🌍 𝙁𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝘽𝙤𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢 𝘽𝙪𝙮-𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙄𝙣𝙙𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙮-𝙬𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙑𝙖𝙡𝙪𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣

On October 31, 2024, together with our communications team JAAGER and Beatriz Capelo Ramos from Dazzle, and VMI Group’s sustainability team Robert Louis and Marie-Louise Kruijssen, we stood at the door of VMI’s boardroom. Ready to present the sustainability program to the Board.

This was our very first step in change management: not just informing, but inspiring the Board to truly listen with their hearts and embrace the program.

After four months of shaping the plan and building a world-class storyline and presentation, we gave it our all. The session was intense but meaningful. And the next day, the response came:
👉 “𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.”
With that, we had the green light to move forward — to build partnerships and make it happen.

⏩ Fast forward to September 12, 2025, at VMI’s Supplier Day. To my surprise, the red thread of the day couldn’t have been clearer: sustainability as a strategic advantage.

The CEO addressed 200+ suppliers: “𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘶𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦. 𝘓𝘦𝘵’𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳. 𝘛𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺’𝘴 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵.”
The VP Supply Chain, Léon Van Bijnen acknowledged the dilemmas but stressed urgency: “𝘋𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘦—𝘭𝘦𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘸.”
Babette Porcelijn inspired the room with her quiz on hidden impact: “𝘚𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘺.”
Guus Gerrits, a sustainability pioneer at VMI, reminded us: “𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳.”
Zoë Christiaans, reflecting on her Circo Tracks experience, encouraged: “𝘐𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦, 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱.”

The VP R&D, Gerlof Korte, highlighted the challenges and opportunities of cleaner mobility.

And the COO introduced a brand-new award for sustainability impact — alongside existing technology recognition.

By the end of the day, it was clear: the commitment that started in the boardroom is now cascading throughout the supply chain. 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗮 “𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲” — 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁.

🙏 Thank you VMI for organizing such an inspiring and impactful day!

At The Carbon Zero Club, we believe this is how real change begins: leadership commitment, supplier alignment, and shared ambition.