Leaders + Managers (Blog 1): How intentions become reality

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Who Do You Need to Drive Sustainable Change?

It sounds like a simple question, but when you take a moment to reflect, there is no obvious answer. Most people likely think of the leaders, the visionaries—the ones who captivate the room and set the target on the horizon. That is understandable, as they are the most visible figures in an organization.

Yet behind every Tony’s Chocolonely, Interface, or Patagonia, there isn't just a visionary. There is also someone distributing tasks and setting KPIs: the manager. A recent LinkedIn poll of ours confirmed that both the leader and the manager are essential for long-term sustainable change.

Whether you are building an organization, managing a team, or acting as an advisor: ultimately, people determine what gets off the ground and what doesn't. We notice this in our own work as advisors. We regularly enter situations where something key is missing—sometimes it’s the energy to truly do things differently, other times it’s the capacity to translate a vision into concrete action. These distinct scenarios require tailored approaches to our advisory role.

In 2025, we researched how effectively sustainability is embedded into the organizational culture of listed companies. The conclusion was clear: the results were disappointing. In many cases, sustainability remains a standalone pillar rather than an integrated part of the business model.

So, who and what is actually needed to realize sustainable intentions and integrate them into an organization? To answer that, we spoke with several leaders and experts across our network.

The Sustainability Cocktail: Vision, People, and Momentum
One of the clearest frameworks came from Henk-Jan Beltman*. His vision on realizing sustainability within an organization comes down to a cocktail of three key ingredients:

• 10–20% Strategy and Vision
• 30–40% Having the Right People Around You
• 50% Momentum

Strategy and Vision
Visions stem from asking why? and where to? Cathelijne Lania brings up Stephen Covey’s ladder analogy: a manager climbs the ladder as efficiently as possible, while a leader first checks which wall the ladder is leaning against.

Leaders in sustainability are not solely focused on maximizing profit. They operate from their own moral compass and core convictions. As Mark Groot Wassink emphasizes: "It has become second nature for me to pair commercial success with positive impact. I couldn't justify any other approach to myself or others."

What sets a true leader apart is what they are willing to carry. While the default reflex in many organizations is to push problems away or pass the buck, a leader pulls them closer. This takes a touch of bold confidence—a "Pippi Longstocking" mindset of “I have never tried that before, so I think I should definitely be able to do it.”

Even so, vision is not everything; without the right people and momentum, it remains just a story.

The Right People Around You
"Without followers, a leader is just a voice crying in the wilderness," says Ian Helgering*. It’s worth noting that it isn't just managers who matter here, but every colleague across the organization.

It is crucial to surround yourself with people who are actually smarter than you. As Henk-Jan puts it: once the canvas is drawn, the manager fills in the colors. Managers rarely stand in the spotlight, but they are the ones who make ideas concrete, measurable, and—ideally—financially viable.

Something is only truly sustainable if it is also financially sustainable; otherwise, you remain stuck in idealism, according to Pelle de Laaf*. To measure progress, external frameworks like EcoVadis or the CO2​ Performance Ladder can be leveraged. As Gaby Rosier* notes, these frameworks offer structure and create a shared language, making progress transparent to the outside world.

Momentum
Even with a clear vision and a strong team, success is not guaranteed. Several impact-driven companies have faced severe financial distress or bankruptcy in recent years (such as Pieter Pot or, more recently, TommyTomato). This is not necessarily a failure of leadership or a lack of talent—it is often a lack of momentum.

Momentum is the sum of external circumstances over which you have limited control, such as shifting legislation or geopolitical movements. A leader who understands momentum surfs on top of it, allowing an organization to make massive strides in driving impact. Those who miss it can still founder, despite having the best vision and a capable team.

The Role of the Organization
No matter how ambitious the sustainability goals are, leaders and managers depend on the maneuvering room the organization allows. A visionary working within a traditional, rigid environment will see their ideas stall far quicker than one inside an agile, forward-moving business.

Where someone sits within the structure also matters. A CEO who takes sustainability seriously can spark widespread change, but employees at all levels can put sustainability on the agenda.

Finally, organizational size impacts how scale is achieved. Startups are dynamic, but as Gaby points out, they often lack the deep pockets needed to weather slow periods, keeping their reach limited. "Conversely, driving change within large, established corporations potentially creates far greater impact than starting small from scratch."

Key Takeaway: Balancing Leadership & Management
A leader who sets the direction and inspires people is of little value without the manager who translates that vision into execution—and vice versa. In practice, this means consciously orchestrating both skill sets alongside the talent you have available.

Pelle* shared that his own interest in sustainability grew significantly because of his organization and CEO. Moving forward, both leaders and managers must keep an external perspective to navigate through both headwinds and tailwinds.

Above all, let’s empower and support our managers. Whether you need to better leverage the potential already within your teams or bring in temporary external energy to kickstart the process, we are here to help you move forward.

*For this blog series, we interviewed:

• Mark Groot Wassink – Co-founder of Roetz-Bikes, former Director of Sustainability & Innovation at Auping, Associate Partner at TOSCA
• Henk-Jan Beltman – Impact entrepreneur, former CEO & Chief Chocolate Officer at Tony's Chocolonely, co-owner of Fish Tales
• Cathelijne Lania – Founder of A Beautiful Story
• Pelle de Laaf – Head of Finance at Johan Cruijff ArenA
• Ian Helgering – Changemaker at Limitless, MBA Leadership & Cooperation at Nyenrode Business University
• Gaby Rosier – Strategic Sustainability Manager at Axians