During the intake, we explore the purpose of your participation in the program. We do this together with you and your manager, aiming to enhance future integration within your organization. The process will include clearly defining your learning objectives, sharing your expectations of the program, and discussing the sustainability challenges you are currently facing within your organization that you wish to address.

10:30 – 17:00

This first day is centred around the ESG landscape. We will delve into significant regulations and initiatives such as the EU Green Deal, Fit For 55, CSRD and SBTi. To deepen your understanding of how organizations navigate their sustainability journey, we will introduce the Four-Phase Model of a sustainable strategy (inactive, reactive, active, proactive). This model will be linked to our aim of investigating and assessing the ambitions, strategies and planned actions of various organizations. Additionally, experts will share insights into overcoming sustainability challenges and leveraging opportunities within their own organizations.

What you will learn

• You will acquire an in-depth understanding of ESG legislation and regulation.
• You will determine the transition phases of your company by examining its current strategy, monitoring practices, business operations, and sector transformations.
• You will get a richer understanding of your organization’s status in the sustainability transition, alongside clear insights into the challenges and actionable strategies for moving forward.

Experts

• Mark Groot Wassink
  Director Sustainability & Innovation at Royal Auping
  Mark will share his expertise in sustainable business development, with a focus on long-term outcomes and societal value. Auping, renowned for selling high-quality beds, is now shifting its business model towards the sale of circular mattresses. This move underscores the necessity of aligning business practices with the planet’s limits through circular economy principles, emphasizing ongoing change, collaboration and transparency.

• Wendeline Besier
  Sustainability Program Director at Dura Vermeer Infrastructure Division B.V.
  Wendeline will provide a detailed look at integrating sustainability within the construction industry, including a candid glimpse into the challenges and milestones encountered along the way. She will focus on overcoming regulatory implementation hurdles and embedding sustainability into their core strategy, offering a real-world perspective on navigating these processes.

10:30 – 17:00

This day take us deeper into the complex domain of ‘environmental’ – the ‘E’ in ESG – starting with the crucial topic of climate. We will thoroughly and practically assess how companies can calculate their carbon footprints, considering both direct emissions from their operations (scope 1 and 2) and indirect emissions (scope 3). We will then proceed to developing a sound CO₂ reduction plan for your organization. Additionally, we will show how this can be done by developing and setting targets according to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Following this, we will transition to our second topic, circularity, addressing the EU-level dynamics and their implications for the Netherlands. We will highlight the measurement challenges of circularity and demonstrate the ‘circularity index’ with an engaging case study.

Concluding with biodiversity, we will examine issues related to water and biodiversity, assessing current developments and their practical implications for businesses.

What you will learn

• Climate: You will learn how to transform sustainability ambitions into actionable plans by calculating carbon footprints and developing a reduction strategy that aligns with both the organization’s goals and science-based targets.
• Circularity: You will gain insights into EU-level legislation and regulations, focusing primarily on their practical application within your company’s framework. This includes learning how to integrate circularity into your daily operations and strategic planning, equipping you with the necessary tools and knowledge for tangible implementation.
• Biodiversity & water: Through a practical assignment, you will learn to measure the impact of a company on water and biodiversity – and vice versa. We will provide practical tools to allow your organization to integrate biodiversity, focusing on challenges such as water management and biodiversity conservation.

Experts

• Frank Decker
  Facility Manager Sustainability at AVROTROS
  Frank will share insights into the process and challenges of calculating AVROTROS’s carbon footprint, from the initial wishes and ambitions to the practical execution and achieved results.

• Freek Huijsmans
  Innovation Manager at Vebego
  Freek will take us through an interactive session on a collaborative project with the Municipality of Tilburg, aimed at promoting circularity in the management of public spaces. All challenges, decisions and opportunities are covered – from circular lawn mowing to cleaning the streets.

10:30 – 17:00

On this third day, we focus on the ‘S’ and ‘G’ aspects of ESG, with a special emphasis on due diligence within the supply chain, governance structures and distributing responsibilities within organizations. Building on the sustainability strategies discussed on Day 1, we will highlight the role of due diligence, including the CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) and addressing the financial risks of climate change. The essence of due diligence, identifying and mitigating risks, will be spotlighted as a critical process to illustrate why responsibilities must be spread across the organization. We will also thoroughly explore sustainable procurement, showcasing purchasing as a key department for applying sustainability principles, as a practical example of these distributed responsibilities.

What you will learn

• Supply Chain Responsibility: You will explore the essential role your organization plays within the supply chain, understanding your position, the extent of your influence, and how to shape a strategy that extends beyond basic standards. This includes learning to apply relevant legislation and initiatives effectively across your organization and the entire supply chain, ensuring a comprehensive approach to sustainability.
• Due Diligence: You will master risk management within the supply chain, including identifying, measuring, monitoring and prioritizing risks to mitigate them effectively – all in accordance with the OECD Guidelines and in line with the expectations of the CSRD and CSDDD (Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive). This approach enables you to act proactively and enhance sustainability within your organization.
• Governance structure: You will gain insights into the allocation of sustainability responsibilities within an organization – beyond just the sustainability department. Sustainability transcends departments within the organization, and you, as a sustainability professional, can identify and implement these responsibilities throughout the organization.

Experts

• Michiel Roodenburg
  Co-founder / CFO & Chief Impact Officer at Crisp
  Michiel will share insights into navigating due diligence in the complex food supply chain, including practical applications at Crisp and the challenges overcome.

• Maurits Urlus
  Strategic Project Manager at Fetim Group
  Maurits will take us through the development of a sustainable procurement strategy, discussing how to define a sustainable product, how to translate target sustainable products into a procurement strategy, and all practical considerations involved.

10:30 – 17:00

On the fourth day of the program, our focus is on engagement, a key element for effectively implementing ESG. We will dive into the principles of change management for sustainability and explore how to build support and resilience among stakeholders. This involves learning how to develop an effective engagement strategy tailored to various target groups and how to efficiently apply these strategies within your organization.

What you will learn

• Principles of change management: You will gain insights into fostering ESG integration in your organization through effective change management.
• Engagement strategies: You will learn how to establish and implement a compelling engagement strategy suitable for your tarYou will work on developing an engagement strategy for your sustainability initiative. Refining and practicing this strategy, with support and feedback from experts and peers, equips you with the tools needed for successful future implementation.

Experts

• Peter-Erik Ywema
  Director Sustainability at Avebe
  Peter-Erik brings a wealth of experience from the agrifood and sustainability sectors. With his background in Food & Beverage, Sustainable Development, Corporate Social Responsibility and Coaching, coupled with an MBA in Strategic Environmental Consultancy, he will share his deep understanding of stakeholder engagement and the formulation of sustainability strategies within organizations.

10:30 – 17:00

Day 5 focuses on effectively launching your sustainability initiative, such as setting up a sustainable product range or developing a circular product. All the knowledge you have acquired in the past sessions can now be utilized to strengthen your initiative. Additionally, you will discover what it takes to make your initiative a success, from the initial concept to its ultimate realization, covering crucial aspects such as implementation, management and measuring impact.

First, we will examine the components that should strengthen your business case, including defining the problem you are solving, mapping out the necessary steps, establishing a timeline, involving relevant stakeholders and determining the required budget. Next, three experienced sustainability experts will present their insights into launching sustainability initiatives within organizations. Following these presentations, you will have the opportunity to refine and present your own initiative, receiving guidance from fellow candidates and the experts. The result will be a real sustainability initiative that you can implement in your business.

What you will learn

• Fundamentals: You will learn how to construct a robust sustainability initiative, including defining the problem, mapping out steps, establishing a timeline, and engaging the right people and resources.
• Implementation: You will gain insights into what’s required to successfully kick off and oversee your sustainability initiative within your organization.

Experts

• Maurice Loosschilder
  Global Head of Sustainability at Signify
  Maurice will share invaluable insights and strategies for driving sustainable change. By learning from his experience leading Signify’s global sustainability team and executing the ‘Brighter Lives, Better World’ program, you will gain practical knowledge to implement impactful sustainability initiatives and contribute to a brighter future.

• Marthijn Junggeburth
  Sustainability Manager at Royal Swinkels
  Marthijn will take us through the challenges and successes of advancing sustainability in the brewery industry. By understanding his approach to implementing circular business practices and collaboration initiatives, you will gain valuable insights into overcoming obstacles and driving sustainability in your own projects and organizations.

• Joyce Winnubst
  Director / General Counsel at Vermaat
  Joyce will provide essential guidance on navigating sustainability in the hospitality sector. With her extensive experience in financial services and expertise in supporting businesses through strategic initiatives like M&A and refinancing, you will learn valuable strategies to integrate sustainability into business operations and drive positive change in the industry.

The KIEM Business Fair represents the grand finale of our intensive program. This day is all about sharing, celebrating and networking, offering a unique opportunity to showcase your acquired insights and achieved results to a diverse audience. In addition to the program’s participants and experts, sustainability professionals from other organizations and leading companies will also be in attendance.

Day’s highlights

• Presentations: Alongside your fellow students, you will have the chance to share your learning experiences and project outcomes in an interactive and engaging environment. This is your opportunity to present your unique ideas to interested parties.
• Certificate ceremony: You will receive your well-deserved KIEM certificate, recognizing your successful completion of the program and dedication to sustainability.
• Drinks & nibbles: Wrap up the day and the program with an informal networking reception, where you can connect with other participants, experts and guests in a relaxed atmosphere. This informal gathering provides an excellent opportunity to expand your professional network and engage in meaningful conversations.

Together with you and your manager, we will reflect on the learning outcomes, evaluate the current implementation status of your sustainability initiative, and outline the next steps forward.