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How do you make it personal? The challenge of going from global goals to individual actions

January 19, 2021

Global Goals are called ‘global’ for a reason: they apply to everyone, everything. Every business, every government, every church, charity … In case there was any doubt about it: The Sustainable Development Goals and Paris Climate Agreement are global goals. In fact, probably the Global Goals par excellence. Yet, while organisations of all different types and characteristics are making progress in translating those to their different contexts, environments, business models etc. the same does not hold true when it comes to individuals. Beyond a few platitudes. A few arbitrary and personal musings on the role of the individual in achieving the goals.

You too, can do: Be part of the solution, not the problem. Adding value with your skill set.

Biz Strategy Opinions

You too, can do. Or: How to be part of the solution, not the problem

June 27, 2023

More and more people call themselves 'sustainability experts'. Just -we do not need more of them. Instead we need people who are extremely good at what they do, apply their skill in a context to create change and that nourishes them for years to come. That's the Sweet Spot. How did you find your 'Sweet Spot'? And how did you transition?

Future Tech Opinions

Value(s) of Personal Communication in the digital era

January 5, 2019

Digital tools and IT systems are a great enabler for more data, more stringent channels of how to communicate what the different players in the chain do, and how they do it, over large distances and across operations and organizations.Yet – digital tools are more human than we think they are … because they, in the end, are representatives of the values and the world view of those that have built them.

Opinions

Nihilism & Helplessness vs Outrage & Optimism: Straddling the climate-future divide

April 26, 2022

Do you know these feelings? Outrage at the lack of action of friends and colleagues in the face of climate science data; fatalism when thinking about the future the next generation (and the one after); optimism in those few moments when joining up with like-minded people that do what they can do change the course of current events around; and helplessnesses when despite all efforts the bigger is just frozen. But we have a choice of which emotions to live in order to create change. Choose now!

Biz Strategy Finance Opinions

Carbon Pricing: A Dilemma to happen. Or: When Ethics meets Market Economy

December 21, 2021

Pricing the ton of carbon is a key matter – more so as an increasing number of companies aim at publicly claiming carbon neutrality. Carbon hence has a price – and this raises the much discussed question: What is a fair (or better: ‘correct’) price for carbon? In this post I present a glimpse of some of the challenges and realities related to the topic. It leaves us with the question: What went wrong in the current system that fundamentally asks us to choose between having to monetarily price natural and societal resources, and a fair, equitable access to these resources specifically for hard hit communities? The question alone should not be even asked. And yet it seems that’s what we’re left with given the current time and age.

Biz Strategy Circularity Consumer-ism Governance Opinions

Quality vs Quantity – Or: Preparing the growth elephant for landing

September 1, 2020

There are two approaches on how we can define of what is viable and desirable for our global economy. In one, the 'soft attributes' and non-physical factors such as consumer desires, lifestyles or distribution of goods are a fixed attribute. In the other, quantifiable, physical attributes - amongst them natural resources - are fixed. The challenge of boards in this time and age: Recognising that the first - the present - is failing. And outlining the path towards the second.

Labour Opinions Supply Chain

Greenpeace’s Detox – developing the market for BlueSign, OekoTex STeP?

June 26, 2013

n the course of the last 2 years, the Greenpeace Detox campaign has repeatedly made waves. The latest such incident happened in the context of what is possibly the world’s most relevant trade fair for performance and outdoor wear ISPO in January 2014. At that point of time, Greenpeace released news that in the water repellent coatings of jackets by some renowned brands, traces of fluorin had been identified. And that said test results had been ‘hidden’ from the public.

Definitions Governance Opinions

Manifesto of a Hummingbird*

June 23, 2020

The Manifesto of a Hummingbird: . 13 + 1 ways to make a stance for responsible business and leadership.

Biz Strategy Circularity Opinions

Why bother – with Sustainability? Start with Why

October 27, 2020

Over a decade ago, Simon Sinek pointedly demanded: Start with Why. Targeted at a then rather uninspiring marketing and branding industry, 10 years on is still as valid as ever. Just now, we need to ask businesses: Why are you bothering with investing millions, and thousands of hours into sustainability? Often the answer will be: because we have to. An answer just as uninspiring as the sales slogans Sinek was bashing a decade ago. Because when it comes to Sustainability: Know your genuine Why. Or don't bother.

Italy sings and applauds during Corona lock down

Globalisation Governance Opinions

The Post Corona World – A Backwards Corona Forecast

April 14, 2020

When will Corona 'be over'? never. There are historical moments when the future changes direction. We call them bifurcations. Or deep crises. These times are now. Matthias Horx discusses what that means concretely.

The Theory U Process of Co-sensing and Co-creating

Biz Strategy Opinions

Valleys of Despair and Mountains of Stupid: When it comes to sustainability, we’re all apprentices – all the time

March 29, 2022

‘I feel like a fraud’. This is what employees of clients I work with often voice. It is usually at the point of time when strategy is moved to implementation. Hence: when it all gets concrete. The statement is an expression of the feeling of overwhelm that comes with delving into sustainability issues, acquiring new knowledge and terminology, and in addition having to adapt ones habitual practice of work.It also happens once the low hanging fruits are gleaned, everything gets much more difficult. It's the 'valley of despair'. Why is it important to pay attention to it? And what can leaders do about it?

Opinions

The Gold of Small Things

August 24, 2021

Science fiction literature and movies are obsessed with the story line, and the film industry has made billions of dollars from it: a time traveller goes backwards in time. Changes (‘corrects’) a small thing – and Voila! All will be good. But precisely in the here and now Big and Bold things need happening - yet, doing small and important things remains relevant. Not the least because few of us humans see themselves as capable of completing Big and Bold things. So - maybe inspiration from science fiction is not all bad afterall ...

Opinions

The Journey starts with the 1st Step

January 3, 2023

It’s that time of the year again when plans and aspirations are big, time capacity is scarce, budgets already set – and the old routine is just about to take over again. It is also the time of the year where there is that untypical window of opportunity. THE window of opportunity one could argue: introduce a small change. Small enough not to be overly tough to uphold. But big enough that, if repeated times and over again, at the very least 365 times a year, starts to make a difference. The journey starts with the first step. Here a few ideas.

Circularity Globalisation Opinions

Is the industry going down the drain? The stats tell a story insiders don’t want to see

December 12, 2012

ntil the late 80s, fashion retailers and brands would typically have two main collections a year: spring/summer and autumn/winter. Then, in the 90s things changed dramatically. Increased competition saw retailers incentivising customers to visit their stores more frequently.

Governance Opinions

A Pledge for Every Occasion?!

July 27, 2021

Over the last couple of years a plethora of pledges has arisen in the sustainability/ESG space. The weird thing: Pledges intend to drive change the wrong way around. Commit people (read: companies) publicly, then hope they will actually move in accordance to the pledge/commitment, and then only hold them to account if and when they do not delivery. If anyone remembers that is. Do we need all these pledges? Do they really make a difference? Data says: probably not ... Shouldn't hence the Lemma simply be: Actions before words. Impact before messaging. Walk before talk. Science before marketing.

Biz Strategy Opinions

Collaboration & Team Work: Buzz or Drag?

May 11, 2021

Collaborations toward a common goal, across organisations, can be one of the most gratifying things we ever may get to experience. Funny enough: Neither collaboration nor team work is something outrageously difficult in principle. If the common and mutually beneficial goal is front and centre. But this is exactly where the hitch is. Some thoughts about the hurdles of genuine collaboration and team work.

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.

Biz Strategy Globalisation Opinions Uncategorized

Climate Change x Geopolitics: All hands on Resources?!

March 1, 2022

Did you ever wonder, how the New Climate Changed reality could look and feel like at its worst? Then, we may right now be getting a flavour of exactly that. Ukraine's resource richness may be an important variable in a globalised world that will increasingly be struggling to access necessary resources in the decades to come. Because, after all, and as we learned when we played monopoly: Whomever controls the resources controls the game.

Biz Strategy Future Tech Labour Opinions

Digitalisation x Sustainability: A match made with pragmatism and opportunity

February 2, 2021

Computer Science and Sustainability/ESG: these two areas of expertise combine increasingly well with every passing month and year. In fact, I am tempted to say that the two worlds of sustainability and digitalisation are surprisingly similar to one another. In a number of ways – not in all, of course! – they overlap more than they differ. And mutually benefit each other. Both areas represent critical skill-sets for boards and senior executives in the current and upcoming decades. This is why I thought I’d take the time to reflect on the overlaps, the synergies, but no doubt also the differences. The key words: systems thinking, automatisation, fraud prevention and authentication, business model distruption, usability, and the Just Transition.

Biz Strategy Opinions

The Spark: The Resonance of an SME with vision, aspiration, commitment

February 9, 2021

We all interact frequently with SMEs of different types, characters, and offers. Yet there are two types of such businesses. Those where 'the spark' is graspable: Their vision, raison d'etre, motivation, aspiration, commitment. And then those, who at best surf the waves of third party demands. Content to be 'victims' instead of taking the courage to forge their own irons. A never ending fascination.

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

Opinions

How do you make it personal? The challenge of going from global goals to individual actions

You too, can do. Or: How to be part of the solution, not the problem

Value(s) of Personal Communication in the digital era

Nihilism & Helplessness vs Outrage & Optimism: Straddling the climate-future divide

Carbon Pricing: A Dilemma to happen. Or: When Ethics meets Market Economy

Quality vs Quantity – Or: Preparing the growth elephant for landing

Greenpeace’s Detox – developing the market for BlueSign, OekoTex STeP?

Manifesto of a Hummingbird*

Why bother – with Sustainability? Start with Why

The Post Corona World – A Backwards Corona Forecast

Valleys of Despair and Mountains of Stupid: When it comes to sustainability, we’re all apprentices – all the time

The Gold of Small Things

The Journey starts with the 1st Step

Is the industry going down the drain? The stats tell a story insiders don’t want to see

A Pledge for Every Occasion?!

Collaboration & Team Work: Buzz or Drag?

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

Climate Change x Geopolitics: All hands on Resources?!

Digitalisation x Sustainability: A match made with pragmatism and opportunity

The Spark: The Resonance of an SME with vision, aspiration, commitment

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