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Transition: highly systemic and deeply personal
This post on transitions is based on a Dutch article posted on the Change Inc. platform and a lively conversation between Nicolas Chevrollier and Marjolein Baghuis. From the energy transition to the protein transition, we are in the middle of the shift toward a more sustainable world. This calls for a new type of leadership,…
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Corporate governance for a sustainable future
“The debate on corporate governance is often deeply conservative and backward-looking. Yet in the future, companies that orient themselves to engage with an environment that will be significantly affected by systemic risks will fare best. A key aspect of enabling company leaders to do so is to rethink what corporate governance is. But changes in…
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4 ingredients for business as a force for good
“Degrowth is not the solution I see for a more sustainable future. Instead, I really see the companies of the future as a force for good. Companies exist to create value. Unfortunately, in many cases, this is focused on just one kind of value-creation: financial value for shareholders. This might still be viable in the…
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Patagonia’s tips for better business models
“We need to move away from extractive capitalism, which only takes and does not give back to our one and only planet. In some ways, we are like Eric Carle’s Very Hungry Caterpillar. We’re insatiable in our need to collect more than we really need. In the past, it was normal to have just one…
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Sustainable leaders provide perspective
The transition to sustainable energy is central to both his job and his supervisory board role. The difference in scope of these two roles makes it so interesting, says Jan Engels: “In my job as policy manager cooling at the Climate Coalition Netherlands, I’m very focused on the content. As a supervisory board member at…
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Supervisory board member serving young and old
In the supervisory board portfolio of Afien Spree, societal value creation is all about people. She serves on the supervisory board of BrabantZorg senior care and regional education and training center ROC Midden Nederland. Purpose is key The purpose of BrabantZorg is to make every day as nice as possible. How does the supervisory board…
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Connection and diversity for long-term value creation and impact
When asked why she serves on supervisory boards, she is quick to answer. Petri Hofste wants to be involved with organizations in a broad strategic way, to have an impact, to make this world slightly better. After a role as supervisor of financial institutions at the Dutch National Bank, serving on supervisory boards was a…
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Sustainability requires change in the boardroom
How do you supervise long-term value creation and societal impact? Earlier blog posts shared tips to bring sustainability into the boardroom and the conclusion that sustainability belongs in the boardroom. In the context of a course I am teaching to supervisory board members, I interviewed Fennemiek Gommer, vice-chair of the supervisory board of care provider…
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Will we run out of food before we run out of oil?
When I was growing up, people used to worry about running out of oil. That has changed, as many of us now worry about whether we can keep enough of those fossil fuels in the ground to limit the dangerous effects of climate change. We also worry about the effects of climate change on our ability…
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Bursting social media bubbles for social change
What if you could use the power of communications to drive change for a better world? Meet Kajsa Rosenblad, a Swedish-Dutch communications student at the University of Amsterdam. Over a cup of tea at my dining table, here’s what she shared about the better world she wants, the role of politics and her generation. …
