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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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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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Can sustainability sustain your brand?
Sustainability is becoming an imperative rather than an add-on for companies and brands. Nielsen research shows that brands with societal commitment grew faster than those without. In 2015, 50% of Unilever’s growth came from its “sustainable living” brands. In June 2016, I had the honor of presenting on sustainability contributing to marketing and brand value at the Wharton Global Forum.…
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The verdict on the S-word – sustainability
At the 2016 Global Reporting Initiative conference, I much enjoyed moderating a panel on the S-word: sustainability. Prior to this conference session, my blog post Naming, claiming, framing the S-word, generated interesting commentary on social media. This input, great speakers and over 100 sustainability professionals (voluntarily in the room by 7:30 AM), made for an inspiring session. Reclaiming agency Kicking off…
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Who needs aspiration? Start from where you are!
Meet Christo Nel, leadership development and change expert. I met him in 2014, when he was one of the international speakers on a panel on sustainability and governance. When I found out that Christo was stepping down as the MBA Program Director at Nyenrode Business University, I immediately reached out to interview him. Here’s what…
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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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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…
