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Be the change you want to see
On April 6, 2016, BCorp Europe gathered hundreds of inspiring and inspired entrepreneurs in Amsterdam to Celebrate the Changemakers. I was a bit ambivalent about an earlier BCorp event, but this event showed what the power of purpose and change is all about. Facing the future of sustainability The opening keynote was by Rob Boogaard, the CEO…
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Key steps to integrate sustainability into your career
Looking for top tips on how to make your next career move more sustainable? Here are the key pointers from a workshop I organized at Nyenrode University. The workshop was expertly led by Annick Schmeddes, founder of sustainable career agency Sustainable Talent. Create you own role Research shows that less than 2% of vacancies have a link to sustainability,…
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Why investors are joining consumers and NGOs on tax evasion
When defining what sustainability and corporate social responsibility are really all about, tax should be part of the discussion. Increasingly, various stakeholders view corporate tax responsibility (CTR) as part of corporate social responsibility (CSR). In recent years, media coverage of companies’ tax policy and tax avoidance schemes has resulted in dented reputations, even consumer boycotts. Mainstream…
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B Corps for inspiration or accreditation?
Collectively, B Corps aspire to be a growing global movement of people using business as a force for good. Individually, B Corps are for-profit companies certified to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. On January 22, I attended the B Corps Netherlands community event, hosted by Patagonia at their Amsterdam offices. …
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More training needed before accountants can save the world
Since 2012, Peter Bakker, president of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development has been declaring that accountants will save the world. On January 12, I had the honor to host and moderate an expert panel on the subject in the most sustainable office building in the world. Nyenrode University’s Dean, Mr. Leen Paape,…
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A great journey starts with a single step
Many of us are inspired by this beautiful quote by Lao Tse. Sometimes great journeys may be scary at the start, but reminding ourselves that great things do start small helps us get started in the first place. In the past years, we’ve all seen (or even experienced) drastic natural disasters, caused by climate change. Initially,…
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Winning by Giving as the new formula for success
The world of brands is changing: people are actively looking for brands that support their own values, brands that create shared value instead of one-sided profit for the company only. On September 3, 2015, I had the honor to facilitate the Winning by Giving event in Utrecht, the Netherlands. This blog-post shares the key outcomes…
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Sustainable food tastes like more!
On June 18, I had the pleasure to moderate an evening for alumni and students at Nyenrode Business University in the Netherlands, about creating a sustainable food value chain. Here’s what the event was all about. Creating a sustainable food chain is a continuous process. Whether you are a small local chocolate brand like Tony’s Chocolonely…
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Royal recycling
Usually I cringe when journalists comment on what women wear, but this time I cheered when the news broadcast that Queen Maxima of the Netherlands chose to wear her coronation dress a second time. Of course for fashion magazines that is the topic to talk about, but in most other media, it is completely irrelevant information…
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If business needs to integrate sustainability, so should business schools
On October 10, 2014, I chaired a workshop at Business University Nyenrode to further integrate sustainability into Nyenrode’s core business: its programs. A diverse group of alumni, students and faculty members worked together across three areas: Degree Programs, Executive Education and Research. Leadership – Entrepreneurship – Stewardship Dean Leen Paape kicked off the workshop through the…
