect. I’ve never seen a child go into the sea without immediately lighting up with a big smile. Isn’t that fascinating? Just like how stepping barefoot onto wet grass for five minutes at the start of your day gives you a surge of energy. It’s a shame that in such a short time, we seem to have completely lost our connection with nature.”
More a Doer than a Thinker
“When the Kyoto Protocol made headlines around 2005, I started reading more about what climate scientists were already publishing but wasn’t receiving much attention. I immediately wondered what I could personally do to contribute to a world with less air pollution. I realized there were no tools available to make an impact. Being more of a doer than a thinker, I started CO2Logic. I also recognized that from the architecture and engineering firm I previously worked for, I couldn’t make the same impact. Buildings play a significant role in climate issues, but so do agriculture, logistics, mobility, and waste. From the start, I also aimed to create a business out of it. There’s nothing wrong with earning a living through activities that ultimately make the planet better. On the contrary, the more financially successful these planet-restoring models are, the greater their contribution to the transition needed to create a healthy and livable world for future generations.”
Hopeful
“The challenges are significant, but by collaborating on all fronts, much is still possible in the next ten years. Everything is in place to take effective climate action, which is hopeful. The banking crisis of 2008 slowed sustainability initiatives. I feared the pandemic would repeat that scenario, but it didn’t. People are beginning to understand better, partly because of the pandemic, that everything is interconnected. The pandemic was, in part, a result of the lack of respect we humans have shown for nature. It forced us to ask questions and reflect. I had to do the same for myself back in the day. I didn’t fit into the school system, had to transfer to another school, and realized I had to discover what I was good at. That’s what I advise young people today: find what you’re good at, and if that aligns with your passion, you can truly make a difference. Everyone has immense potential. That’s why I encourage young people never to lose confidence in themselves and to discover their strengths as soon as possible. Business leaders, in my view, should also focus evaluations on employees’ true talents rather than so-called areas for improvement. Helping people thrive through their talents leads to extraordinary results.”
