Unlearning, Systemic Change, and Real Ocean Impact: In Conversation with Jacqueline Helen Schmid

Title: Unlearning, Systemic Change, and Real Ocean Impact: In Conversation with Jacqueline Helen Schmid

Slug: /blog/jacqueline-helen-schmid-impact-interview

Meta Description: Calvin Klein’s Senior Director of Marketing, Jacqueline Helen Schmid, shares why real ocean conservation requires systemic change, unlearning old habits, and moving past greenwashing.

Target Tags/Categories: Industry Experts, Sustainability, Sustainable Strategy, Ocean Conservation, Interviews

Featured Image Alt Text: Jacqueline Helen Schmid talking about sustainable business strategy and ocean preservation

Unlearning, Systemic Change, and Real Ocean Impact

“Stay curious and don’t ever assume you know it all. Be willing to unlearn what you thought to be the truth if new facts emerge.” – Jacqueline Helen Schmid

Real sustainability isn’t just about consumer tweaks like swapping plastic straws – it requires deep, systemic shifts in how businesses operate. We caught up with marketing leader Jacqueline Helen Schmid to discuss moving past surface-level greenwashing, building sustainable business strategies, and finding inspiration in unexpected places.

Snapshot Profile

Name: Jacqueline Helen Schmid

Current Role: Senior Director of Marketing at Calvin Klein (formerly Global Head of Marketing at côte&ciel)

Specialism: Sustainable Business Strategy & Global Brand Activation

Roots: Growing up on a farm in the mountains of Southern Germany

The Interview

Why is conserving and protecting the oceans so personal to you?

Jacqueline: I genuinely believe that protecting nature to the best of our ability is something everyone needs to take responsibility for.

As a child, I spent most of my youth on my grandparents’ farm in the mountains of Southern Germany. I was far away from a proper ocean, but the importance and beauty of untouched nature was never lost on me. When you experience how soothing yet powerful these natural spaces are to recharge and rebalance yourself, it becomes impossible not to care about protecting them.

What actions are you taking that are better for the oceans?

Jacqueline: The cliché answer would be, “I bought glass straws so I won’t use disposable ones anymore,” but honestly, that’s not where my focus lies.

Of course, individual consumer behaviour matters, and being conscious of your personal footprint is vital. But for me, true betterment comes down to organisational and systemic changes. That is where we create real, scalable impact.

What can the surfing industry specifically do better to support ocean health?

Jacqueline: I’ve dedicated time to deeply educating myself in Sustainable Business Strategy to understand how corporations can actively lessen their impact. Working alongside mentors and colleagues across industries, we focus on internal operational actions that can ripple outward.

As a marketing leader, it’s easy for critics to point fingers and assume marketing initiatives are just greenwashing. But I couldn’t care less about labelling something as ‘good for the environment’ if it isn’t. Authenticity and actual internal progress always come before public claims.

Jacky’s Inspiration & Recommendations

Recommended Reading

There Is No Planet B: A Handbook for the Make or Break Years by Mike Berners-Lee

How to Avoid a Climate Disaster by Bill Gates

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know by Adam Grant (Essential for breaking rigid habits and re-evaluating outdated patterns)


Brands & Organizations Doing It Right

“Nobody is perfect, and this journey is a long-term learning process. I admire the silent heroes – like the Technicoflor Group in France. They take a realistic, grounded approach to continually improving themselves, which is incredibly refreshing to watch.”

Final Thought

Jacqueline: “Stay curious and don’t ever assume you know it all. Be willing to unlearn what you thought to be the truth if new facts emerge. That mindset will help you do amazing things – both for a better planet and for a better self.”