SMU was honoured to host Prime Minister of the Netherlands (2002 – 2010), Professor Jan Peter Balkenende at the recent Presidential Distinguished Lecturer Series (Partnership Towards Sustainable Business) on 11 September 2017.

In his lecture, Professor Balkenende set out the Dutch Sustainable Growth Coalition’s agenda, discussing its sustainability goals and strategies for 2017. He also shared his views on global climate issues, how circular economy can help pave the way towards a sustainable future, and provided valuable insights on how corporations, big or small, may adopt sustainable practices in manageable ways. Following the lecture was a highly engaging question-and-answer session chaired by SMU President Professor Arnoud De Meyer, where the audience posed many thought-provoking questions on a variety of topics pertaining to sustainability in business and governance.