Our team
Green Soap Company: our team
At Green Soap Company, we set high standards for our colleagues, but above all, we are a little bit of a family. Every day, we sit around the table with our team and talk about new houses, interiors, babies, sports and teenage kids and their antics. It’s a friendly, safe and pleasant environment, where the question of what you contribute to the team and to the accomplishment of our mission is always central.
Green Soap Company: get to know our team!
Meet the team behind the Green Soap Company.
Marcel Belt – Chief Soap Officer
“What I think is great about Green Soap Company is that we are really making an impact as a small team. More and more people know about us and more and more people are talking about us. The best thing about working at Green Soap Company is that everyone gives their all every day and that we are successful. Another victory is achieved every week. And somewhere in my head there’s a little voice saying that this could become really big. No business like soap business! And when I’m not busy with soap? I love adventurous travel (gotta keep an eye on my footprint) and going to music festivals (Lowlands, Pinkpop). I would also like to say that I can play the saxophone, although all three of my daughters don’t think I can..:)”
Erik van Bemmelen – Marketing & Partnerships
“Since the very early days around the kitchen table, I’ve been closely involved with Marcel and his Green Soap. In recent years, I have seen the company grow into an enthusiastic team that shares a lot with each other and can pull together whenever that’s needed. Small enough to be flexible and unconventional, big enough to make a real impact.
What motivates me is the search for a connection, with partners, buyers and the people who ultimately use the products. After all, we can only manage the transition towards a sustainable world if we work together. I’m glad that I can do my bit for the cause.
In my spare time, I enjoy listening to and discovering music, going out for dinner with friends, films, books and sports.”
Eefje Maquine – Product Development
“Apparently a dog’s sense of smell is 20 times stronger. Well, they don’t know my nose yet. At Green Soap Company, I am busy every day coming up with new sustainable products and improving the existing product range. Fragrance plays an enormously important role for us! I keep in touch with the suppliers and manufacturers and always say I am a huge control freak. Which is not so surprising when you have just become a mother. After all, I have a little one who – just like me – wants to discover all kinds of new things. Apart from work, I like to take nature walks and discover new smells.”
Rick Brinkmann – Sales Soap Director
“The great thing about working at Green Soap Company is that every day is different! We are still relatively small and we have to help each other where we can. Besides that, the market is constantly changing, there is more and more attention for sustainability and we know how to capitalise on that. The focus is on distribution, on our product range, which was further expanded last year, and on our organisation, which is growing fast in tandem with us. We are also extremely enterprising, we can quickly act on good ideas (the lines of communication are very short) and we are continually investing in the brand awareness of Marcel’s Green Soap! The ultimate goal of course is that, when it comes to sustainable cleaning and personal care, people immediately think of Marcel’s Green Soap. Outside of work, I can often be found on the tennis court, on the football field with my son, or on my racing bike (also to the office!). And I get to ‘reset’ every year while enjoying a lovely holiday with the family!”
Manon van Vliet – Content Marketer
“Why do I enjoy hopping on my bike to the office in the morning? Working for Green Soap Company is working for a company that not only makes the company a bit better, but the world as well. Every day we are working with a small team on a big mission: to make the entire cleaning & detergent market sustainable. Being able to contribute to such a fantastic mission and making an impact together gives a great deal of satisfaction. Each and every day. And when I come home? Then I like to browse through an interior design magazine, take a gym class or try out a recipe from Ottolenghi’s latest cookbook.”
Maikel Purvis – Online Marketing Manager
“The best thing about Green Soap Company? With our small team, we are showing that there is concern for sustainability and that it should be given much more attention. Oh… and we are only too happy to tell that to the established order who often work in a slightly less sustainable manner. We are enormously ambitious and quick to adapt. This leads to great marketing campaigns and innovative products. And that has not gone unnoticed, which is why we celebrate successes together. And the best part of it all? We keep growing! When I came to work here there were four of us in the office and, since then, the team has become much bigger. Moreover, we are a down-to-earth bunch of people, we don’t say ‘less talk, more action!’ for nothing! Sometimes this will involve packing parcels, or picking up the phone to advise someone on the best way to clean, it’s all part of the job. Did you know that Triangle Soap is perfect for removing green mould? When I get out of this cleaning bubble, I like to spend time with family and friends, play football and I recently discovered the padel court.”
Ying Ma – Junior operational manager
“As a starter in the job market, it’s great to work for a fast-growing and sustainable company. Every day there is a success to be achieved and that gives me a lot of energy. Not only are Green Soap Company’s products wonderful to use, but the team behind them is also inspiring. Together we stimulate and encourage each other. This is a very nice learning environment for a “YUP” like me. Besides work, I like good food and drinks. I like to cook and bake and try new restaurants. For the ultimate treat, I also put on a wrong dating series. With a full belly and a drink in my hand, I end my day in such a relaxed way.”
Maurits van der Steenhoven – Key Accountmanager
“When I’m enthusiastic about something, everyone gets to hear it! I won’t stop talking about our latest innovation or how we want to positively change the industry. When I talk about Marcel’s Green Soap with friends, some of them know what I’m talking about, but not everyone. Fortunately, my job is to make sure that everyone knows us and starts using our fantastic products. As a native of Brabant, I love to cook, eat and drink with friends. You will also find me on the tennis court, in a sailboat or on a hike. To me it seems super cool to climb the Mount-Everest once, ain’t no mountain high enough!”
Astrid van Galen – Finance & Logistics
“I have been working at Green Soap Company with a great deal of pleasure for a number of years now. From a small start-up to a now fully-fledged company. I gain new colleagues every year. That’s so much fun! We are all working together to introduce more and more people to our fantastic products, that smell wonderful and are good for our planet. With a sense of satisfaction, I get back on my bike at the end of the day and go home. Then with a glass of wine and music on, I’m in the kitchen preparing dinner.”
Anne van Dijk – Junior Key Account Manager
“What I love about the Green Soap Company? That we work with a small and driven team to make a contribution to preserving the world. I find the goal that we all have in mind very beautiful. Additionally, we can achieve a lot in a short time because the lines of communication are short, and we can easily walk over to each other. In my role as a Junior Account Manager, I already have a lot of responsibilities and freedom to carry out my work. Besides my work, you can often find me on the hockey field or on the sidelines in a committee, and I’m always up for a game.”
Emma Nicol – Business Controller
“As a financial you have the luxury of choosing the branche you work in. Figures are always going to be just figures unless you find a super cool organisation with a great story behind those figures. This is exactly what made me choose for the green soap company! I love all the products we sell, not only because they contribute to a better world but also make you feel great while using them. Next to my work as controller I am a devoted mum of three so let’s just say my laundry baskets are never empty and my house can always do with cleaning, a joy with our products!”
Pia Ludwigs – Trade Marketeer
“After working in the sustainability field for several years, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work for the Green Soap Company! Not only is there a strong focus on making the cleaning industry more sustainable, but there is also a great sense of camaraderie. We have lunch together every day and kick off the weekend with a Friday afternoon drink. As a Trade Marketer, I have the privilege of collaborating with the sales team and product developers to create and sell new products, as well as shaping a vision for the category. My colleagues can always approach me with any questions regarding market data. Together, we are working towards a cleaner world, which is a wonderful challenge. After living in various places in Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark for many years, I am now a happy resident of Amsterdam. When I’m not working, I often travel or visit my friends around the world. On the rare occasions when I am in Amsterdam, I enjoy cooking and dining with friends, practicing yoga, and unwinding in nature or on a terrace.”
Jasmijn Smit – Assistant Product Manager
“With great pleasure, I started the real work after completing my internship at Green Soap Company, working in the product development team. It’s really exciting to work for a fast-growing company with such an important mission as a beginner in the job market, which is to make the cleaning industry more sustainable. As a graduate product designer specializing in sustainable packaging, I’m happy to contribute my skills and expertise to this cause! When I come home after a day of working on our latest products, I enjoy sitting at my drawing table with a warm cup of tea, sketching in my sketchbook.”