The story of Mark van der Werf

I’ve always been on the lookout for socially relevant work which would have an impact. After studying mechanical engineering at the University of Twente, I satisfied my ambitions during the first four years teaching at the Windesheim University of Applied Sciences. I had a fine time, but I was still looking for physical impact. A small consultancy firm eventually guided me to Witteveen+Bos.

And here, it’s possible. As a project leader and expert, in one of my first projects I was troubleshooting and optimising the energy management of a sewage treatment plant. Sewage treatment plants, process diagrams and project management within W+B: all of it was new to me, but I was given a free hand and a (very) knowledgeable expert as a source of information. My analysis and advice report didn’t simply then get shelved: all the recommended measures were implemented quickly, and among other things this produced a sharp increase in the production of sustainable energy. Now that’s what I call socially relevant work with impact!

I feel at home at Witteveen+Bos. Of course it took some getting used to (from a company of 10 people to a world player of 1,000), but in practice it feels smaller because of the PMC structure. It’s a very flat organisation, and despite its size it’s informal. Colleagues are involved and enterprising, as evidenced by the fact that 80% of the employees hold shares. I also find the focus striking: based solidly on quality.

My long-term ambition is to work with my colleagues to devise and design the sustainable energy systems of tomorrow. All our clients are wrestling with the future of the energy supply to a greater or lesser extent. The scale of the challenge leads me to believe that we need to share our knowledge to make sufficient progress. That’s why I have joined other internal energy experts in delivering energy lectures to accelerate the energy transition and increase our impact. We share these lectures internally, and also externally through LinkedIn.

I believe that Witteveen+Bos is the best place for fulfilling my ambitions.