Interview with Lisa van Blaricum
Lisa van Blaricum really follows her heart. Her love for horseback riding inspired her to study horses and eventually she worked in that sector for a while. Yet, thinking bigger she decided to dedicate her time towards a new adventure. At A.S.R. she followed a traineeship which enabled her to work and study at the same time, a great opportunity. In recent years, Lisa developed an interest in sustainability, and implements this passion as Head of Expertise Centre Sustainability at ASN Bank.
Thinking Bigger
“I loved working with horses, but I was missing the challenge of conceptual thinking, of dealing with complicated problems. That is what intrigues me in sustainability; what is the benefit for society and how do we combine this with doing business. Managing such issues fits me really well.”
Sustainable Development Goals
“If I had to pick one (or two) it would be SDG8 [sustainable economic growth and decent work for all], because it embodies perfectly what we are doing at ASN Bank. As financial service provider we provide responsible products that contribute to a sustainable economy; an economy with regard for the environment and biodiversity. SDG8 also entails inclusivity and involvement of all people in the economy.”
Leadership in times of Crisis
“It’s important to give people space to settle into this new situation. And to facilitate this process by keeping in close contact. I call often with my team members, not just about business, but also to ask them how what their struggles are. I motivate my colleagues by keeping it top of mind why we are doing this, what our bigger goal is; that their contribution is important, also from home.”
Being part of the solution
ASN Bank aspires to create positive impact on society by investing in sustainable development, so we and future generations can live in a better world. In our policies we choose which sectors and projects we fund. For example: we exclude the tobacco sector completely, but we focus our energy towards funding solar parks and investing in companies who foster biodiversity.
In society today, a lot more attention goes out to social issues. People are becoming more aware and critical; a great development because this creates a pull-effect on business to improve their products. At ASN Bank we believe we need to be part of the solution. We are a sustainability activator for our network and sector. For instance, we initiated the LivingWage platform where we question and engage companies about living wage in their clothing factories. For us, sustainability is the future, and nothing else.
Gender equality
I work in a dominantly male sector and I believe female energy is precisely what organisations need for the challenges of today. The added value of women cannot be expressed in KPI’s or certain quality markers; it is about giving a deeper meaning to business and being of importance to society and humanity. Exactly that consciousness is what we need to shape our society in after the current crisis; holding on to a world that is not exhausting its economy and create a sustainable future.
Not by excluding men, but such energy is just more often present in women. I strive for these abilities, and for women to support each other. Topics like wage-gaps and women in top-positions are still an issue and in a modern country in this time and age, this should no longer be a problem.
Wavemakers
I fully stand with what The Punchy Pack does. Sustainability is our future, and that is why our future leaders need to be involved. The Punchy Pack grabs that vision for the future and enables young professionals to be part of this. That really touches me and for me that is what it is all about.