Life Cycle Assessment Consultant at Bureau Veritas
‘’My name is Odyssefs Papagiannidisis. I’m originally from Athens, Greece, and is educated as a Chemical and Environmental engineer. I was lucky to visit many countries for leisure and educational trips, however, the turning point was in 2014, when I received a scholarship to participate in a 5-month student-exchange program in Denmark. Through my stay I developed my horizons and explored the Danish lifestyle, which was essential to my self-discovery, and the main reason why I came back for my master studies in 2017. Four years later in April 2021, I was still in wonderful Denmark, together with my spouse, and ready to reach new professional endeavors.
The perfect opportunity presented itself by Bureau Veritas, and I got offered to work as a Life Cycle Assessment Consultant at the headquarters of Bureau Veritas Denmark in peaceful, ’fairytale’ town of Fredericia. The ambition from the leadership to develop and strengthen our sustainability portfolio and enrich the range of services offered by the company aligned with my motives and aspiration. The welcome by the company was very warm as our group encourages diversity within its teams.
Our services and activities within the field of sustainability are receiving increasing attention from the authorities and clients and it is becoming an increasingly complex field, since new raw materials are being developed and more and more products contain raw materials that must be assessed. Our role is to help our clients find out what requirements they are faced with in terms of content, origin, and environmental impact of their products – in different product categories and in different markets. The scope to be covered is extremely broad, and this is what I always liked about my work: every situation is a new one, you must be willing to adapt, eager to learn and apply your knowledge accordingly every day. As a Life Cycle Assessment Consultant this means that I should always stay up to date, for example within the current legislation and operation of databases, because yesterday's obsolete processes may be replaced today by state-of-the-art technologies, and today's approved datasets may be on the blacklist tomorrow.
Diversity is a fact and a crucial aspect in our work life because people have often different beliefs and interests, companies have various areas of focus and strategies, and markets have diverse needs to satisfy. However, diversity comes into play in our personal life too. In that sense, taking a journey abroad creates a world of endless opportunities for every person. Therefore, you need to identify, recognize, and adapt to a different cultural heritage; take a step back for two minutes to reflect on the way you express an opinion, an emotion, or a concept.
When I discovered the Danish mindset, I got intrigued by the sarcastic humor, the trust, the feeling that we strive together as a community. These virtues were quite a change for me to experience. It didn’t take much to convince me to stay longer. The nice and cozy atmosphere at work, the nice friends that I have met here, constitute my Danish home. Just don't mention the Aegean Sea and ‘pita gyros’!‘’
