How Pål Skogrand Of Kori Krill Oil Is Helping to Promote Sustainability and Climate Justice

An Interview With Monica Sanders

Don’t get sidetracked by “the flavor of the month”- keep focus on the measures that make an impact.

According to the University of Colorado, “Those who are most affected and have the fewest resources to adapt to climate change are also the least responsible for the greenhouse gas emissions — both globally and within the United States.” Promoting climate justice is an incredibly important environmental responsibility that is slowly becoming more and more recognized. In this interview series, we are talking to leaders who are helping to promote sustainability and climate justice. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Pål Skogrand — VP Policy and Impact at AkerBioMarine.

Pål is in charge of the company’s sustainability work, focusing on Environmental, Social and Governance policies, as well as overseeing the company’s Antarctic krill harvesting operations, stakeholder management, Government Affairs, and science and technology projects to develop a more modern krill harvesting and management system. Pål is a political scientist with prior experience in international negotiations, communications and speechwriting from the Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Fisheries. Pål believes that today’s technology gives force to the development of sustainable solutions for harvesting and biomass monitoring, enabling the industry to develop standards that go beyond expectations from regulatory bodies. This technology also allows us to have the most profitable solutions long-term. Aker BioMarine is the world’s largest Antarctic krill harvesting company, with a vision to improve human and planetary health. In 2018, Aker BioMarine was awarded “Europe’s Most Innovative Company” by the European Business Awards organization for its human and aquaculture ingredients.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit.Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up?

I grew up in the Norwegian countryside but moved to the city when I was ten. I often think about how I grew up and the freedom and trust I was given to explore things on my own as a kid. It’s a different time today of course, but I try and give my kids the same “license to roam”, hoping it will foster independence and curiosity about the world. No-one is more curious than a kid on summer holiday!

Everyone has a cataclysmic moment or marker in their life which propels them to take certain actions, a “why”. What is your why?

Having worked in government for a while early in my career, I found that it lacked some space where the individual could create and reach a higher potential. It was such a good move for me to approach a new industry with Aker BioMarine 6 years ago. I am still working on reaching my potential though, and I hope I will be well into my seventies when I peak!

You are currently leading an organization that is making a difference for our planet. Can you tell us a bit about what you and your organization are trying to change?

We are trying to disrupt, to excel and create. We are in the business of krill, where we have built up a whole value chain from harvesting in Antarctica to processing to consumer and business facing activities to create a demand. Krill is a unique resource full of health promoting nutrients and is probably the world’s biggest single species biomass. We need to make use of the sustainable resources we have on this planet, and while krill is not the easy way to build a business, it is absolutely necessary that we try and excel in doing the difficult: to change the way people eat and how we as a world population use our resources. This is why our mission is “Improving Human and Planetary Health!”

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?

I find that the most interesting thing happens when you start taking more responsibility in an organization, and experience that your preconceived ideas about your own strengths and weaknesses are challenged! It is absolutely key to surround yourself with people that are brilliant at different things than yourself. So, you need to have self-awareness, be brave, resolve what you know you can do and relinquish power to others where they are at their best.

None of us can be successful without some help along the way. Did you have mentors or cheerleaders who helped you to succeed? Can you tell us a story about their influence?

Absolutely! In my organization it is all about trust, and to have people up the chain giving you the freedom to resolve challenges your way because they know you can do it- I cannot understate the significance of this. One of our values is to “cheer each other on” and it is a two-way street that mainly is about being a decent person who sees other people around you.

Let’s start with a basic definition of terms so that everyone is on the same page. What does climate justice mean to you? How do we operationalize it?

The big challenge in the world right now is to reconcile growth and a low-emission economy. I am from a privileged part of the world, based in a country — Norway — which for more than fifty years has benefitted a lot from oil and gas in terms of welfare and development. We shouldn’t be the ones to define climate justice, but we absolutely need to be the ones to lead the way in the climate transition, with low carbon technology, carbon capture and storage in a way that benefits not only ourselves but all of the world.

Science is telling us that we have 7–10 years to make critical decisions about climate change. What are three things you or your organization are doing to help?

• Transitioning to the low carbon economy and gradually be offering low-carbon niche products to our customers. We have to place a bet on the future consumers and their willingness to pay premium for sustainability.
• Putting our hand up and pledging to cut CO2 emissions and thereby creating a demand for new disruptive technology within our sector.
• Urgency. Whether you call it sustainability, ESG, corporate responsibility or “regenerative business”, it’s all about making sure we keep focus and invest our time and effort into solutions that are good for the planet in the long run.

Are there three things the community, society, or politicians can do to help you in your mission?

Regulations and incentives. With my background from government and having experienced how businesses will always be shaped by the regulatory environments in which they operate, I do believe regulations are pivotal to the future we want to achieve. They say “you can lead the horse to water but cannot make it drink”: in the end it will be the businesses taking the decisions to act, but in this transitional moment of our economy there needs to be fair ways to share the risk between public and private.

How would you articulate how a business can become more profitable by being more sustainable and more environmentally conscious? Can you share a story or example?

You need to go beyond what is expected. When regulations are lagging and public decision makers need time to forge compromises, businesses have the liberty to “just do.”In 2018, we decided to make a move to protect penguins in Antarctica, and by doing so the rest of the krill industry followed. Now, for the 5th year running, we have been keeping the entire industry’s fishing effort up to 50 km away from penguin colonies during their fragile breeding season.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started promoting sustainability and climate justice” and why?

• Devote your time to practicing sustainability, then talk about it.
• Real sustainability success requires buy-in across all of your company and stakeholders.
• Align sustainable and business critical to make more headway.
• Don’t get sidetracked by “the flavor of the month”- keep focus on the measures that make an impact.
• The sustainability space develops faster than you think, sometimes you will have no idea of what’s coming!

Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why?

Right now, I would like to sit down with someone to have a discussion on how to best utilize AI in our work and personal lives! And what’s next in terms of disruptive technology? So, anyone but a chatbot!

How can our readers continue to follow your work online?

Stay connected via Aker BioMarine (www.akerbiomarine.com) and Kori Krill Oil (www.korikrilloil.com). Our dedication to leading the industry in sustainable practices are all brought to market via Kori Krill Oil which is our consumer brand in the US. For example, from its packaging, you can track each bottle of Kori Krill Oil back to the location of where the krill was harvested via GPS coordinates. When you buy a bottle of Kori, you can be assured that it was created with all the sustainability work we do as Aker BioMarine.

This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!

About the Interviewer: Monica Sanders JD, LL.M, is the founder of “The Undivide Project”, an organization dedicated to creating climate resilience in underserved communities using good tech and the power of the Internet. She holds faculty roles at the Georgetown University Law Center and the Tulane University Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy. Professor Sanders also serves on several UN agency working groups. As an attorney, Monica has held senior roles in all three branches of government, private industry, and nonprofits. In her previous life, she was a journalist for seven years and the recipient of several awards, including an Emmy. Now the New Orleans native spends her time in solidarity with and championing change for those on the frontlines of climate change and digital divestment. Learn more about how to join her at: www.theundivideproject.org