A 500-year business plan for the planet

Key takeaways from a conversation with Jeroen van de Waal

If you think sustainability is just another corporate buzzword, meet Jeroen van de Waal who I had the pleasure of connecting with on Insight Connect. Over a decade ago, Jeroen left a high-powered career building assets for the mining and oil industries to find his "Ikigai", the sweet spot combining his skills, his passions, and a mission to save our oceans. 

As the founder of OrcaNation (an educational business that raises awareness of marine conservation and regeneration for children and adults), which is part of BlueBeat Group (a collective of for-profit businesses that revitalise life in our oceans), he shared some truly eye-opening and innovative ideas about the future of global business. Here are some of the key takeaways from our chat.

The 500-year business plan and the "blue economy"

In a very short-term focused world, we hear a lot about long-term business planning. Jeroen takes it to another level with his holding company, which operates on an extraordinary 500-year perpetual mandate. By looking centuries beyond his own lifespan, he guarantees a focus on future generations, while simultaneously planning core business activities on a dynamic monthly basis to avoid the stagnant thinking of traditional quarterly or yearly cycles. 

Jeroen champions the "blue economy". Rather than treating environmental preservation as a costly burden, he exposes how allying sustainability with business unlocks incredible, tangible opportunities for growth. Through his own BlueBeat Group, he demonstrates that developing new innovations and solutions for our oceans isn't just a philanthropic "nice to have". It is actually a powerful economic engine and a key driver for long-term profitability.

Cultural divide and unity, a new perspective on nature

During our conversation, Jerone shared some of his work and how in certain cities and countries a staggering 40% of parents refuse to let their children go on school nature camps because they believe the natural environment is simply too dangerous. Jeroen highlighted a stark contrast between global cultures: while many people in the West have put their faith entirely in the digital revolution and live disconnected lives indoors, citizens in emerging countries across Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia maintain a much stronger, direct dependency on nature. They are therefore a lot more sensitive to their direct impact and more likely to take steps to drive sustainability as a priority. 

Despite those cultural differences, Jeroens raises that manmade borders cannot stop air and water contamination from spreading. When it comes to the environment, we breathe the same air and use the same water, which gives us equal environmental responsibilities to respect. Embracing global citizenship isn't just a nice idea, it is actually a necessity.

Why Fortune 500s hold the key

You might assume that governments are best positioned to lead the sustainability charge, but Jeroen offered a completely different take. While politicians typically operate on short-term, self-centered election cycle, Fortune 500 companies, which represent 50% to 60% of the global GDP, inherently build strategies that span 10 to 25 years. 

Companies like Unilever, Patagonia, Procter & Gamble, and Ørsted (which remarkably pivoted from being an oil and gas company) are proving that a purpose-driven triple bottom line naturally attracts the best talent and profits.

Ultimately, in an era dominated by anxieties around artificial intelligence and global conflict, Jeroen's advice is refreshing: the best way to face the future of technology and business is simply to "stay human". As a global business leader, you don't have to be a "tree hugger" to care, as Jeroen notes. Even a healthy capitalist needs a well-balanced environment to thrive. 

In order to view our genuinely inspiring exchange that proves that building a lasting business legacy goes far beyond our own lifetime, click here.