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Governance

The Next Wave: Biodiversity (3) – COP 15: Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework

November 9, 2021

In the last post I explained what COP15 is: A conference with the main purpose to adopt the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. But: What exactly is the framework agreement? What does it cover and encompass? Does it offer similar KPIs such as the SDG indicators? Are there enforcement mechanisms? Assuming for a moment, that it will be adopted: what would, or could, that tangibly mean going forward? Here a try at answering these questions.

Circularity Governance Trade Shows

What I learned at the WEF 2025 … about authentic leadership

January 27, 2025

At WEF 2025, I learned a key truth: hurdles aren’t obstacles to overcome—they are the journey. I also had the privilege of supporting a friend’s bold vision at #ClimateHubDavos, where I saw her leadership: hands-on, calm under pressure, and driven by purpose. It’s a reminder of what truly makes a leader.

Globalisation Governance Supply Chain

Risky Fashion: The challenges of Integrating Product Design and the Supply Chain

March 7, 2014

The design stage is usually the longest, most expensive and riskiest part of the chain. Additionally, research has shown that at least an estimated 80% of a product's environmental (and to a lesser degree also social) impact is locked at the design stage into a product. By integrating the product design with the supply chain, companies can compress non-value adding time and costs in their supply chains, increase responsiveness and mitigate supply chain risks – while simultaneously managing (improving) their sustainability performance without added costs or efforts.

Biz Strategy Governance

KPIs in ESG: Stretch Goal or Lowest Required Hurdle?

August 3, 2021

You can’t manage what you can’t measure. This common sense platitude holds true for a lot of things: Salary, punctuality in trains, inflation. And – of course – sustainability/ESG data. Measuring alone can be complex enough. But there are also incentive systems. And the impact they have on aspirations to deliver results. Where sales targets for instance are as good as always understood as ‘invitation to be exceeded’ (with financial and other bonuses resulting from overachievement) the near opposite holds true for ESG/sustainability related KPIs. And that absolutely must change. For every single person in every single company. KPI priorities must be flipped on their heads.

Finance Governance Opinions

COP28: An Important Step – Just Differently So

January 3, 2024

COP28 yielded mixed results, featuring some historic 'firsts' such as a fossil fuel phase-out commitment, a $700 million loss and damage fund, the recognition of nuclear energy, and (this is huge!) a pointed spotlight on food systems' role in adaption. Most of the old challenges though remain: It's all carrots and no sticks. Which shows in the continued absence of enforcement of Climate Targets or their stringency, and the eye-level conversation with Global South nations.

Biz Strategy Governance Supply 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.

Governance Opinions

Whose call is it anyway? Leading by Example – A value, ethics and accountability challenge

June 2, 2020

Decisions in companies, brands, and businesses are never based either on a single argument, or the consequence of a single person’s ‘way’. Rather, companies have, to an extent, their own personality. Key Question: a decision taken by this organisation – is it largely independent from, or a necessary consequence of, the decision(s) that the individuals within the organisation have taken?

Consumer-ism Governance Supply Chain

UK House of Lords and ethical fashion – Debate-able?

March 12, 2011

On March 3rd, 2011, ethical fashion was discussed in a Question session of the UK's House of Lords. Much focus was on human rights & the environment. But fashion is driven by SMEs ...

Biz Strategy Governance Opinions

Change: Triggered through Responsibility with a capital ‘R’

February 20, 2013

In the discussions within companies around risk management and indispensable moves towards more sustainable processes and business practises, there’s habitually unmentioned elephant in the room, namely: Where, in all what needs to be done in the corporate world, does the responsibility of the individual factor in?

Book Reviews Governance

Beating the dragons: Fairy tales in the board room

August 18, 2020

Fairy tales are typically something for kids. Particularly young kids. Over the centuries they have been used to convey fundamental social mores, warnings from danger, and to inoculate a shared understanding of what ‘good’ and ‘bad’ looks like. These characteristics though make fairy tales an ideal, if very uncommon, vehicle to convey information and learnings also in management literature. This book hence is a rare find.

Definitions Governance Supply Chain

Fair Process, Consensus, Accountability: Governance and SLCP

August 3, 2018

The quality of governance is one of the key ingredients why projects, companies, and even governments fail in their tasks. It is also the key ingredient to achieve results, buy-in and participation. It is for this very reason that good governance was seen early on as one of the fundamental success factors for the Social Labor Convergence Project (SLCP).

Biz Strategy Globalisation Governance

Fashion Companies & their Boards of Directors: Rotten Eggs in a Diverse World

December 1, 2020

Diversity and Inclusion is a highly relevant topic not ‘just’ because it is all about equality and justice. But as long as entire parts of our global population remain disenfranchised, and desperate to just survive from day to day, tackling challenges - and in particular Climate Change - that affect all of us, indiscriminately, remains impossible. Boards of Directors set out the "Tone at the Top', also in matter of diversity and inclusion. In fashion companies, what exactly is the tone, the music, that they are creating?

Biz Strategy Governance Opinions

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

Biz Strategy Finance Governance

Finance Industry & Carbon Trajectory: Black Holes with a Sparkle of Hope

January 12, 2021

Recently we have learned how the Board of Directors of the 20 largests banks (under)performs when it comes to ESG, and the consequences this has on their future fit investments. This raises evidently the question: How do these 20 banks perform right now in terms of their carbon footprint? And: Do they have at the least commitments to work on a Paris Agreement trajectory? I answer these questions. Afterall: Carbon – together with biodiversity – is one of THE most critical dimensions among the Planetary Boundaries. Because the already existing overshoot is putting our civilisation at risk. So far nothing new under the sun. Spoiler Alert: The results are pretty much in line with expectations. ESG-experience on the BoD does make a difference.

Biz Strategy Finance Governance

The Next Wave: Biodiversity (9) – Habemus suasiones! Recommendations we have!

October 11, 2023

After some results at the COP in Vancouver, as well as the release of the first ever Science -Based Targets for Nature (SBTN) – finally (!) the recommendations by the TNFD (Task Force for nature-based financial disclosure) have been released. So the question obviously is, how do these targets address the 5 key drivers of biodiversity erosion eventhough it is only about reporting? Are the TNDF recommendations worth their salt?

Finance Governance Opinions

Making a difference – or not?

January 14, 2016

The COP21 Climate Agreement that was reached this past December in Paris, and which comes into effect in 2020, is a milestone in global sustainability efforts. Yet - are we doing enough? What is enough?

Biz Strategy Governance

Tools for boards: A few goodies, but far between

September 14, 2021

Most companies have had a brush with sustainability (or it’s finance industry lens: ESG) at the very least on an operational level. Not necessarily always voluntarily or out of conviction, mind. Looking at corporate boards however, the picture starts to change – not necessarily to the better. While boards of listed companies may have been forced to look at non-financial disclosure, it is rare that any board has a sound grasp, never mind approach, to all things ESG and sustainability. This is why I list in this post the few tools I am aware of that are specifically targetting and intended to help corporate boards start on the journey towards becoming climate and SDG savvy.

Biz Strategy Book Reviews Governance

The Courage to Act: The inside view on creating change

February 16, 2021

Sustainability is usually thought of as an environmental issue. And it is. But but not only. It is in fact a mindset. One that takes courage. This magazine - come out of a creative collaboration - explores three key questions by interviewing personalities in business (Vincent Stanley from Patagonia, Eric Garnier from Choba Choba, Adriana Marina from Hecho x Nosostros, Fergal Smith from the Moy Hill Farm and Andy Middleton from the TYF Group), and by giving space to written creativity of sustainability professionals. The three fundamental questions are: How does ‘creating change’ feel from within? What does it mean to swim against the business mainstream because genuinely the status quo does not work? Where and how does courage come into play?

Globalisation Governance Opinions

The New What?! Or: From No Gos to To Gos

May 19, 2020

The “new normal’ everyone talks about. What is it supposed to look like? As with many things: being clear about what you do NOT want is easy to describe. Explain and outline what it is that you really (really!) want, is considerably harder. Here a try – my try - at exactly that.

Governance Labels Supply Chain

To Trust or Not To Trust is the question: Certification Authorities

May 9, 2013

Not all is well with certification labels and their respective audit authorities. Self-audits, peer-audits, frauds are just the top of the iceberg. It's more - economics suggest we're going wrong with them entirely ...

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