Meindert Brouwer

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Meindert Brouwer (1951) is an independent communication advisor, writer, and publisher. He specializes in the conservation and sustainable use of nature, especially forests. Previously, he worked at KPMG Accountants & Consultants and at the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Brouwer authored the books “Amazon Your Business,” the first guide to sustainable products from the rainforests of the Amazon; “The Ecosystem Promise” about the economic value of nature conservation with examples from around the world, and “Central African Forests Forever” on opportunities and solutions for the conservation and sustainable use of the Congo Basin rainforest. Brouwer sees social equality and economic justice as necessary conditions for a sustainable world.

Personal Motto:

There are always opportunities.

Dick de Groot

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Professional Background

Since the rise of the Third World Movement in the 1970s, Dick de Groot has been involved in issues of the global community. He started his career in 1975 in Zambia, subsequently contributing to education in Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, and Kenya over the years. Dick de Groot served as the principal of a high school and as a senior education consultant at the national bureau. He has published various articles on educational innovation, drawing inspiration from the ubuntu vision.

Personal Motto

“I am because we are.”

Dennis Kerkhoven

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Professional background

Dennis is one of the founding partners of YesAndMore, a Special Purpose Impact Vehicle for regenerative regions, cases for change, and corporates. They work towards “markets fit for purpose” and “thriving societies” through a “trusted space.” Dennis, as an entrepreneur, executive, investor, and philanthropist, has a broad background in the corporate world, governments, knowledge institutions, citizen movements, and financial institutions.

In addition to his work at YesAndMore, he guides boards of directors, supervisory boards, and shareholders through conflicts and complex situations from the standpoint of good governance. He is a guest lecturer at institutions like Nyenrode and chairman of the foundation 0.0. He coordinates the alliance for SDG 16.

Personal motto

Nature only knows optimized abundance.

Werner Schouten

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Professional Background

Until October 2021, Werner Schouten served as the chairman of the Youth Climate Movement. In this role, he represented the voices of over 100,000 young people, students, and young professionals in the realm of climate policy within politics and the business sector. Werner sees sustainability as an opportunity to build bridges, transcending social divides and bridging generational gaps, with the aim of collectively working towards a thriving future with harmony between people, the environment, and prosperity. Additionally, as the owner of the startup Carbon Clarity, he assists organizations in making their operations more sustainable.

Personal Motto

“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood.”

Marleen Selten

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Professional background

As the daughter of a climate scientist, Marleen Selten learned at a young age about the effects of our contemporary actions on our environment. After winning the Young Entrepreneurs Zuyd Award in 2017 with a healthy fast-food concept, Marleen decided to pursue a master’s degree at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam. During her master’s, she was active in various network organizations, including Female Ventures, an organization that provides a platform for female (social) entrepreneurs. She also conducted research at Philips on making social impact measurable. After completing her master’s, she decided to dedicate her professional career to making businesses more sustainable. This is reflected in her current role at Schiphol, where she works as a link between strategy and operations to implement the airport’s sustainability targets (zero waste by 2030, zero emissions by 2030). In addition to her work at Schiphol, Marleen is actively involved as the chairperson on the board of Young & Fair, an organization that raises awareness about sustainability and fair trade through guest lectures in high schools and annual festivals.

Personal motto

A goal without a plan is only a wish

Willem van Nieuwkerk

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Willem is currently serving as the Executive Director at the Center for International Legal Cooperation (CILC).

Professional Background

For the past 25 years, Willem has been involved in international cooperation projects in the public domain, with the last eight years specifically focused on the rule of law and international legal cooperation. He has extensive experience leading international teams and has lived abroad for twelve years. Willem has worked for the European Commission, and the German and French governments, and has also contributed to local NGOs. In his free time, Willem is the chairman of a large sports association with a significant community role. This allows him to be not only engaged in international work but also deeply connected to the local community. Willem believes in the power of engagement and connection, both internationally and locally.

Personal Motto

Start with individual strengths, but we achieve our goal together

Jack Cox

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Professional Background

Jack is the director/owner of Forza Asset Management, an independent asset management firm with offices in Maastricht, Eindhoven, and Apeldoorn. In 2018, he founded Econsenso with the aim of bringing attention to the financial aspect of sustainability. His book, “Butterfly Economy: From Growth to Development,” was published in 2019, describing the development of an economy that, following the laws of nature, transforms from a caterpillar, always wanting more, into a beautiful butterfly.

Personal Motto

We did not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.

Pieter Lossie

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Professional Background

Pieter is a political science student and works as a policy advisor at the VO-raad, where he is involved in shaping the future of education. Additionally, Pieter was one of the initiators of the large student strikes in 2019 advocating for more decisive climate policies. He served as the chairman of LAKS on behalf of secondary school students in the Netherlands for a year. He is part of Commission 2100, an initiative promoting the transition to broad prosperity. Lastly, Pieter is a social filmmaker.

Personal Motto

We zijn wel afgezonderd maar niet uitgezonderd.

Nicolette Loonen

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Professional background

Nicolette is one of the Founding partners of TOSCA, a consulting partnership that helps companies be a ‘force for good’. TOSCA believes in change agents who shape the transformation towards an inclusive and sustainable society. Nicolette specialises in sustainability reporting issues, taking the whole value chain into account, from strategy to embedding in culture and steering for real value. Nicolette is also a member of the Supervisory Board of ABP, the Rutgers Foundation and IPPF. In addition, she is a college member of the CvTA. Nicolette is the founder of WIFS, Women in Financial Services, and was the president of the association of more than 500 women in the financial sector from 2010 to 2016.

Personal Motto

Ieder steentje in de vijver kan een rimpeling veroorzaken.

Any pebble in the pond can cause a ripple.

Koen Eising

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Koen is the CSR Director at Alliander, one of the three major regional grid operators in the Netherlands, operating at the heart of the energy transition. Before joining Alliander, he worked for various consultancy firms at the intersection of organizational development and sustainability. Koen studied public administration and political science in Leiden and completed the post-academic program in Organization and Change Management at VU University. He recently finished the Comenius Philosophy Course. With this background, he is fascinated by how today’s large corporations dare to make significant decisions that are urgently needed. He is interested in understanding the leadership we should trust or distrust. Koen believes that public companies must play a leading role in the sustainable transition. He shapes this belief as the initiator of the Green Networks coalition, where 8 infrastructure companies collaborate intensively on climate, circular, biodiversity, and impact measurement. He is the chairman of the Infrastructure Value Theme Center of Next Generation Infra. Koen is also affiliated with the Impact Economy Foundation.

Personal motto

A sustainable world requires not money or technology but a different set of values.