It’s summer, and many of Itron’s employees are taking summer vacations to sunny destinations, but one employee will spend the next 12 days on a journey of a lifetime in the freezing temperatures of the Arctic. Matt Smith, director of product management at Itron, was selected by ClimateForce 2041 and Itron to head off on an epic adventure as part of the ClimateForce ‘Leadership on the Edge’ Arctic 2019 expedition.

Itron’s corporate social responsibility team sponsored this opportunity in collaboration with the 2041 Foundation, whose mission is to inspire, stimulate and connect organizations and communicates who seek to protect our world and create a more sustainable, clean energy future. Founded by polar explorer, Robert Swan, 2041 hosts ClimateForce expeditions to convene leaders who drive corporate sustainability innovations.

Matt was drawn to the ClimateForce Arctic 2019 Expedition through his personal and professional passion to create sustainable businesses that drive meaningful change on a global scale. He is honored to be chosen and to see first-hand the dramatic changes happening in the Arctic. He will use these learnings to inspire and build solutions that improve the management of resources as well as helping utilities mitigate the impact from the changes that have already set in motion.

As a ClimateForce ambassador, Matt looks forward to working with Itron employees, industry partners and customers to create a more resourceful world. To kick off the trek, Matt and other expedition attendees will meet in Oslo, Norway for three days of lectures, presentations, gear checks and an introduction to the Arctic. The crew will then set off to Svalbard and the beginning of their expedition.

At Itron, we aspire to empower our employees to create a more resourceful world through the work we do every day. Together, with ClimateForce 2041, we are thrilled to have one of our leaders on this journey and look forward to sharing his experiences and learnings along the way. You can join Matt by reviewing the full itinerary here and keep up with his adventure by following Itron on Twitter and Instagram.