Conference Matters 141

SPEAKER

Does your brand care? Isabel Verstraete

“Collaboration is usually the biggest issue. Keeping things closed internally and externally and not wanting to share is old school because you need others to survive. We will have to work together, and that can be done in many ways. Installing solar panels with the neighbours, universities and companies thinking up innovations, and yes, even working with the competition.”

within 14 days. Once the goods are shipped, the factories can count on getting paid. That’s how you take ‘C A R E’ of your stakeholders. Finally, the last step in the model is about sustai nability with C A R E for the planet. Together with a market research agency, I also developed a C A R E scan that gives a good idea of where a company stands in applying C A R E. The nice thing is that management often thinks this is more rosy than the employees.” “My first speaking engagement was for ethics students at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, while my most recent one was at the Fujifilm global summit. This spring, I will be participating in the MIT Program at Nyenrode Business Univer sity for the second time. The C A R E Principles are subject matter for anyone who wants change.” Is the message specifically aimed at certain industries?

As for work, I already advise the best in the class. They embrace the C A R E Principles to make their strategic business plans for 2030 and even 2040 more social and caring.” What if companies cannot or will not turnaround? “They’re going to have to. Perhaps an important reason to do it is the effort it takes to find and retain new people. In today’s society, many people only want to work for companies that have a real purpose and do good, whatever that is. They need to have an authentic story that suits the DNA of the com pany and is actually experienced. Consumers are also asking for sustainable alternatives, while a third push is coming from the market itself. Today, if you want to sell your products at a department store like the Nether lands’ Bijenkorf, you need to have a sustainable company. The entire market forced everyone to get moving. In Europe, we’re actually not doing that badly compared to countries like the United States and Japan.” Do you have special tools to illustrate your story during a presentation? “I don’t have a magic formula. I simply present my strategic C A R E framework. The starting point is the world and how people and the planet are under tremendous pressure. We live in a polari sed society that makes it difficult to change, and so some people dig in their heels. I’ve held 12-minute pep talks as well as ones of almost an hour. Depending on the time I spend on

Belgian marketing communication specialist Isabel Verstraete has a long track record and has been working as an independent brand strategy expert and consultant since 2011. Her book, Does Your Brand C A R E? Building a Better World with the C A R E Principles, was published in 2021, making her an author as well as a pod caster and speaker. Her most important mission is to create a positive impact for people and the planet, which is essential to becoming a suc cessfully sustainable company in the future. How did you come up with the idea that the C A R E Principles could be a refe rence for sustainability? “A lot of work wasn’t possible during the health crisis, which finally gave me the time to do rese arch. What do companies do in times of crisis? Who survives? Organisations that are agile and adapt appear to be successful. I took the time to research this worldwide change in behaviour. Now it’s my business to get the message on the agenda of major corporations and international companies.” What exactly is your mission? “C A R E stands for Collaboration, Agility, Relia bility and Empathy. These four pillars must be woven into the organisation’s fabric, since taking better ‘C A R E’ of people and the planet creates a more caring and sustainable society. Growth should no longer be based solely on economic progress. Companies that are doing well are generally already well advanced in sustainability and their social role. By Evelien Baks

When can you call your mission a success?

Can companies get started with the C A R E Principles on their own? “The book and podcast provide inspiration and explain the framework. You can start by integrating C A R E’s four shifts into your organisation. Prove to your employees that you mean business. They know very well when you’re peddling bullshit and when you’re greenwashing. Walk the talk internally as well. In the next phase, you can apply C A R E to your clients. Then, you can apply the model to your stakeholders. I always use the Dutch textile chain store Zee man as an example. They pay all their suppliers

stage, I will present a number of cases of com panies that can be inspiring and hopefully open people’s eyes.” What about spontaneous responses from the audience? “I involve the audience in my study cases. I ask them what they think the collaboration score with a company is on the C A R E ladder. Amu singly, most of them mention an even lower per centage than it already is. Afterwards, people come and tell me that their company doesn’t even reach the average score of 53%.”

“I need to continue to preach and sow. I’ve recently been added to an international speaker agency. With them, I hope to better convince companies internationally of the need for more C A R E. I’ve recently been asked if there’s an Italian version of my book. Not yet, but who knows.”

www.thecareprinciples.com

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