Jos van Oostrum – A journey from Zoology to Sustainability in Big Business

The MCA Prodcast

This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to Jos van Oostrum, Senior Director for Mars Sustainable Solutions at Mars Incorporated. Jos is a zoologist with a passion for our relationship with life on land and below water. At Mars, Jos leads a team whose mission is to find scalable solutions to help restore the ecosystems that Mars depends on and improve the resilience and livelihoods of the communities they work with.
Jos takes us back to the start of his career in sustainability, initially working with Unilever in 1998 to develop a sustainability plan for Bird’s Eye’s frozen peas. He emphasizes the importance of purpose-led companies and how young entrepreneurs and start-ups are now being inspired to hold these values from the very start of their business. ‘I find it so brave that you're not just starting up a business, but you're doing it with such a strong purpose and such a belief that you want to do things the right way’ Jos says.
Jos takes us on a deep dive into ocean health and ecosystem restoration, discussing his work with Mars' mantra of "bees, seas, and trees." He shares the incredible story of the Sheba Hope Grows Campaign, which aims to restore coral reefs in Indonesia and spread awareness of the importance of our ocean's health. You can even see the word HOPE spelt out underwater on Google Earth! Plus, hear Jos' personal experiences and efforts to make the ocean less fearful and more accessible to people, creating ambassadors of hope around the globe.
Watch Jos’ favourite ad: Guinness – Wheelchair Basketball
Hosted by Pat Murphy

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