In this episode of The Sustainable Leading Edge podcast, FigBytes Head of Sustainability, Kate Cacciatore, sits down with Volkert Engelsman, CEO of Eosta, an international distributor of fresh organic and fair fruits and vegetables, headquartered in the Netherlands. Not only is Eosta a pioneer in the sustainability space, seeking to have a positive impact through its business and to act as a catalyst to transform the agribusiness sector as a whole, but it combines this profile with being a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME)!

For example, Eosta is leading the newly launched Business Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture, together with Climate Farmers, bringing diverse stakeholders together to accelerate the transition to regenerative agriculture and create market incentives for farmers to offer vital ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, water preservation and enhanced soil quality for nutrient-rich foods.

In this discussion, Volkert shares the story of his personal sustainability journey, his sense of purpose, and how that tied in with the evolution of Eosta from a start up in the 1990s to becoming a European leader in organic fresh produce. Kate and Volkert also discuss Eosta’s sustainable business strategy in some detail, including its Nature & More transparency system - designed to enable customers to understand the impact of the food they buy and learn more about the farmers who grow it – and its “Sustainability Flower” and “5 M’s” framework: “Determine Materiality, Measure Impacts, Manage Practices, Market Products and Monetise Impacts”.

Finally, Volkert shares his vision for the future, including his thoughts on how a “coalition of the willing” can make a difference and how we can stay resilient in challenging economic times. Volkert also offers some insights and advice for companies looking to boost the integration of sustainability in their business strategy.