Partners in the spotlight: Boone Proffitt (Arcadis)
Every month, NLWorks interviews one of the consortium partners who work hard to create business with impact. This time, we introduce Boone Proffitt, Sustainability Consultant at Arcadis. Arcadis partners with NLWorks in the Let’s Grow Together collaboration. A project that is creating an AgTech ecosystem in Kentucky, using Dutch agricultural knowledge.
Boone, can you tell us a little more about yourself? And how did you come into contact with NLWorks?
Boone: “I am a 6th-generation Kentuckian, but I work for Arcadis, a Dutch company. My personal passion for the health of Kentucky and my daily work as a Sustainability Consultant led me to NLWorks, as the organization continues to further the Let’s Grow Together collaboration on agritech and sustainable agriculture.”
What is the Let’s Grow Together collaboration all about?
“The Let’s Grow Together collaboration aims to improve the local job market in Kentucky and to allow for regional production and distribution of fresh foods, enhancing food security while tackling issues related to limited natural resources, sustainability, and climate unpredictability. As a result, the consortium offers a unique platform for business, government, and educational institutions to convene, adapt, and transform Kentucky’s agriculture industry for a rapidly changing world.”
Why do you think collaboration is important to solve the challenge you are working on?
“Multi-stakeholder partnerships are essential for gathering diverse perspectives that can shape community-level impacts. Real action in Kentucky on these important issues will only occur through grassroots consensus building.”
Would you recommend companies and organizations to involve NLWorks to get the right partners together?
“I absolutely would recommend companies and organizations to collaborate with NLWorks. NLWorks has successfully brought the right partners – both in Kentucky and in the Netherlands – to the table, and together, we are engaging stakeholders to ensure our work yields positive impacts.”
What do you hope to achieve with Arcadis this year?
“Through partnering with NLWorks on the Let’s Grow Together collaboration, Arcadis is encouraging innovation, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility. Establishing an ecosystem where sustainable agriculture can thrive in Kentucky makes sense for us economically as we work to build our local presence in collaboration with our Dutch colleagues.
“But ultimately, our social and environmental purpose relates perfectly with this consortium as we prioritize place-based and people-focused adaptation to a changing world. Stakeholders are demanding companies and governments to act with integrity and create a resilient, sustainable, and inclusive future; in this context, Arcadis is committed to sharing Dutch practices and values with new communities, and by educating stakeholders, we believe this solidifies a foundation for scalable improvements to their quality of life.”
