Dutch Sustainable Growth Coalition Working Group Leader
The DSGC - Dutch Sustainable Growth Coalition - is a joint CEO initiative of eight leading multinational companies such as Unilever, DSM, AkzoNobel, and Philips. Its purpose is to scale sustainable innovations, share knowledge among communities (from young professionals to other CEOs) and with (inter)national stakeholders, and shape thought leadership that inspires governments to create policies that enable sustainable and inclusive growth.
It was founded by the then-CEOs of Unilever and DSM (Paul Polman and Feike Sijbesma). The initiative was set up in cooperation with the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers (VNO-NCW) and facilitated by EY, whose newly appointed Partner Jan Peter Balkenende became – and still is - its Chairman.
From the start in 2012, I was closely involved in setting it up. From mid-2013 to the end of 2014, I served as Working Group Leader of the eight companies’ CEO Liaisons. This means I was the central program lead, co-author of its publications, external relations manager and was responsible for its CEO meetings and conversations (both internally and with for example the Prime Minister and his Cabinet), among other responsibilities. Together with supporting co-workers from across the involved organizations, I helped lead the emergence of a new CEO movement.
H.M. Queen Máxima & DSGC CEOs at the launch of one of the coalition’s publications
Today, the Coalition is still continuing its work, with Accenture having taken over EY’s role as facilitating organization. Jointly, the companies advance and position sustainability as a strategic business priority rather than as a side activity. Read more about it on www.DSGC.nl/en.
“Paulette’s role within the Dutch Sustainable Growth Coalition (DSGC) was an essential one: she was closely involved in setting it up and headed up the team of CEO liaisons as of mid-2013. She developed and maintained many (international) relationships on behalf of the DSGC and prepared all relevant substantial content for the meetings and activities of the eight CEOs involved, and was a main author of its publications. She has strong communication skills and is very thorough in everything she does.”
Photo credit: Marcel Krijger