Meet the new positive change maker: Emmely Jurrius

Welcome Emmely Jurrius-Siebrecht, our new colleague at The Terrace! Since September 2022, Emmely is our new designer for positive change. Read her entire interview to get to know her.

1. What made you decide to join Team Terrace?

I’ve been involved with sustainability in my personal life and as a volunteer for a climate organization for quite a few years, but since having children I felt an even stronger drive to make more impact. The Terrace is a mission-first company, with interesting and challenging clients, has a proven track record, a bold attitude and is on its way towards a clear dot on the horizon. When I saw they were looking for a designer, I didn’t hesitate for a second to apply.

2. What did you do before joining the team?

I studied Linguistics, I have an academic Masters in Editing and a few years ago I decided to dive into the books again to become a designer. I’ve worked at The Royal Concertgebouw for ten years, as a marketing and communications specialist and in the past years as their first in-house designer. Since 2019 I am an active volunteer and board member for Stichting KlimaatGesprekken (based on the British Carbon Conversations). This organization trains climate coaches and gives workshops on decreasing (carbon) footprint, but mainly focuses on increasing handprint, i.e., how to connect to others in constructive ‘climate conversations’ and inspire them to live more sustainable.

3. What kind of sustainability challenges do you personally care about most?

My personal interest mainly lies in the psychological and anthropological side of sustainability, specifically the issue of how society can be moved in a constructive and non-judgmental way to see a sustainable, climate-friendly way of life as the new normal. To see the advantages of making ‘green’ choices instead of perceiving it as a ‘must’. I think there is a huge responsibility and a wonderful chance on making positive change for companies that choose to actively use their impact on their employees, company policy and therewith society for this.

4. What kind of sustainability solutions for which type of clients would you like to work for at The Terrace?

I feel inspired by companies that dare to challenge and give responsibility on sustainability innovations to their employees, and managements that are outspoken on their beliefs, not afraid to make bold choices and dare to look at themselves in the mirror. I feel that The Terrace’s clients all have their own strengths and personal drives to be aiming for positive change in a way that fits their profile. I Iove to challenge my creativity to help our clients in all different sectors finding the best way communicating this. Art and design have an incredible power that can undoubtedly be the key to bringing about positive change.

5. What would you like to learn at The Terrace?

I would like to learn what different challenges companies face in their quest for a more sustainable way of shaping and running their business. What drives them, what solutions have they already thought of or found, and what can we help them with? I also think I have a lot to learn on the technical side of sustainability solutions, and I hope to gain a lot of this knowledge ‘on the job’.

6. What means positive change for you?

To me change is positive when it connects people and creates a fairer, more sustainable world in an open and respectful way. I believe that it is in everyone’s benefit if we learn to really listen to each other, keep challenging each other in a positive way to do better, respecting our differences and embracing similarities. I am convinced that there always is a common ground or shared intrinsic value to be found, that with the right guidance will be the driving force to create positive change.

Get to know our other The Terrace members here.