Yannik, you work alongside Volkmar and Ingrid in the sales team at RIGK. What does your specific area of responsibility entail within the department?

Yannik: As known, RIGK is responsible for the takeback and recycling of packaging and plastics. In the sales departement, our focus is on convincing companies to license their packaging materials with us. This enables us to efficiently coordinate the takeback and recycling of their packaging through our take-back systems. Our task is to make these stakeholders aware that, according to packaging regulations, they have a legal obligation as producers, distributors or packers/fillers to return and recycle their packaging materials. Ideally, they fulfill this obligation by participating in RIGK's take-back systems. In this context, we work towards making the processes tailored and efficient for our German and international customers. We assist these companies in navigating within the applicable legal framework, ensuring legal compliance.

What excites you about this role in the sales departement at RIGK? What aspects of your work inspire you the most?

Yannik: I find inspiration in helping companies navigate the increasingly complex legal landscape while simultaneously promoting a sustainable circular economy through resource-efficient takeback and recycling of plastics. Additionally, daily interactions with people inspire me. This makes my workday diverse and introduces new and exciting tasks continually.

What skills and experiences are necessary to convince customers of RIGK's recycling solutions?

Yannik: I believe it is crucial to be authentic and convey to our counterparts that, as industry partners, we aim to support their respective companies while also showing understanding. It's important to have a sense of the conversation partner's situation and advise them with the necessary expertise. For me, the key is maintaining a healthy balance between humanity and awareness of promoting the circular economy.

How, under the motto "Our Actions Now Shape the World of Tomorrow," do you promote the sustainability mission in the sales departement at RIGK, and how do you generally assess the importance of sustainability in business?

Yannik: In the sales departement, we promote this mission by educating companies about the legal obligations of the Packaging Act and motivating them to efficiently return and recycle their packaging materials. Our consultation aims to encourage companies to license their packaging materials, making a sustainable contribution. When companies manage the return and recycling of their packaging through RIGK, it is a gratifying step towards fulfilling our mission. In general, I consider sustainability in business to be tremendously important and unavoidable. Our daily work is closely connected to it. Simultaneously, it is crucial that each individual contributes – also with an eye on future generations.

Is there a specific project or success in sales at RIGK that you are particularly proud of?

Yannik: Every time a company decides to fulfill its legal obligation for takeback and recycling through RIGK is personally gratifying for me – and for RIGK and our overall mission. This ensures that the company operates within the respective legal framework, and participating in our take-back systems ensures the optimal recycling of packaging materials. Therefore, every successful business contact that makes a positive contribution to the circular economy is a significant win for me.

Yannik, please give us a small personal insight into yourself. What is your background? How did you come to RIGK?

Yannik: After completing my bachelor's degree in sports management, I gained insights into various industries. The environmental sector, where RIGK operates, has been fascinating to me from the beginning, as it particularly focuses on our future. I came across RIGK through a personal contact. Now, I have been with RIGK since March 2022, and I am extremely pleased to be here.

Aside from your busy work life, what are your passions and hobbies? Is there something that particularly excites you in your free time?

Yannik: My big passion is football. Since I have been connected to football since childhood, it is a significant part of my life, and I hope it will stay that way. Moreover, I am a family person, enjoy spending time with friends in my free time, and generally spend a lot of time in nature.

What personal beliefs and values drive you, and how do they reflect in your work at RIGK?

Yannik: Personally, values such as respect, friendliness, and openness are crucial to me. I have found that these qualities help me tremendously in both my personal and professional life. Especially in my daily contact with customers and colleagues, these qualities help me communicate on a healthy basis. Particularly in customer interactions in sales, it is important for me to give customers a good feeling, which is considerably easier for me through these values.

Feel free to share your impressions of RIGK as a company and employer. What is of great significance to you personally in this regard?

Yannik: Primarily, in early 2022, RIGK made it very easy for me to transition into the workforce after completing my studies. The familial approach and consistently excellent working atmosphere make it enjoyable for me to contribute daily to the company's success and try to make a positive contribution to our mission

How do you envision the future of the sales departement at RIGK, and what contributions do you plan to make?

Through our daily work at RIGK, we have achieved a lot, particularly through our effective take-back systems in the industrial, commercial, and agricultural sectors. However, we are also aware that there is still much to be done to advance the circular economy sustainably. Therefore, it will continue to be important for us to support companies on the path to legal compliance, especially as the legal landscape becomes increasingly complex. We aim to ensure that companies continue to control the legal take-back and recycling of their packaging materials through our take-back systems, ensuring the proper return and recycling of plastics – in line with our motto, "Our Actions Now Shape the World of Tomorrow!"