Paul van Workum CPACC

Kijk eens meer naar natuurlijke intelligentie dan naar kunstmatige intelligentie. Mooi stuk van Jeremy Lent over hoe de mensheid kan floreren. “Life itself, as manifested in healthy and resilient ecosystems, offers an essential model for how such flourishing might be organized. Three core design principles emerge from the logic of living systems. The first is mutually beneficial symbiosis. Life’s great evolutionary leaps — from single cells to complex organisms, from organisms to ecosystems — have been driven not primarily by competition and conquest, but by symbiosis: relationships in which each party offers something the other needs, creating a whole greater than the sum of its parts. An ecocivilization would organize human society around this same principle, not merely minimizing harm to other beings and systems, but actively contributing to their flourishing. The second is fractal flourishing. Look around the natural world and you will see fractal patterns at every scale — in the branching of trees, the structure of coastlines, the architecture of lungs and neural networks. Ecologies are themselves fractal: cells nested within organisms, organisms within populations, populations within ecosystems, ecosystems within the living Earth. In a healthy fractal system, the wellbeing of the whole depends on the flourishing of each part. An ecocivilization would embody this principle: creating the conditions in which each person’s flourishing naturally contributes to — rather than diminishes — the wellbeing of the larger systems in which we are all embedded. The third is integration, which can be understood as unity with differentiation. A flourishing ecosystem is not homogeneous. It is diverse and differentiated, and precisely because of that diversity, more resilient and generative than any monoculture could be. An ecocivilization would honor and actively support the diverse ways in which cultures and individuals pursue their own forms of wellbeing — weaving that diversity into a richer whole rather than flattening it into a single Western template.” https://lnkd.in/eiTu6z5r Thx voor de tip Jaap de Carpentier Wolf

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𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞-𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐈: 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧? Over the past months, we’ve been working on this at TNO. Together with partners across sectors, we explored the problem space, mapped systemic challenges and identified where sustainability and sovereignty come together in today’s AI landscape. Now, the real work begins. Starting 19 March, we will bring together a broad group of organisations and knowledge institutions to work for 12 weeks on one shared ambition: scaling AI in a way that is both sustainable and sovereign. AI is increasingly being embedded across business processes at scale. This is exactly the moment to pause and ask the right questions. To look critically at how AI is designed, governed and scaled before patterns and dependencies become locked in. The foundations AI relies on, including compute, data, models and infrastructure, are increasingly concentrated and resource-intensive. This creates structural dependencies, increases environmental footprint, energy demand and long-term costs, and limits room to manoeuvre. This is not just a technical challenge. It is a systemic one. That is why we designed the Futureproof AI Impact Acceleration Challenge 2026 as a collaborative, pre-competitive programme. Through five focused sprints, participants will jointly explore prioritised challenges and translate them into concrete, actionable solution directions, informed by practice, policy and research-based insights, methods and validation from a broad network of knowledge institutions. The challenge brings together organisations working with AI in practice, supported by this knowledge ecosystem, to accelerate learning and decision-making across sectors. Proud to be building this at TNO, together with nlmtd as facilitation partner, hosted on the Collaboration Space of InnovationCast - Innovation Management Software. Kick-off: 19 March If your organisation is working with AI and wants to actively contribute to shaping AI that is sustainable, sovereign and future-proof, we would very much like to connect. Send me a message or a DM, email ImpactAccelerationChallenge@tno.nl , or tag a colleague or friend who could benefit from learning with peers from different industries. We’ve done the groundwork. Now it is time to build together.

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⸻ Skills AI Can’t Replace — and Why Your Teen Needs Them Now By Frieda van der Merwe | www.TrueNorthFinder.com This is the second article in a series about future-proofing your child’s career. The first introduced three essential skills: the human skill, the professional skill, and the AI skill. This one dives into the most irreplaceable: the human skill. Emotional intelligence, real human connection, and presence are more valuable than ever. In a world of smart machines, the skill of being human is the one AI can’t replicate. AI can write essays, assist doctors, and make decisions in seconds—but it can’t hold eye contact. It can’t stay calm with a nervous teen lining up a rugby kick. It can’t read the room, offer warmth, or ask, “What if we’re wrong?” What Are Human Skills? These are the skills of presence, emotional regulation, and connection. From calming a baby to challenging ideas in a boardroom, human skills bring heart to any setting. AI reflects. Humans question. Teaching kids how to stay grounded, read others, and bring calm into chaos is critical. It’s what helps them show up—at school, at work, in life. Examples of Human Skills: • Selling: Because people still buy from those they trust. • Coaching & therapy: Deep listening and support. • Learning how to learn: Lighting up curiosity. • Hands-on work: Like hairdressing, plumbing, or being a barista—jobs that offer both skill and connection. Even in the age of automation, we’ll still crave the barista who remembers our name, the hairdresser who listens, the plumber who solves problems on-site. And entertainment? We’ll still show up for live theatre, concerts, and art—because we’re moved not just by talent, but by effort, story, and soul. Modeling Humanity in an AI World So what can parents do? • Embrace technology, don’t fear it. • Stay curious. Learn new tools. • But also: stay emotionally available, socially present, and culturally aware. Let your kids see what being human looks like—so they can grow into it themselves. Because no matter how smart AI becomes, it will never replace what your teen has to offer: real presence, real emotion, and the power to connect.

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We’re proud to partner with Gasunie to build a new digital foundation that supports the Dutch energy transition. By working closely as one team, we helped redesign processes and launch a future-ready system in one big step, migrating millions of records. This collaboration shows how strong partnerships and a human approach drive real change in the energy sector. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eCA7P2aM #DeloitteNetherlands #TogetherMakesProgress #FutureofEnergy #DigitalTransformation #Gasunie

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The Earth Valley Zomercafé was a warm introduction to this key innovation ecosystem in Utrecht region, thanks ROM Utrecht Region! The topic of the day: funding gaps, regulatory barriers, technical hurdles. And yet, as conversations progressed throughout the day, I found myself wondering: are these really the levers that would make the biggest difference? Over drinks, I tested this thought. "We seem to be more than smart enough. Excellent at breaking problems down. But the real challenge doesn't seem to be a technical one - it's that we can't get our act together." "Spot on!" was a frequently heard reply. The real challenge is social innovation. This is systems work - dealing with emergent properties, hidden dynamics, and human complexity that can't be solved through analysis alone. An example: Earlier in a workshop on how to move from pilot to scale, a participant cut through all the usual analysis: "The interest for starting an innovative pilot appears similar on the surface, but the underlying motivations between parties are often fundamentally different." Exactly. Some stakeholders see pilots as political capital - demonstrating innovation activity or simply signalling "look, we're doing something." Others view them as genuine problem-solving with clear success metrics. Same pilot. Completely different definitions of success. This is one way well-developed innovations stall. We're optimising for different outcomes whilst assuming we share the same goal. The most technically brilliant people struggle most with this - they're so used to logic and evidence that the assumption everything operates the same way sneaks in. Assumptions aren't reality. Success can only happen in reality. Real progress demands understanding what each party genuinely needs - not what they say, but what they require for success, personally and practically. This is a skill that can be learned, and it requires seeing differently. For the pilot challenge specifically, explicit agreements beyond the pilot can help: What is the end-goal? What does success look like at each stage? What will everyone commit to when milestones are met. Not "let's try this and see" - but structured commitment with defined pathways. And that's just one pattern. This type of complexity shows up everywhere - in strategy sessions where everyone agrees but nothing changes, in brilliant teams that don't perform brilliantly, in leadership roles where organisational demands clash with personal values. When you start seeing these hidden dynamics clearly, everything shifts. You notice what's really shaping outcomes. You develop ways of designing strategies that account for what's actually happening, not what should be working - honouring both reality and everyone's values. You develop the courage to look beyond the surface and truly understand the forces at play. What underlying currents might be shaping your current challenges? #RealSuccess #Innovation #SystemsThinking #Leadership 

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Have you heard of the Postcode Lottery or Postcode Loterij (in the Netherlands)? - Focuses on supporting people and planet - Funded 378 million euro last year - Grounded in trust-based philanthropy I was super interested to learn about trust-based philanthropy: - Open, unrestricted multi-year grants - Relationship-driven, mutual accountability - Less reporting, more flexibility, interested in long-term partnerships This donor is open to international partners when the mission aligns. Grantees include UNHCR, Human Rights Watch, Oxfam, MSF, Amnesty — but also smaller, specialized organizations. Does anyone have experience with them or interested in exploring submitting an application? Reach out — always glad to connect. Thank you, HVFC - Diversify your funding for the great webinar last week! Link to the video in the comments. #TrustBasedPhilanthropy #InternationalDevelopment #HumanRights #Fundraising #GlobalSouth #PostcodeLottery #CivilSociety #Philanthropy

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5 of the largest public oil & gas companies (#ExxonMobil, #RoyalDutchShell, #Chevron, #BP, #Total) invested over USD 1 billion in branding (greenwashing) and lobbying during the 4 years following the 2015 Paris Agreement - Source: #InfluenceMap https://lnkd.in/e5rYggju

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Entrepreneurship is an attitude ! Taking risks is part of it. Turning risks in opportunities is a pow(e)r game. I wish you all the best

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Honoured to join partners from industry, civil society and government as we launch the second term of the IMVO Metals Agreement. For Terre des Hommes Netherlands, this work is essential. Minerals that fuel global innovation are too often mined by children working in dangerous and harmful conditions. If we want to stop child exploitation in mineral supply chains, we must engage directly with the companies and actors who shape those chains every day. This agreement gives us a strategic platform to drive stronger due diligence, push for accountability and co-create practical solutions that protect children at the start of the value chain. Systemic problems need systemic partnerships, and we enter this collaboration with clear purpose and ambition. Looking forward to working with all partners over the coming five years to build safer, more responsible supply chains where no child is exploited. #StopChildLabour #StopChildExploitation #ChildRights #HumanRightsDueDiligence #ResponsibleBusiness

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Beyond excited to finally share this! Our publication, developed with the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, on women entrepreneurs driving the energy transition is now out. The project includes: - Assessment of the Dutch energy transition entrepreneurial ecosystem. - Identification of gaps in financing and visibility through stakeholder analysis with government, investors, founders and communities. - Quantitative data and insights translated into strategic recommendations for policymakers, investors and government to foster a more inclusive and equitable energy transition in the Netherlands. You can read the full publication here: https://lnkd.in/eSEkYJEq Please share it with founders, investors and policymakers in your network and let me know which recommendation resonates most strongly with you. #energytransition #investment #vc #womenentrepreneurs

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The circular economy offers a new way to manage raw materials, resources, and products—with one clear goal: keeping their value in use for as long as possible.. The City of Amsterdam has captured this idea into a clear and practical tool: the circular processing ladder. 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗿: Refuse, Rethink, Reduce 👉 Prevent waste before it’s even created. ▪️ Refuse: Say no to plastic cutlery or unwanted freebies. ▪️ Rethink: Use car-sharing or rent clothes instead of owning. ▪️ Reduce: Choose less packaging or energy-efficient products. 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗿: Reuse, Repair, Refurbish, Remanufacture 👉 Extend the life of products and parts. ▪️ Reuse: Buy second-hand or use a refillable bottle. ▪️ Repair: Fix what’s broken—at home or in a repair café. ▪️ Refurbish: Opt for refurbished electronics. ▪️ Remanufacture: Choose products rebuilt from old components. 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗿: Repurpose, Recycle, Recover 👉 Last-resort strategies once use is no longer possible. ▪️ Repurpose: Turn a jar into storage or a ladder into shelves. ▪️ Recycle: Sort waste to give materials a second life. ▪️ Recover: Incinerate non-recyclables for energy—only if necessary. Climbing the ladder means creating value, not waste. It’s a path toward sustainability, fairness, and resilience. Amsterdam is stepping up—let’s follow.

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𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹. But Utrecht’s entrepreneurs don’t have to wait. Across the province, more and more businesses are running into the same problem: the grid can’t keep up. Expansion plans are on hold, new machines can’t connect, and sustainability goals get delayed. Not because of a lack of ambition, but because of a lack of capacity. But there’s good news. Entrepreneurs in Utrecht now have access to a new financing option for battery storage through Energiefonds Utrecht. With this fund, you can get a loan of up to €75,000 (covering up to 75% of your investment) to install an energy storage system. This allows you to store electricity when it’s available and use it when you need it most. For many companies, that means no longer waiting in line for grid capacity. It means keeping production running, charging vehicles and equipment smartly, and moving forward with sustainability plans. Because the energy transition can’t wait. And in Utrecht, you don’t have to. Curious how energy storage can work for your business? Find more details about the Energiefonds Utrecht program via the link in the comments. #EndlessEnergy #EnergyStorage #Utrecht #GridCongestion #Sustainability 

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Undoing the regulatory blocks to balcony solar that would help the third of Australian households that rent benefit from cheap, clean renewable energy. Imagine that, red tape reduction focused on helping everyday people rather than big corporates.

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Many investors still talk about sustainability as if it’s a single concept. But the sustainable transition is far more complex. At Osmosis Investment Management NL, we build our investment solutions around six sustainability transitions that leading scientists identify as critical for achieving the #SDGs and the #ParisAgreement. These transitions are reshaping economies, societies, and capital markets: •     Energy & Industry: the shift to low‑carbon energy and cleaner industrial systems •     Food, Land & Water: safeguarding biodiversity and securing the foundations of life •     Health & Well‑being: enabling healthier, more resilient societies •     Education, Equality & Opportunity: unlocking human potential and inclusive growth •     Cities & Communities: rethinking infrastructure, mobility, and the built environment •     Digital Transformation: deploying technology to accelerate sustainable development These transitions are interconnected. If investors only focus on carbon or narrow ESG scores, they risk missing the full picture. Our Transition Investment Framework evaluates how companies operate across all six transitions today, how they are transforming for the future, and how that affects their financial health. Read more about our framework here: https://lnkd.in/ecmRQUaQ To learn more about these six sustainability transitions read: https://lnkd.in/dqUtQZJ #TransitionInvesting #SustainableInvesting

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🌿 Green Prescribing International Exchange – inspiration across continents"- On Thursday, 2 October 2025, the Health Domain of the Collectief Natuurinclusief movement hosted an international webinar with over 60 participants. Speakers from the US, UK, and Canada showed how nature is increasingly becoming an integral part of healthcare: 👟 Walk with a Doc Doc – Bryan Romey, Program Manager (US) Started by a physician and, within a few years, grown into a global programme. Walk with a Doc is now active in 48 US states and 42 countries, and is “ready to go” in the Netherlands (a launch partner is being sought). The message is simple: just start walking, make it fun, and it is useful too. It works precisely because it’s community-based. Walk with a Doc even promotes “100 reasons to walk” – and it proves effective. 🌳 Green Social Prescribing – Dr William Bird MBE, GP, CEO Intelligent Health, Honorary Professor University of Exeter, Chair West Midlands CA Physical Activity Coalition (UK) In the UK, the movement began with Health Walks, in which more than 5 million people have already participated. Scientific evidence followed, such as brain scans showing the positive effects of contact with nature on mental health. The social benefits were also calculated: every £1 invested in Green Social Prescribing generates £1.88 in social return on investment. This helped convince the Treasury to support the programme. At the same time, bridges were built between the health sector and the green sector – forming the foundation of today’s Green Social Prescribing approach. 🍁 Park Prescriptions (PaRx) – Laura Hergott, Program Manager (Canada) PaRx arose from within the health sector itself, with healthcare providers as the driving force. Today, more than 19,000 healthcare providers are involved, together with over 100 health and park organisations. They prescribe simple, effective nature-based actions: walking a few times a day, resting in a park, or simply spending more time outdoors. PaRx also demonstrates that improving people’s health can reduce the climate footprint of healthcare. Conclusion: Across the world, it is clear that integrating nature into healthcare is not complicated. It can start small, it is more enjoyable for both patients and professionals, it delivers measurable health benefits, strengthens social cohesion, reduces healthcare costs, and contributes to a more sustainable society. The Netherlands has every opportunity to move forward with 'Natuur op Recept', while learning from inspiring examples like those presented in the webinar. The recording of the webinar will be shared via socials of Collectief Natuurinclusief. With many thanks for the speakers for their contributions and Rutger de Graaf, Natuur op Recept Verbinder, for organising the webinar and facilitating it. #NatuurOpRecept #GreenPrescribing

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Circularity as Default The Beginning When we started planning New Optimist in 2020, our first idea was simple: a social atelier in Amsterdam. And if we were going to launch our own brand, it had to be sustainable. As I started thinking about sustainability with Nelleke Wegdam, we quickly realized that the term “sustainability” often means nothing because it’s undefined. That’s how we arrived at circularity and the insights of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a UK-based think tank on circularity. A Striking Realization When we were digging into circularity, I realized something striking: after more than two decades running an outerwear business (SPOOM), I had never once had a conversation about what happened to our jackets at the end of product-life. Materials would enter our hands, become garments, and leave for the market but what happened after that, I had simply never considered. The Linear Fashion Industry Supply chains are flat, like a pancake. Each step in the long chain focuses on the next, and maybe the step after, but rarely on the full loop, from sourcing through end-of-life. Many claim circularity is too complex or too costly. In reality, it’s not. It’s a matter of intention and design. Circularity can be the default, not a radical exception. The real barrier is that most business models aren’t built around it, even when huge profits are being made. How New Optimist showed It’s possible -> Circularity integrated into every step: creative design, patternmaking, production, and return systems. -> Garments designed to live multiple lives. -> Built with simple processes, clear intention, and dedication. New Optimist proved that circular fashion isn’t a fantasy. It’s achievable if you design the business model to make it work.

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🌱 Inspired by Cynthia Zhu’s keynote “Shape the Agri-Food Ecosystem – Adopt AI for a Sustainable Future.” She highlighted how AI is transforming agriculture — from precision farming to resilient food systems. The Netherlands remains a global leader in agri-tech, and Cynthia’s work bridges innovation with real-world impact. As a talent coach for children with developmental potential, I believe that health and sustainability are essential foundations for their future. Cynthia’s insights reminded me that adopting AI in agriculture isn’t just about efficiency — it’s about shaping a world where the next generation can thrive. 🔁 The same vision should guide how we adopt AI in education — to build inclusive, adaptive systems that empower every child's growth! ♥️ #AI #Sustainability #Innovation #TalentDevelopment #Ontwikkelingsvoorsprong

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Regenerative Leadership in the Age of AI This is not another conversation about AI as a revolutionary technical frontier. It is an invitation to demystify AI and reposition it within the context of leadership, legitimacy, trust, and regeneration. I encourage you to take a look at the full program and join the conversation.

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