Future Fit Industries of 'Stuff': Governance, Responsibility, and the Age of Doughnut Economics
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Biz Strategy

Oversimplification
Biz StrategyFuture TechGovernanceOpinions

Keep it Simple Stupid (kiss): Yet – how simple is too simple?

March 30, 2021
The KISS Principle is a design principle that stems from the 1960. It originated in engineering and its view point is that most systems work best if they are kept simple rather than made complicated; therefore, simplicity should be a key goal in design, and unnecessary complexity should be avoided. But what about complex systems such as nature? How simple can we go before oversimplification results in incomplete, or biased data? Before absence of consideration of relevant factors inherently lead to regrettable substitutions? And before we willingly accept that there will be collateral damages to a decision, without knowing (or wanting to know) of what nature and in what order of magnitude these may be? One example that illustrates where this challenge may rear what is its ugly head: upcoming Swiss political referenda on agricultural practices.
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Taking-Personal-Responsibility
Biz StrategyDefinitions

Corporate Responsibility – What is *that*?

July 8, 2025
What does Corporate Responsibility really mean—and why do so many SME leaders still struggle to define it? In a recent conversation with a next-generation business owner, I was asked this very question. It revealed more than a lack of clarity; it exposed widespread assumptions about what responsibility in business actually looks like, who it's for, and whether SMEs are even capable of it. Spoiler alert: they are—and in many ways, they’re better positioned than large corporations. But it all hinges on leadership, mindset, and an honest look at what impact truly means.
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Structured vs Unstructured Data
Biz StrategyFuture TechSupply Chain

AI x Sustainability (3): Supply Chain Compliance with AI

November 12, 2024
Can AI help us to get to (better) grips with supply chain compliance? Supply chains are based on fairly complex partnership networks where every link ideally must meet strict efficiency and compliance standards. Supplier audits and legislation aim ultimately to ensure high standard, it is a not the least highly time demanding task to be successful at. AI offers the potential to support practical solutions for risk assessment, process optimization, and partner evaluation. Commercial providers are already jumping on the band wagon by providing ways to build 'digital twins' of real supply chains – hence opening them up for 'offline optimisation' - and of course highly sophisticated data analytics tools drawing from multiple disjoint data sources.
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Tutorial, Field Manual, Type writer
Biz StrategyGovernanceOpinions

It starts with … Me, myself and I.
OR: a simple field manual to create (sustainability) disempowerment in organisations.

May 10, 2023
This manual was originally drafted when I was astonished by the way how ‘doublespeak’ is being used in organisations to prevent change. Any change. Including – but not limited to – sustainability related ones. It is a cynic-sarcastic-semi-realistic manual on how to be reasonably successful in disempowering an organisation. It is applicable to all areas that encompass change including innovation, sustainability, internationalisation, digitalisation and so forth.
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Definition of sustainable fashion
Biz StrategyDefinitions

A Long Definition of ‘Sustainability’ for Fashion

December 11, 2010
Sustainability for Fashion := "Creating desirable products guided by principles that consider sustainability as a core component of the process. [...]"
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Do Vote, Voting
Biz StrategyFinance

Climate Change & Proxy Vote: A moral issue indeed – for the finance industry

December 8, 2020
From research we know that boards of directors lack skill and expertise when it comes to ESG and Climate Issues. But: certainly the asset owners and investors do see that point, and are worried about boards taking tangible action that would safeguard their assets? This is precisely the question that ShareAction asked in their most recent report. The insights are sobering. Particularly the Big Three asset managers (BlackRock, Vanguard, State Street) have a miserable voting record during AGM season: both, for the number of votes cast, as well as for their stance against most resolution on Climate Change and Human Rights. The good news: it rarely has been so simple to identify Greenwashers. Thanks to publicly available filings about votes cast in AGMs of listed companies.
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Biz StrategyFuture TechOpinions

Future Supply Chains: Baselines, Outlook

January 27, 2014
Supply chains, as a discipline of expertise, have come out of the hiding and recognise their role in reducing corporate risk. This is notably and specifically the case in fashion and textiles. At the same time, 'design' - not just in the creation room, but in all facets where it impacts the making, delivery and use of a product or service, is increasingly recognised as relevant.
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Sustainable Business Leadership in 2030 - Four Scenarios
Biz StrategyGovernanceOpinions

Companies & Sustainability: Who leads it? And how?

July 6, 2021
If you’ve ever been part of a bigger discourse about how to scale out sustainability economically and globally, you’ll have been quick to notice that by and large you’ll be faced with representatives of four distinct camps of advocates: The Grassrooters; the 'Setting the tone at the top' people; those in support of government regulation driven by civil society; and the 'Fiduciary Duty Advocates'. But which camp owns the driving leadership role? Funnily enough, that role does get handed around as if it was a game of musical chairs ... or the proverbial hot potato.
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Greenwashing
Biz StrategyGovernanceSupply Chain

The Power of Questions: An upside to Greenwashing?

September 8, 2020
Greenwashing is defined as 'the expression of environmentalist concerns especially as a cover for products, policies, or activities'. There also exists Diversity-washing, Governance-washing, or skill-washing for example. In itself a truly nasty thing, there is an unexpected upside to Greenwashing however: it will come back to haunt the greenwasher. Maybe not fast, but no doubt steadily. Just like the tortoise won the race against the hare.
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Doughnut and Nature
Biz StrategyCircularity

If cities can, business can too – Downscaling the doughnut

August 11, 2020
Over the last 12 months, the Doughnut Economics Action lab developed a methodology – denominated ‘Creating City Portraits’ - , tested in three different cities of the global North. So the question is: Could the methodology work for business too? The answer: Yes in principle. But commitment is at the heart of it.
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Structured vs Unstructured Data
Biz StrategyFuture TechOpinions

AI x Sustainability (1): Where does it fit?

October 1, 2024
AI has the potential to transform corporate responsibility by handling data-heavy tasks like reporting or data and KPI management. It hence can contribute to helping companies 'being less bad'. However, its potential to support professionals and companies in driving real positive impact is still developing. This post introduces AI’s current potenntial in corporate responsibility and sustainability. In upcoming blog posts we'll explore specific applications: in sustainability reporting, supply chain management, and integrating financial considerations with sustainability impact.
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Hulling's Adaptive Cycle
Biz StrategyCircularityGlobalisation

Global pandemic and resistant economies: The time is now

April 28, 2020
As I write this, it is late April. And our lessons from the last few weeks in Corona lock down and the impact of the pandemic on our communities and societies, all over the world, have thrown an even harsher light onto some of the realities we either assumed as a given, or worked hard to change for years already. And the lessons have been truly tough medicine.
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Biz StrategyDefinitions

Wardrobe undressed: Why the fashion industry needs to change

March 23, 2010
The fashion industry needs to change. Why? A simple T-shirt needs 2000 litres of water 150 grams of pesticide to grow the cotton. And that's only the start!
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Biz StrategyGlobalisationSupply Chain

Fashion-wise speaking: Sustainability and the Business Case

August 1, 2013
Does sustainability, or not, impact share price? Does it, or not, make for a profitable bottom line business case? Does it, or not, help increase efficiencies? Here the insights from research, and what they mean.
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Sound of Silence
Biz StrategyCircularityGovernance

Sustainability Tone Deafness: The Sound of Silence

March 9, 2021
The leadership team level at company X is not making the moves that might be expected and needed from a sustainability perspective. What to do? How to overcome the blockage? How to make progress without even mentioning the S-word in the discourse? The answer: Compliance, Risk, and the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO). Or in more tangible terms - start the conversation by focusing on legal compliance, Risk and Due Diligence, Efficiencies ... and good old benchmarking with the competition. No S-word needed. Not a big step for humanity no doubt. But a door opener to many more interesting conversations.
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Cape Town Dancing Woman Mural
Biz StrategyGovernanceOpinions

The Colours of Us: Go serious – Or go home

July 7, 2020
This post is going to be somewhat more personal than how I usually write. Normally, I try to write and argument as factually and data driven as possible. I’m not one that feels comfortable to carry my emotions on my sleeve. And even less as some of the topics I write about are truly important to me. But: There are a couple of things that upset me in the present. They related to the #blacklivesmatter movement on the one hand, but maybe more specifically to the related discussion on #racism – globally. -> Includes a list of practical resources for corporate boards
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Biz StrategyBook Reviews

The Third Bottom Line

March 23, 2010
“Green to Gold – How smart companies use environmental strategy to innovate, create value, and build competitive advantage” by D.C....
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Biz StrategyBrand ReviewGlobalisation

What is Uniqlo’s CSR track record? Part 3: Clothing Recycling Initiative

October 15, 2010
Uniqlo & UNHCR's Global Clothing Recycling Initiative. 3rd of an article series that analyses Uniqlo and why it joint forced with Bangladesh's Grameen Bank.
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Biz StrategyBrand Review

Communications Star: Hiut Denim

August 28, 2013
After having followed Hiut Denim’s newsletter and blog for weeks now I could wait no longer to place the brand in the best practise category. Hiut Denim is an authentic brand. If it were a person, Hiut would be personable, open, honest, trustworthy, fun: maybe with black and white views and opinions but always in line with its values. Surely, a person deeply bond to its roots.
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Biz StrategyDefinitions

5 principles for good design

December 25, 2010
The 5 principles of good design: Invisible, solves problems, open to communication, in sync with life cycle, and mimics nature.
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