Kim Poldner: 'We need to take time for recovery'

How did we come to regenerative entrepreneurship?

“What I've noticed is that sustainable thinking has evolved over the years. 
In society, and especially in business, people have become increasingly aware of environmental impact. Concepts like corporate sustainability and B Corp are now mainstream. The circular economy and donut economy are becoming better known. Now concepts, such as the regenerative economy, are emerging as the next step. Companies are in transition from a traditional way of working to regenerative business.”

“For me, regeneration is the dot on the horizon: a fundamental economic transformation in which companies not only reduce the carbon emissions of their production, but actively contribute to restoring ecosystems and communities.”

Why do you think regenerative business can make a difference, where circular business, for example, hasn't yet?
“If you look at reports like Circle Economy's Circularity Gap Report, you see that the circular economy is stagnant or even in decline. We do make progress with innovative business models, new technologies and better solutions for recycling, but the truth is that we simply consume too much.”

“At the same time, we are seeing government initiatives, such as the European Green Deal, CSRD and ESG becoming more serious. And consumer awareness is also changing. Twenty years ago you couldn't get a vegetarian croquette at the corner snack bar, but today you can. So society is indeed open to change. Yet, despite the positive developments, global warming continues unabated. That is exactly why I believe that a regenerative approach, aimed not only at reducing emissions but also at restoration, renewal and healing, has so much potential to actually move society and business forward.”

You make an important distinction between the outer world and the inner world.
“Yes, that's an essential point. In economic transformation, we often focus on external processes — think, for example, of using the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a guideline. That's valuable, but it regularly gets stuck in the traditional idea of economic growth. Four years ago, the Inner Development Goals (IDGs) were launched, shifting the focus to what we as people can do to change our attitudes and behaviours. After all, you can only bring about external change if you change something internally. For me, that was the impetus to really embrace the principle of regeneration.”

Can you give an example of regenerative entrepreneurship in practice?
“Take fashion designer Joline Jolink, for example. She worked for years with sustainable production methods, materials and an innovative business model. But two years ago, she decided it was time for the next step. She sold one of her stores and moved her business to a farm in Overijssel. There she grew flax for the production of her clothing line, managing the entire chain herself — from cultivation to finished product. It was not only a business decision, but also a personal transformation: back to the essence of making clothes. Her business model is now not just a clothing brand, but a company that grows its own raw materials, involving the local community. She is even turning an old chick barn on the farm into an educational centre to bring lost knowledge back to life and open it up to younger generations.”

And how do you see the role of technology, such as AI, in this process, which actually makes us work faster and faster, more productively?
“That is indeed an interesting tension. On the one hand, AI offers us the possibility to increase productivity enormously, but on the other hand, we notice that many people are in a kind of survival mode and increasingly suffer from burnout. What we need is a balance between the different rhythms: utilizing the technological possibilities while also making room for rest and regeneration. This could mean, for example, making room for activities such as yoga or meditation in the workplace in addition to intensive digital work. Technology can increase speed, but we also need to take time to slow down for recovery. Both can go hand in hand.”

Can you briefly take me through your career path to CET? For those who don't know you.
“I started studying fashion design at AMFI, because initially I wanted to become a fashion designer. However, I soon discovered that that was not my path, so I chose a master's degree at VU University in organizational anthropology. After my master's, I worked for a non-profit organization for a few years and founded a sustainable fashion store in Amsterdam in 2005. Unfortunately, that business model turned out not to be feasible so we had to close the store after two years. Then I went abroad, where I lived and worked for ten years. I started two more companies, but even those did not achieve the financial success I had hoped for. You could call it entrepreneurial failure, but I learned an awful lot from it. Eventually I got my doctorate in Switzerland, at the University of St. Gallen on sustainable entrepreneurship in fashion. Since then, I have been working in higher education.”

“Since January 2024, I have been an associate professor in Groningen, and I am currently working on my oration, in which I will elaborate on my vision of regenerative leadership.”