The National Environmental Management Day, also known as the LOMD, is a core concept among environmental managers. This network and knowledge meeting focuses on the development of the environmental management profession and is therefore a yearly fixture for most environmental professionals. This year, the fourteenth edition took place on November 14th with the theme ‘IMPACT!’ For colleagues Ingrid van den Brink Was this her first LOMD? Together with four colleagues, she manned the stand, networked extensively, and provided a workshop. In this article, she reflects with colleagues on the inspiring speakers, stimulating conversations, and how to make an impact on tomorrow's environmental management with wisdom from the group.

This year, I stood at the LOMD from WesselinkVanZijst for the first time and was immediately able to staff the booth together with colleagues. Marloes, Ilay, Base and Thijs. This attracted a lot of attention all day. Sometimes because one of my colleagues recognized me as a trainer for the Strategic Environmental Management Basics of Professional trainings, sometimes to inquire about training or consulting work, and sometimes because the booth served as a meeting point for people from previous consulting assignments with whom we had worked. But mostly to catch up and get to know newcomers. Although I can't rule out that the contest to guess how many peppernuts were in the jar also had its appeal.

What did my colleagues think?

On a rich day like LOMD, there's a lot to experience and discuss. That's why I asked my colleagues what they remembered most from LOMD. The reunion with fellow professionals and exchanging stories with them was the highlight of the day. A true networking event! For example, Thijs emphasized that many of the people he spoke to indicated the challenges they face in their field. The subsequent conversations were educational and offered perspectives for the future. 

Inspiring speakers

I asked Marloes who had inspired her the most. Without a doubt, she named Pieter van den Hoogenband, a former Dutch swimmer and Olympic champion. Marloes: “I found Pieter's quote ‘You win or you learn’ very inspiring. Because that's how it is: you don't lose, you can reflect and learn from your experience.”

“Pieter also explained that as the coach of the Dutch swimming team, he invited one scientist, one coach, and one trainer each month to share the latest sports trends. He then draws inspiration for his training sessions from the blend of disciplines that emerges from these meetings. That's what you call cross-pollination! Could we, as environmental managers, also draw inspiration from other types of experts more often? For instance, by inviting a political scientist, a sports coach, and a fellow trainer from another agency to internal sessions at WesselinkVanZijst?” 

Source of inspiration

Ook Ilay went home with new questions and thoughts, particularly about inclusive participation: “Often, the conclusion after a residents” meeting that few people attended is that people are not interested in the topic. But is that really the case? Does this form of participation truly resonate with the target group? Shouldn't we more consciously choose participation methods from the perspective of others' lived experiences instead of just running through the standard repertoire? This has really sharpened my focus again."

Wisdom is in the group

In addition to inspiring speakers from other organizations and work fields, our colleagues also had their say at LOMD. For example, Bas and Ilay gave a workshop on anchoring environmentally focused work in the organization, a theme that our agency has been very focused on in recent years. As an agency, we ourselves plenty of ideas developed on this theme, but practice shows that the yield is much richer when supplemented by peers. During the workshop, experiences were exchanged and questions were asked, which led to new ideas and insights into a topic that is becoming increasingly urgent. The wisdom is therefore truly in the group. 

It turns out that the strength of our profession doesn't arise in isolation, but in connection. Genuine innovation emerges where professionals meet, share experiences, and remain curious about each other's approaches. The impact of the LOMD lies precisely in this cross-pollination: the wisdom resides in the group, helping people advance together in tomorrow's environmental management. That's why we from WesselinkVanZijst will be there again next year!

Would you like to know more about our experiences at LOMD, or about any of our services, please email: info@wesselinkvanzijst.nl

Consultant

Ingrid van den Brink