Family businesses around the world are increasingly focused on implementing a sustainability agenda in their often tradition-bound companies. Some have gone further than others by embedding sustainability practices and standards at the very heart of their business model, requiring significant changes to supply chain, governance and organisational culture. Koninklijke Van Wijhe Verf, currently led by fourth-generation CEO Marlies van Wijhe, is one of these companies. Not only was Van Wijhe Verf the first company in the Netherlands to achieve B Corp status – an accreditation that guarantees performance, accountability, and transparency through ESG metrics – it was the first chemical company in the world to do so. In this episode of WiFB, Marlies van Wijhe discusses her family enterprise’s journey towards this sustainability milestone, the leadership practices that got them there and what’s next for Van Wijhe Verf.

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