David de Rothschild × Hyundai – Working together to put nature first
4 minute read
Explorer, adventurer, and climate activist David de Rothschild has traversed oceans, spent time in the Amazon rainforest, and reached both the North and South poles. Today, he is an environmental activist on a mission to change the conversation on climate change. Join us for the first interview with David in our series about exploration, mobility, and sustainability.
Working together since 2016
David de Rothschild has been Hyundai’s Sustainability Ambassador since 2016 and became our IONIQ Ambassador in 2020. In this role, he is not only helping unearth innovative solutions to tackle the world’s most pressing problems but is also making sure that we put nature first in everything we do.
What do you enjoy most about working with Hyundai?
I enjoy working with the team at Hyundai and learning from their creativity. I get excited about the overall vision and where Hyundai is going and its journey from a transport company to a multifaceted mobility company. I think there are a lot of very unique projects like Re:Style, which celebrates waste products, among others.
My role, and what I want to work on is, pushing the understanding of clean mobility, connected mobility, and sustainable mobility.DAVID DE ROTHSCHILD
What kind of projects do you hope to work on in your role as IONIQ Ambassador?
My role, and what I want to work on is, pushing the understanding of clean mobility, connected mobility and sustainable mobility. I want to create stories about how being sustainable doesn’t have to be reductionist but is an improvement on the old fossil-fuel-based system we’ve created. Being an ambassador gives me a chance to work with incredible people who are at the front end of understanding and are involved in creating new systems of mobility.
What excites you most about Hyundai’s vision for the future of mobility?
It’s the idea that the brand’s vision goes beyond the typical systems approach that excites me. I think, for Hyundai, it’s about building a new way of living, and building not just a hydrogen society but a sustainable society. I love the idea that we are all part of this web of life, that is modern living, and Hyundai’s vision is to integrate us all into a more streamlined sustainable way of living. That excites me a lot.
The thing about Hyundai’s carbon neutrality statement is the impact it has on other corporations, platforms, and individuals to question their abilities to drive massive change. DAVID DE ROTHSCHILD
Which part of the Hyundai’s Carbon Neutrality 2045 plan is the most sincere in your eyes?
I think it’s such a huge challenge to commit to something like having a "net-zero impact" in everything you do, especially in manufacturing when there are multiple facets to your company. If you look at your supply chain, then you have to reassess everything all the way down to the steel that’s used in the vehicles.
The challenge is enormous. But the concrete measures like the many divisions of the company which are now going electric, show that Hyundai is taking big steps towards carbon-neutral production. When you make a statement like Hyundai’s in public, you push the north star of that statement to try and change the system and that’s an inspiring motivator for others who will also follow suit.
The biggest thing about Hyundai’s carbon neutrality statement is the impact it has on other corporations, platforms, and individuals to question their abilities to drive massive change. That’s what we need – massive change and bold leadership.
Want to find out more about David de Rothschild and his work for Hyundai and Nature? Check out www.voicefornature.com.
Find out more in Hyundai’s Instagram(@hyundai) and stay tuned for more articles.