Following your interests at work and putting the protein transition on the map
- Mirjam HilgemanProject Manager Food & Eiwittransitie Expert
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Work on your own development & shape the world around you
How we produce food, what nutrition does to the body, what we eat and how we take nature and the environment into account while doing so are all topics Mirjam has been interested in from a young age. As Project Manager in Food, she was able to immediately start working with those interests.
Exploring a new way of producing and consuming food
That balance is under pressure. Our current food system and the way we grow and produce food places a heavy burden on the planet. “Even six years ago, this was already the subject of intense debate. Should we eat less meat, make meat production more sustainable, or eat alternatives to meat? If you want to create change, what we call a transition, then you have to do it together. If you’re standing opposite one another, you’ll never get anywhere.”
The protein transition: changing the way we look at food
In recent years, Mirjam has worked hard to promote the protein transition: the shift toward more plant-based and fewer animal-based protein sources. Together with colleagues, she laid a foundation of knowledge on the topic and explored what it means for the bank’s clients. Start-ups and businesses with innovative ideas in this area received financing, and many regional, and even national initiatives, were supported.
If you want to create change, you have to do it together."
“Back then, the protein transition was still something new, even within the bank. That gave me the chance to really pioneer. I had a lot of space to build things from scratch. If you want to make progress, you really have to believe in what you’re working on. And fortunately, the bank also makes room for people who think differently. By reaching out to people, talking to them, asking their opinions and looking for common ground instead of differences, people became engaged. We put this topic on the map from within the bank, and entrepreneurs know where to find us.”
How smart initiatives are driving the protein transition forward
Today, the protein transition is firmly on the agenda, both within and outside the bank. In the summer of 2022, Rabobank and 56 (now 72) other parties signed the Green Deal on protein-rich crops. In this Bean Deal, all parties, including the then-Dutch Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature, agreed to scale up the cultivation, processing, and consumption of protein-rich crops. In 2024, the Plant Protein Forward programme was launched, aimed at accelerating plant-based protein initiatives. For Mirjam, both were significant personal and collective milestones. “Being able to play a role in getting these initiatives off the ground is truly special. By creating change, we’ve made an impact and that’s exactly what I want to do.”
Nutrition, sports, and sustainability: her passion doesn’t stop at the office door.
For now, Mirjam’s work on the protein transition has come to a close. She’s now focusing on other projects, such as sustainable packaging. The focus on sustainability and future readiness remains prevalent, both at work and beyond. “I’ve always found sport and healthy living important. When you’re young, you can build a strong foundation for the rest of your life. The combination of nutrition and sport is where my passion lies, everything related to the human body.” Surfing, wakeboarding, tennis, strength training there’s little she hasn’t done. Her latest love is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. “It’s an outlet for everything that happens during the day, but my body simply needs it too. Exercise gives me energy and focus, and makes me feel strong.”
It’s no surprise that Mirjam tries to share her passion for healthy living with others. Within her own department, she helped set up the vitality working group: a group of enthusiastic colleagues with a heart for healthy living. “We send out newsletters with ideas and organise activities several times a month. These can be anything: climbing the Dom Tower in Utrecht, cycling clinics, lunchtime walks or sharing healthy recipes; that’s how we bring the topic to life.”
She also took a course. “Rabobank offers every employee a development budget of €1,400 per calendar year. You can use it for your development, either in your current role or a future job that can help you earn your income. I wanted to do something that I was personally interested in, so I chose to study physiotherapy, back to the human body, and how it actually works physiologically. It’s great that Rabobank gives you the freedom to learn and encourages that. By not standing still and continuously developing yourself, you can (continue to) be a valuable contributor, both within the bank and beyond.”