With over 20 years of experience in the music and event sector, Maarten works at the intersection of operations and sustainability as Senior Sustainability Manager at ID&T / Superstruct Netherlands. He thrives on creating unforgettable large-scale festival experiences by collaborating with diverse teams and driving positive change from within. With a sharp eye for market trends, he focuses on embedding sustainability through efficiency, innovation and shared responsibility helping future-proof events and create lasting impact. Read Maarten’s answers to our monthly Q&A below:
1. What is the proudest sustainability achievement or moment of your career?
Delivering 125,000-capacity Mysteryland on local renewable grid power at scale.
2. What was your worst ever sustainability-related decision, project or initiative and why?
I don’t believe in bad decisions; sustainability progress comes from learning, adapting, and improving through challenges.
3. What are you excited about implementing this year?
Establishing baseline sustainability data across mobility, energy, food, resources and water for our large-scale festival portfolio to drive long-term strategy.
4. Which environmental issue do you most care about?
Food system change.
5. What sustainable change have you made in your personal life that you are most proud of?
Choosing a plant-forward, sustainable vegetarian and vegan diet.
6. What do you read, listen to or watch to stay in touch with green issues?
Podcasts, newsletters, Linkedin.
7. What is the most memorable live performance in your life?
The War on Drugs at Paradiso Amsterdam, 2014
8. Was there a moment you committed to taking action on climate change?
Realising my generation drives impact, and festivals uniquely reach them.
9. What is the most important issue to tackle at your events?
Making sustainability the default.
10. What do you think is the most significant challenge for the events industry becoming more sustainable?
Seeing sustainability as resilience, not just cost.
11. Can you share something sustainable from another artist or event or company that inspired you to make a change?
Anyone taking the first step; real change starts by doing.
12. What is the secret to your sustainable success?!
Future-proofing through efficiency, innovation and collective ownership.
13. Tell us something you feel positive about right now that relates to the environment
Seeing practical solutions scale up gives me genuine hope.
14. Tell us a book, film or recent article you feel others should watch/read and why about positive change?
Green Deal Circular Festivals’ decision trees — practical tools inspiring circular, climate-conscious event choices.
15. Can you give people new to sustainability in events a top tip?
Sustainability succeeds when it’s designed in, not explained.
16. What is the favourite festival moment of your career?
Celebrating Mysteryland’s 30th anniversary as the longest-running electronic music festival.
17. What habit or practice has helped you most in your personal journey in life?
Accepting imperfection, learning continuously, and trusting long-term direction.
18. Is there anything new or exciting you are planning or changing for the future that you can tell us about?
Developing a long-term sustainability roadmap which embeds impact across our festival portfolio.
19. Will we save the world?
Yes, if we dare to reinvent.
20. What would your sustainable super-power be?
Bridging divides.
Follow Maarten on LinkedIn
Learn more about ID&T’s Sustainability Strategy: https://www.id-t.com/wecare
This Q&A originally appeared in our December 2025 Vision for Sustainable Events newsletter. Sign up to receive monthly event sustainability news, case studies and guest blogs direct to your inbox.