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Empowering talent to tackle humanity’s challenges
Meet Annick Schmeddes, the founder of Sustainable Talent, the leading sustainable career agency in the Netherlands. Early 2016, she led a workshop for Nyenrode alumni and we’ve kept in touch since. As talent increasingly includes sustainability performance as a factor in deciding where they want to work, it was high time for an interview about her drivers…
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Starting small to build trust and to inspire big change
Meet Andrea van der Graaf, managing director of renewable energy company Tegenstroom and of sustainable investment fund Meermaker. Andrea and I used to work together at Greenpeace in the late ‘90’s. After a recent event about climate change, which we co-hosted at Nyenrode Business University, it was high time for an interview with her. Here’s…
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Why change is all about curves, choices and chaos
Meet Rob Wetzels, an inspiring and highly dedicated coach, teacher, and expert on sustainable development. Rob and I met on the day he retired from Nyenrode’s Center for Sustainability. It was odd that we’d not before, but since then, we – unsurprisingly- keep running into each other at events related to sustainable business. I interviewed him…
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Meet a business activist urging us to consume and produce less
Meet Mihela Hladin-Wolfe, Environment and Social Initiatives Manager at Patagonia. Unsurprisingly, we keep running into each other at various sustainability events. Most recently, we ran into each other at the People’s Climate March in Amsterdam. It’s high time for climate action. And for an interview with a woman who has dedicated so much of her…
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Managing transformation for one planet
Meet Caroline van Leenders, senior process manager sustainable transitions at the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, part of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. During 2016, I ran into her at several sustainable finance events. After watching her present about her Community of Practice Financial Institutions and Natural Capital at Nyenrode University recently, it was high time to interview her.…
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Sustainable change is hard work, even at Unilever
Meet Anniek Mauser, Sustainability Director at Unilever Benelux. After working with her on a project in the spring of 2016, we reconnected at the launch of Carola Wijdoogen’s book. As everyone always looks up to Unilever’s ambitions and progress, it was high time for an interview with her about snowballs, politics, and the challenges of…
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Making Dutch trains ride like the wind
Meet Carola Wijdoogen, Corporate Sustainability Officer of the Dutch Railways. Carola and I met each other decades ago when studying business at Nyenrode University. Little did we know that we’d end up working in the field of corporate sustainability. When Carola recently published a book to share her experience and tips with other CSR managers,…
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Empowering women to rethink periods
Meet Wendelien Hebly, one of the co-founders of Yoni, a company urging women (and men) to rethink periods. I recently watched her present at an event about the purpose economy. She made the audience feel uncomfortable; initially because of the topic of menstruation. As she continued, she took some of that discomfort away and replaced it…
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Psychology for sustainable change
Meet Vincent de Klerk, founder of Comm&Sense, using psychology to support teams and individuals through change. As sustainability always calls for change within organizations and teams, I was very keen to learn more about his vision on sustainable change. Over a fantastic home-made lunch, we talked about psychology and leadership for sustainable change. Striving for…
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Changing fashion from within for success
Meet Willa Stoutenbeek, founder of W.Green, a branded communication agency focused on sustainable fashion & lifestyle. In 2013, I saw her on stage at TEDxAMSWomen. Her rallying cry to clean up the fashion industry by changing our own shopping behavior really resonated with me.  “Just because we’re not willing to pay more for the clothes we buy, doesn’t mean…
