Marie-Christine Ostermann

The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is more than a regulatory hurdle; it's a catalyst for deep Business transformation. To navigate this new landscape successfully, companies need a strategic approach that goes beyond mere compliance and integrates sustainability reporting into their core business strategy, which involves some thinking about technology to collect Data, and internal skills to operate the system(s). Here's IMPACT LABS.earth view to turn CSRD into a strategic advantage: 1️⃣ Data Collection: Automate, but Choose Wisely Technology is essential for collecting the vast amounts of data required for CSRD reporting, but: 🎯 Focus on your needs: What specific data points are most relevant to your business and stakeholders? Existing solutions are adapted to certain industries and company sizes: be mindful of that! 📌 Agnostic selection: Don't lock yourself into a single vendor's ecosystem. Look for flexible solutions that integrate with your existing systems and allow you to switch if needed.  🤖 Data quality matters: Automated data collection is only as good as the quality of the data. Invest in cleaning and verifying your data! 2️⃣ Consulting Partners: The Power of Independence Consulting partners can provide valuable expertise, but be cautious about bundled offerings. 👩‍💼 Separate technology and consulting: Choose a technology partner based on their expertise in data collection and reporting, and a separate consulting partner to help you interpret the data and develop your sustainability strategy. 🏭 Look for industry experience: Choose consultants with a proven track record in your industry and a deep understanding of CSRD requirements. 3️⃣ Internal Champions: The Key to Long-Term Success The success of your CSRD strategy depends on internal champions who can drive the process and integrate sustainability into your company culture. ⚖ Identify passionate advocates: Look for individuals who are passionate about sustainability and have the skills to manage a complex reporting process. ⛵ Empower them to lead: Give your champions the authority and resources they need to succeed. This includes access to decision-makers, training, and support from top management. 4️⃣ Integrate CSRD into Strategic Planning: CSRD reporting should not be a siloed activity. Integrate the metrics and learnings into your company's strategic planning process. ⚡ Act on key material issues: Use CSRD data to understand your company's most significant environmental and social impacts. 🥅 Set ambitious goals: Develop clear, measurable targets for reducing your impact and improving your sustainability performance. The Path Forward CSRD presents a unique opportunity for companies to not only comply with regulations but also to build a more sustainable and resilient business. Please consult IMPACT LABS.earth if you want to leverage that opportunity.

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𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. 𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝟭𝟬𝟬%? 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲! As a CEO, one of your most important tasks is ensuring that your first and second leadership tiers are not only competent but also deeply trustworthy. Only when you can fully trust each of these key individuals—both in their professional expertise and their integrity—can you focus on what truly matters. I know it’s tough to make these calls. You’re often balancing loyalty to long-time employees with the urgent need for the right people in the right seats. But this is your ultimate Number One Deliverable as a CEO. If you choose and work with a mediocre team, you demonstrate to your entire organisation that you are ok with mediocracy. 👉Are your people true experts in their area of responsibility? Are they better than you in their area of responsibility?   👉Would you entrust your company's health and wealth in them? Are you confident that they want the company's success as much as you do and that they are prepared to do anything to get there?   👉Are these people of a character that you would love to work for them? Or, would you love to see any of your children working for each of them?  With an excellent top-tier leadership team, you will be able to focus on roadblock removal, co-creation of new strategic initiatives, stakeholder relations, and the next bold move. 💡How much of your mind is busy today with concerns that people won’t deliver what was committed to?   💡How confident are you that people tell you the full truth?   💡How much do you enjoy being with your colleagues? Do you feel inspired by and proud of your management team? There is nothing worse than people who are "75% ok": too bad to be confident in and too good to be dismissed. I encourage you not to settle for less than "95%". There can be some wiggle room with regards to technical knowledge; there should be no compromise on integrity. At 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗖𝗘𝗢 (𝘄𝘄𝘄.𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗼.𝗲𝘂), we support CEOs in mastering this transformation. Our heritage is in restructuring and transformation of businesses in distress. We have seen things go wrong big time, and there is no such case where a well-functioning Tier 1 management was leading a distressed business. If you’d like to explore how to ensure your team is at 100%, I’d love to discuss your specific challenges. Let’s see how HumanCEO can help. 

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🇩🇪 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆’𝘀 𝗙𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲? 💶   At first glance, it is striking that the total sum of Germany’s special funds (€ 969 billion) is 𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗲 this year’s federal budget (€ 477 billion). Most of the special fund’s volume is loan-financed: In other words, 𝗱𝗲𝗯𝘁 (€ 780 billion) instead of equity (€ 89 billion).   𝗖𝗗𝗨/𝗖𝗦𝗨 & 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗢𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗶𝗻   Although the traffic light coalition must face the political consequences of the excessive special funds use now, it was the CDU/CSU in the 1950s who committed the actual original sin. 21 of the currently still active 29 special funds (72%) have been passed by a CDU/CSU-led government. More than a third originates from the 𝗔𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹𝗮 𝗠𝗲𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗹 𝗲𝗿𝗮.   𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁 𝗥𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴   The improper use of not fully utilized funds from the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the CDU/CSU Fraktion to file a constitutional suit: With success. From November 15, 2023, the federal government attempts to close the fiscal gap resulting by the ruling of the Federal Constitutional Court. As of now, there are two options for the use of special funds left. The first option is to get a 𝘁𝘄𝗼-𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲 in the Deutscher Bundestag, which has already worked with the 'Sondervermögen Bundeswehr'. The second option is to exclusively use the 𝘆𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 from existing or new specials funds. As an example, the 'Sondervermögen Generationenkapital' can be mentioned here.   In a nutshell, the use of special funds has become much more challenging and makes other options more likely. Over the next few weeks, PIVOT Regulatory will continue analyzing several options on a case-by-case basis in terms of 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝘃𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 and 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 how Germany can adopt a compliant fiscal budget in 2025. Stay tuned!   #germany #fiscal #federalbudget #publicfinance #ministryoffinance #economics #politics #finance

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Interesting new episode of the Kassenzone podcast with Peter Pernot-Day from SHEIN, who talks about the history as well as current developments and the general business model. Three interesting tidbits: SHEIN has been active in Germany since 2015. As a company, it has also been profitable since that year - despite the low prices. SHEIN's goal is to create "High Engagement Experiences": Unlike purely search-driven retail, customers should open the app regularly, even if they don't want to buy anything specific. SHEIN is primarily an e-commerce company, but they explicitly use pop-up stores to enable interaction in the physical world - Pernot-Day calls this "ephemeral retail". Find out more in the podcast (it starts in German, but the interview is in English):

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aschenbach+Partner (a+P) presents itself with an expanded service portfolio   Our mission is to define and implement value-enhancing growth solutions for entrepreneurs and investors.   To this end, a+P has revised and expanded its service portfolio in order to offer both entrepreneurs and investors customized solutions.   For entrepreneurs, we offer ·      with our ‘Growth Studio’: the development and implementation of value enhancement and growth strategies, ·      access to capital for growth financing and shareholder changes ·      and strategic M&A via company acquisitions and sales.   For investors, such as Family Offices, Private Equity or Venture Capital, we offer active support in ·      market development and the establishment or expansion of a deal pipeline, e.g. for foreign investors planning to enter the German-speaking market or who want to implement a Buy & Build strategy, ·      the management of an investment portfolio, ·      the closing of transactions or the activities of a classic ‘M&A project office’, ·      and the definition and implementation of exit strategies, particularly in relation to underperforming assets or in difficult market situations where there is a risk of a ‘broken deal’ or an unsuccessful auction.   We offer our services primarily in a wide range of industries in which a+P's Managing Partners and Industrial Advisors have many years of operational experience - and from which our clients, whether entrepreneurs or investors, can now benefit.   More at: https://lnkd.in/dK6KvVNT

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𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧-𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲: 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗘𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵? The T-profile - a mix of deep expertise and broad knowledge - has been hyped as the ultimate framework for years. Efficient? Sure. Versatile? Definitely. But here’s the real question: in today’s fast-paced, specialized world, is it still cutting it? My take: Not really. While it works in certain roles, it often falls flat in high-pressure, complex fields like finance or accounting. Here’s why: - Expecting one person to be both a master and a jack of all trades? Unrealistic. - It piles on pressure, leads to burnout, and forces compromises in quality. 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚? Stop overloading individuals. Split the load. - Specialists go deep. - Generalists connect the dots. - Collaboration brings it all together. That’s the foundation of the Z-model: a framework I believe fits today’s demands far better. This post is just the beginning. Over the next 5 posts, I’ll break down the Z-model and show you how it can reshape team dynamics in a way the T-profile just can’t. Is the T-profile still the gold standard, or is it time to move on? #financetrasnformation #hr #accounting

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There is a lot of mystery talking concerning #ai value cases in Marketing, Sales, Conmerce and Service. We want to host the #pioneers and giving them a Plattform to present their product to our Executive Jury… We are looking forward to applications #startup MarketingTechLab Jens Polomski Ralf Strauss Mareike Milde

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Deeptech startups are the driving force behind some of the most innovative products the world has seen in recent years. But fundraising for a company with a grand vision and long R&D cycles is not without challenges in the current market environment. I am looking forward to discuss our recent learnings with two of biggest Infinite Roots‘ supporters and investors, European Investment Bank (EIB) and redalpine, at the TechBBQ in Copenhagen tomorrow. #Startup #VentureCapital #DeepTech #Fundraising

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Gründer: Zahl der Start-up-Insolvenzen steigt auf Rekordhoch https://buff.ly/3Y8hwa8 The number of start-up insolvencies has reached a record high, indicating a challenging environment for new businesses. Factors contributing to this trend could include economic instability, lack of funding, or insufficient market demand. It's crucial for entrepreneurs to carefully plan and manage their finances to navigate these risks successfully. According to recent reports, the rise in start-up insolvencies underscores the importance of resilience and adaptability in the business world. #startups #insolvencies

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It is such a cool thing that we as Change Pioneers have this interactive Coaching Pool - whether you want to get-to-know potential coaches better than just a CV or static website or as a larger scale inhouse solution for your employees and managers. No need any longer for HR BPs to recommend the usual 1 or 2 coaches - let your internal clients decide! Check it out and feel free to ask me! And certainly I am thrilled to be part of the Change Pioneers Coach Pool: Igniting Sustainable Change Globally! 🌟   Change Pioneers GmbH is a global consulting ecosystem dedicated to igniting sustainable, impactful change worldwide.   Change Pioneers is not just a consultancy; it's a movement. We believe in cultivating teams and organizations grounded in purpose, driving toward a sustainable tomorrow. Our integrated human-first approach recognizes the primary value of individuals in propelling organizations, leaders and teams forward. Moreover, we base our strategies on evidence-based practices, leveraging neuroscientific findings to establish solid ground rules for change and transformation.   I am honored to be part of Change Pioneers' esteemed coach pool, where personal mastery takes center stage. Our team of proven experts is dedicated to helping individuals thrive amidst uncertainty and change. Together, we focus on developing new behaviors that not only impact your professional life but also enhance your personal growth and well-being.    Here's to igniting sustainable change together!   #coach #coaching #coachpool #changepioneers #coaching4all

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At first glance, long-term relationships might seem contradictory to the freelance management market. And yet, at Maerten & Partners, we have a track record of building them.   With fairness of business in our DNA, we strongly believe in long-term bonds in the freelance world: not only with clients but also with interim managers.   Our DNA consists of transparency, respect, fairness of business, thinking beyond the boxes, hearing what is said between the lines, and fair margins.   We proactively work on an interesting client base with challenging assignments, and daily build further on our network filled with high-quality freelance managers with flexible egos.   Add to that our multidimensional matchmaking on hard skills, soft skills ànd personality/culture, and there you have it: our recipe for long-term relationships in the freelance market.   Are you interested in working with an agency that strives to be your trusted partner?   Let's talk!    Maerten & Partners project and interim managers #projectmanagement #interimmanagement #freelance #fairbusiness #quality #executionpower #matchmaking

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//#RESEARCH UPDATE No. 3 #CVC #ventureclient #openinnovation Last but not least, let's deep dive in the third one of our recent #conference papers from Research Group Strategic Entrepreneurship at HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management and venture.idea at the @25th Conference of Continuous Innovation Network (CINet) in September. This paper is titled "To invest or not to invest? Leveraging external corporate venturing for strategic renewal" and was written together with Philipp Frey, Louisa Heiduk and Dominik K. Kanbach. It compares the organizational characteristics of #Corporateventurecapital (CV Capital) and #corporateventureclienting (CV Clienting), as these are two distinct form of working wioth startups to create new business for an existing organization #openinnovation: - CV Capital is the established tool of investing in novel startups through a corporate venture capital fund to gain access to new technologies/business models and possibly achieve positive financial returns - CV Clienting ist a rather emerging form of very structured start-up cooperation in which the corporates becomes an early client of a startups. This does not involve any investment but allows to test and possibly shape the value proposition of novel startups for the corporation. Both are usually managed from dedicated #corporateventuring units, which we investigated to see how they are organized and which characteristics they represent that are crucial to contribute to the #strategicrenewal of the mother company. The results: - Both CV Clienting and CV Capital show *some* of the crucial characteristics for strategic renewal (i.e. dynamic capabilities, ambidexterity), however with clear differences in their strength - CV Capital focuses more on the exploration of future competitive advantages while CV Clienting helps to sustain competitiveness in the current core business - The combination of both tools (by running them in a parallel, but interlinked way) allows for full scale external "strategic corporate venturing"! What is your experience with #CVC or #Ventureclient ? Let me know in the comments and feel free to pm me or download the full article!

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German small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the backbone of the country's economy, face significant competition in the digital world, particularly from global players. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a shift to online commerce, challenging traditional businesses to adapt quickly. As the pandemic's impact on e-commerce subsides, many SMEs face the task of maintaining the online structures they built, which now burden their income statements. Besides, customers' return to physical stores and their expectation for a seamless Omnichannel experience necessitate a new, customer-centric approach. How can SMEs compete against those giants? What "tools" do they need? And how do they need to develop their organization and technology to remain future-proof? You will find my thoughts in our latest blogpost. Happy to receive your feedback, comments or personal message🙌 . https://lnkd.in/eHJVrA7S #SMEs #DigitalStrategy #OhrConsulting #Ecom #Omnichannel #CRM #customercentric

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Last week, WEPA Ventures partnered with WEPA Stiftung and WHU Institut für Familienunternehmen und Mittelstand for a unique gathering. We invited a selected group of family entrepreneurs, family officers, founders, VCs, and business angels to our office in Düsseldorf to discuss startup investments by family businesses and family offices. With every participant bringing valuable practical experience, the atmosphere was highly engaging and trustful. Alongside keynotes and panel discussions, we had lively debates that covered a wide range of topics. Here are my three key takeaways: 💡 Multiple Approaches to Investing: Most participants shared more than one approach to startup investments that is currently actively pursued by their organization. While there is certainly a bias due to the preselection of attendees, this signals a growing maturity of VC investments by family businesses and family offices in Germany. Notably, around 50% of participants manage more than 10 investments in their current role, which underlines this perspective. 💡Direct Involvement of Entrepreneurial Families: The discussions reaffirmed the critical role of direct family involvement. Ideally, entrepreneurial families are crafting investment setups that are attractive to both founders and VC co-investors, while maintaining the trust of their family peers or core organizations. Combining execution speed with the value brought by industrial networks or core business capabilities is key to being a valued investor in the early-stage VC ecosystem. 💡Feedback on Keynote about my PhD Research: The initial findings from my PhD research received positive feedback from other practitioners. You might say, "Didn’t you interview them in the first place?" True, but stepping away from interviewer role allowed me to share what I had derived from the research, and it was rewarding to hear that the abstraction and models resonated well. To everyone who participated and supported—you know who you are—thank you so much for the insightful discussions and your valuable input! We’ll continue to foster these exchanges. I’m also more than eager to hear more perspectives on this topic. If you’re interested in a chat, please feel free to reach out!

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It is an honour that our book is taken up by Michael Köttritsch and Die Presse! If you’re looking for a summer read on change mangement, you might as well grab your copy here: https://lnkd.in/dMgbQNVF

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Nothing is more constant than change – cliché or truth? This sentence is heard very often in today's world, and I firmly believe that it should not just be an excuse for poor leadership and communication in times of change. That's why I talked to Matthias Haller from personalmagazin about the qualities that make a good leader in times of change. Because Rolls-Royce Power Systems AG is currently undergoing a transformation, as it always has been: we are constantly reviewing which areas are sustainable. We must always evolve with the market and, for example, current requirements for energy efficiency and sustainability – standing still would be disastrous. Rolls-Royce provides a convincing answer. In times of great transformation, as we are currently experiencing, leadership has its finest hour! ⭐  Employees need to understand the goal of our transformation in order to give their best and to feel psycological safe. Here, leaders need to listen, need to understand the questions and of course - also the concerns of their teams. It is important to provide security. Leadership must empower and not patronise. #performance and #humanity is not a contradiction. Many thanks to Personalmagazin for the opportunity to talk about these important topics! https://lnkd.in/e5UfU5Wk #CorporateCulture #Leadership #Transformation Generation CEO e.V.Amy Derbyshire Maria Kokkinou Alex Quinn Laura Evans Helen McCabe Christine Kirtscher Isabel Hartung Jumana Al-Sibai Alexandra Mebus Andrea Wasmuth Susan-Stefanie Breitkopf Clara Sattler de Sousa e Brito Eva Christiansen Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook Sirka Laudon Katrin Lehmann Edith Wolf Sarah Armstrong Nicola Grady-Smith Christina Sontheim-Leven Uta Anders Kathrin A.Prof. Dr. Edda FeiselSandra Schütte Tanja Faller Inga Dransfeld-Haase Michelle Liu Ariane Reinhart Kerstin WagnerDr. Jeannette von Ratibor Heike Freund Kathrin GüntherBeate Rosenthal

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