Mirjam van Laarhoven

As authentic as Mirjam is, she also encourages companies and organizations to act authentically. “Sustainability is a people business and making a real impact lies in doing the right thing or the ‘better’ thing collectively. If you focus on low hanging fruit – solar panels for example – then you are not really making an impact. At most you will do ‘less badly’. So yes, that’s a nice start but for real impact you have to continue after that.”

With a study background and career in engineering, Mirjam knows the ins and outs, the objections and opportunities in this industry when it comes to circularity.

Mirjam recognizes greenwashing and is straight to the point when she encounters it. Yet she manages to bring this in an energetic and upbeat way, so it’s not a ‘finger-pointing show’ but she challenges you to think outside the box. “Fine if organizations start with ‘greenwashing,’ but sooner or later they will really have to get going because customers and public opinion will puncture it.”

Mirjam thinks and talks fast. She brings a boundless energy and, in her own words, “maybe bad jokes” to the stage, making her very approachable and never boring to listen to. But if you are looking for a traditional narrator-hearer situation, you haven’t come to the right place with Mirjam. Her lectures and workshops are packed with interactive working methods that will keep you constantly on the edge of your seat.

Simply put, Mirjam isn’t afraid to roll up her sleeves. With a ‘get cracking and take the bull by the horns’-mentality she truly knows: with even the smallest first step you take, an impact can already be made. And it can be the first to many subsequent steps. And that has another advantage: “Start with sustainability in an accessible way that is fun, then it tastes like more!”.

Do you want to go from talking about sustainable business to action. Mirjam introduces you to her 9 steps to a future-proof organization. In this lecture she gives you the tools to make impact today!

Sustainability beyond the buzzwords? What is it and how do you make sure you do the things that really make an impact? This keynote gives clear answers and shows that everyone can contribute to a sustainable future, without making it complicated.

Sustainability boring? In this interactive and humorous session, Mirjam shows that sustainability is anything but stuffy. It connects, it’s fun and above all it’s much needed!

Discover how sustainability and meaningful work connect different generations in the workplace and boost employee motivation. In this keynote, Mirjam shows how acting sustainably is not only good for the planet, but also for the happiness and success of your team! Plus, you become a magnet for new, talented staff.

Sustainability and gender equality go hand in hand, yet both are not yet a fact, even though gender equality is also part of the SDGs. It’s in the pay gap and opportunity inequality, among other things, but also in trivial-seeming details like language. “When we say, ‘come on boys,’ we mean girls too, but it does say something about our system in which men are still leading.” With her background in engineering and a mother who went to work when it was unusual, gender equality is close to Mirjam’s heart. In this keynote she explains what is at stake and how we can achieve this.

As an experienced chairperson, Mirjam van Laarhoven creates a dynamic and interactive atmosphere during your event, connecting both speakers and audience with her disarming energy. Being approachable and honest create a fun and casual atmosphere which makes her the perfect chair to build bridges and take action. What you see is what you get.

“I used to be a sustainability manager and that constant ‘peddling’ and convincing in a singular organization is not something that energizes me. I enjoy inspiring and activating organizations to really get going. I see that my method, in which we make employees enthusiastic, really works. No matter which company or industry, people always get stimulated. If you do what you love, you automatically make more impact.”

“A better term for me would be ‘For better,’ because although it’s not perfect yet, the important thing is that there is movement. I try to plant as many seeds as I can and keep expanding my reach. Even if I only got them thinking, or those companies and organizations are only doing a piece of what we discussed, that’s already a win. Once an organization or person has taken a step, the next one will quickly follow. For me personally, ‘good’ is being part of that movement and helping others take steps forward.”

“I make the topic of sustainability fun and discussable. I am direct, but not in a judgmental way. I am honest about the fact that there is still a lot of work to be done, but also realistic about the speed of change and society. Perhaps the very best thing would be for everyone to live in a cabin on the moor, but that is not realistic. I stress that we can let go of perfection, but not our responsibility.”

“Several! First of all, my mother, the first woman around me at that time who had a job in addition to her family. And of course, my father, who taught me to always think in opportunities and possibilities for improvement, whatever your obstacles.

From a business perspective, I find Jan Rotmans very inspiring. He makes science accessible because he sees it as his moral obligation. I identify with his view: I know something important, so I have to share it with a wider audience.”