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In search of purpose for Fairphone
To really connect with consumers, brands can no longer present a facade and sell. To thrive, brands need to create an emotional connection with people, stemming from a clear brand purpose. A purpose that addresses a real societal issue and that strives to create a movement to resolve this issue. In May 2017, we organized…
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The power of movement to halt climate change: the People’s Climate March
On April 29, 2017, I joined the People’s Climate March. People took to the streets around the world to raise a stronger sense of urgency to act against climate change. The date coincided with Donald Trump’s 100th day in office. Marching for local climate policy I joined the Amsterdam climate march, along with 8000 others.…
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Non-financial reporting: from comply and complain to explore and explain
In the past months, there has been quite some noise about corporate reporting. There’s nothing unusual about that, as many companies publish their annual report in the first months of the calendar year. But this year, there seems to be more discussion about non-financial (or sustainability) reporting. Part of this is caused by the new…
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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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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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How to avoid the materiality traps
This time of year, the materiality marathon is on. Companies and consultants are on a journey to define what topics should be included in the upcoming sustainability or non-financial report. Materiality analysis can be an extremely useful and strategic exercise, with  value far beyond reporting. However, the many definitions and adaptations to the concept can…
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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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Sustainable cities for a positive future
“Cities are increasingly the home of humanity. They are central to climate action, global prosperity, peace and human rights.” — UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon October 31 is World Cities Day. Do we actually need such a day? I think we do need one, as today over half of the world’s population lives in…
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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…
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Cli-fi book review: Solar leadership
Most of my book reviews are non-fiction, but my favorite summer fiction – Solar by Ian McEwan – fits right in. It’s actually a perfect follow up to the earlier post on leadership for sustainable change. This review focuses on analysis of the leadership displayed in this “cli-fi” book. Don’t worry if you’re planning to…
