My story with the KÖVET Association began back in the early 2000s. At the time, I was working as an EHS manager at a heavy-industry manufacturing company in Szeged. One of the development goals of our environmental management system was to increase the proportion of recycled paper in our office paper consumption. In connection with this, I reached out to the staff at KÖVET, who selflessly helped us find a supplier to meet our needs—and they did all this even though we weren’t members of the association at the time. Later, after getting to know the organization’s values more closely, I decided that we would join and, as a member company, play a part in achieving our shared goals.
In terms of my professional background, I have gained significant experience in the field of sustainability over the past decades: I hold degrees in sustainability management and environmental eco-technology, and for more than 15 years I managed environmental and energy management systems (ISO 14001, ISO 50001) in the rubber and automotive industries, where I also developed sustainable manufacturing strategies and conducted life cycle assessments (LCA). Later, as an independent consultant and in the research and development sector, I supported environmental and safety compliance while teaching environmental economics and corporate environmental management at the university level.
Over the years, we’ve worked on the concept of the paperless office, and today—in the world of remote work—we’re using artificial intelligence to ensure we do our work while making the most of our resources. It was incredibly inspiring to be part of work whose results allowed us to make our own operations more sustainable, while also learning best practices and optimizing our processes.
I’ve had the good fortune to meet outstanding professionals over the past decades. Among them, former President László Vagdalt stands out; I learned a great deal from him, both personally and as the association’s leader at the time. I cannot leave out Prof. Dr. Gergely Tóth either, without whose unwavering optimism and professional dedication I believe this association would not even exist today. I could go on with countless names, with whom my good relationship often went beyond that of a simple fellow association member. I am reminded of the few KÖVET office moves I’ve experienced, but the anniversary events—which we always strove to celebrate in a fitting manner—are also unforgettable to me.
I am filled with pride that our company is among the recipients of the “Money Thrown Through the Window” program. To this day, I look back on this recognition with joy, as our results also contributed to the now quite impressive cumulative savings figures achieved there: by modifying our water treatment process, we saved 250,000 m³ of water annually.
Last but not least, I am also proud that, for a short time, I was able to gain insight into the work of the association’s leadership as a member of the board. I learned firsthand that managing an organization with such a diverse membership is by no means a simple task. Erzsébet Ódor could tell you a lot about this; as president, she has made invaluable contributions to the life of KÖVET and remains a pillar of the leadership to this day. I have also maintained an excellent relationship with the current board and management for decades. Executive Director Katalin Herner’s unwavering enthusiasm and optimism have always served as a model for the attitude a dedicated sustainability professional should have.
As life has unfolded, I now focus primarily on the field of occupational safety. However, since there is no clear-cut line between these fields, I firmly believe that what is sustainable is also safe, and where there is a high standard of occupational safety culture, sustainability also emerges as a fundamental consideration. That is why I decided to “return” to the association’s work this time as an individual member.
I am very pleased that my membership application was accepted and that I can be on board again!
Contact:
Zoltán Jóri
Email: zoltanleventejori@gmail.com
Phone: +36305556783
