An afternoon of connection, inspiration and lasting change
On Wednesday, May 14, 2025, the very first Empact Impact Circles took place at our Haarlem office. With about 25 participants – all professionals active in the ESG domain – we created an environment in which knowledge, experience and inspiration could flow freely.
The Impact Circles was created as an exclusive platform for our clients and associates to come together and exchange views on the transition to a sustainable society. With the Impact Circles, we want to not only inspire, but also find the connection with each other, people who are working every day to realize the transitions.
Heart and brain in balance
The program is moderated by Anne, who introduces the program and emphasizes that sustainable transition is a journey. A journey that sometimes involves the greatest challenges on a personal level. For some, sustainable action is already fully integrated into their thinking, for others it is still a new concept. Inspiring and showing the way is important, but patience is at least as essential.
Martin de Jong, founder of Empact, then shares his personal story about making impact. In his presentation, he emphasizes the balance between different forces: internal and external, positive and negative. “ESG provides a lens to look at Sustainable Business, but it is not sustainable business,” Martin said, referring to people’s need to pigeonhole topics.
A key insight is the “undercurrent” within organizations. “You know it’s there, you don’t see it, but you feel it,” Martin explains. “You can set the course, the strategy, the KPIs and the actions, but you have to be aware of the undercurrent.” His message is clear: follow your heart, but take your brain with you.
Understanding transition phases
The highlight of the afternoon is the presentation by Lucas Simons, founder of NewForesight and together with Prof. Andre Nijhof, author of the book “Changing the Game.” Lucas takes us through his TransMission method, a science-based approach to accelerating sustainable transitions.
“If you take a step back, you see that transitions in different sectors proceed similarly,” Lucas argues. He presents a model in which the development of sustainable solutions goes through several phases, from idea to new norm. Each phase requires specific interventions:
- Stage 0: Inertia – The problem has long been known but considered “normal” or “the cost of doing business.” The response is often denial.
- Phase 1: Startup – The phase of pilots and projects. “Everyone is claiming impact,” Lucas said. The challenge is to advance from project phase to the next phase.
- Stage 2: Competition – Second players do the same thing as the first, but just differently. Lucas compares this to the “adolescent phase” when everyone shouts, “I’m the best!”
- Phase 3: Integration & Synergy – The phase where scaling up, governance and training are key, plus maximum pressure to stop the old system.
- Phase 4: Institutionalization – The new norm is established.
Lucas emphasizes that you can’t do it alone, but you can start on your own. “Start in heart and head,” is his advice.
From theory to practice
After these inspiring presentations, participants will break up into three subgroups: Strategy Execution, Economy and Culture. Each group considers a specific aspect of sustainable transition.
- The Strategy Execution Group concludes that many organizations lack direction and often get stuck in pilot phases. They emphasize the need for vision and short-term results to keep motivation high. “Reporting can help with that!”
- Economy group focuses on “low-hanging fruit” and linking material themes (CSRD) to existing strategy. An interesting discussion ensues about scope 4 emissions and how to monetize sustainability. Their conclusion: “Sustainability is not just about talking about a better world: we need to talk about numbers and how it helps the business concretely.”
- The Culture Group discusses how to create urgency and commitment at all levels. “How do you make everyone prosper?” is a central question. They note that regulation alone does not help enough and benchmarking can be an effective incentive. “On a day-to-day basis, the choices people make are crucial: do you put it on the agenda or not, does it get in the minutes or not?”
Personal commitment
After a brief wrap-up by all groups, Anne asks about each participant’s personal commitment. Martin explains the importance of personal commitment for real change and hands all participants a bookmark as a reminder, along with a copy of the book by André Nijhof and Lucas Simons.
The afternoon concluded with networking drinks where conversations continued in an informal atmosphere. Feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive, with much appreciation for the combination of inspiring theory and creating connection through sharing your own vision & experiences.
Thanks to all participants
We would like to sincerely thank all participants for their active contribution to this first Empact Impact Circles. Your expertise, experiences and insights made this afternoon a success. Special thanks go to Lucas Simons for his inspiring presentation on the TransMission method.
The next Empact Impact Circles is scheduled for September 2025, then with Professor Arno Kourula on the Business of Circular Economy, among others.