Meet David Matthias, Sustainability Manager at Pelta Medical Papers. Join us as we discover his inspiring journey and unwavering dedication.
1. What is your role and what does it involve?
My role is the Sustainability Manager. I see a key part of this as ensuring the company is around for future generations. To help achieve this I am currently leading the work on several strategic initiatives which broadly cover improving our safety performance, developing our ESG processes and credentials, and working to help create a decarbonisation strategy. I am supported in this work by a brilliant team within our department, as well as numerous great people across the wider workforce.
2. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a career in this field?
In 2003-06 I studied Environmental Science at the University of Leeds. Although this involved a lot of work looking at topics such as air and water pollution, biodiversity, and natural habitat loss; a big focus was on climate change. The Kyoto Protocol had been passed several years earlier and the EU was in the process of developing the first carbon emissions cap and trading scheme. I chose modules within the schools of politics and law which looked at how international agreements are developed, and how this then is adopted into UK law and applied at a site level.
3. What inspired you to join our team at Pelta Medical Papers?
A job advert in the local paper, 17 years ago!
4. Tell us about a professional success story you're proud of.
Playing a very small part in the team that helped clean up the Beetham Mill after Storm Desmond in 2015 and seeing the paper machines restart. On a more individual level I think it was being one of a handful of people accepted onto a Growth Programme with our previous owners. It involved me travelling abroad on several occasions to attend training sessions and being involved in group work. It also involved a visit to an integrated Swedish mill and seeing the ongoing issues they had that were very similar to our small UK mill, just on a much larger scale!
5. In your opinion, what is something Pelta excels at?
We excel at providing medical papers along with the technical expertise and support to our customers. When I first started at the company, I did not appreciate how important medical papers are to us all in some way, shape, or form. It is obvious to me that the technical expertise that has been developed and refined over the decades still exists today in our workforce. It is that pedigree that makes me excited about our future.
We are committing to a sustainable future, learn more about our near-term science-based emissions reduction target here.