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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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The power of purpose in value-driven companies
Value-driven entrepreneurship was the theme of the 2017 edition of Nyenrode Business University’s Henk van Luijk lecture. This lecture, in memory of Nyenrode’s first ethics professor, is organized annually in close collaboration with VNO-NCW (the Dutch employers association) and MVO-Nederland (CSR Netherlands). Here are my key takeaways from the inspiring session. Back to school –…
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Mastering sustainability research at Nyenrode business university
In April 2017, three recent graduates of Nyenrode Business University jointly presented the key highlights on their sustainability-focused master’s theses. With stewardship as one of Nyenrode’s core values, it’s great to see students research and explore such sustainable topics. Value chain transparency and customer engagement to attract new customers Marjolein Bakker focused on attracting…
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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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Can the Netherlands lead the way in how the world eats protein?
Dutch food probably doesn’t conjure up images of very healthy eating. Lots of cheese, stroopwafels, chocolate sprinkles on bread, fried meat-based snacks and fries drowned in mayonnaise. And yet, the Netherlands might just be the country to lead the way to new eating patterns that are healthier for both people and the planet. In the…
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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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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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Building a transportation business hunting for air
Meet Erik Roelevink, founder of airhunters, a company offering transport solutions that aren’t just more sustainable, but also considerably cheaper. I met Erik earlier this year, when we were both part of the same panel on sustainable innovation. When we found out we were both attending the 360 inspiration event with Richard Branson and Al Gore, we met for drinks…
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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…
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Leadership for positive sustainable change
What defines effective leadership to drive positive sustainable change? I asked this question to all people I interviewed for my blog in the past three years. This post builds on their collective wisdom, quoting some of the best-read interviews, supplemented with my own views on the topic. Personal commitment Leadership for sustainable changes starts with strong personal…
