TOPICS JAN PETER BALKENENDE AS SPEAKER:
Sustainability & Climate Change
Leadership & strategy
Corporate Governance
Innovation, Business and Management
Economics and Finance

Author
Jan Peter Balkenende is co-author of the book Capitalism Reconnected -Toward a Sustainable, Inclusive and Innovative Market Economy in Europe.

Capitalism has gone astray. Today we face ecological exhaustion, persistent inequality, financialization, stress on communities, short-termism, and new power concentrations.
An avalanche of new economic thinking and a reorientation of European values show the way toward a different economy. A new perspective is necessary if we want to implement the Sustainable Development Goals and if we consider our planet as ‘Our Common Home,’ for present and future generations.
This book argues that European economies should be the initiators of a global transition toward a sustainable and inclusive world economy. Together, amid severe geopolitical and geoeconomic challenges, they need to develop their own perspective on what a good economy really is, in distinction to Chinese state capitalism and American big business capitalism. Crucially, this requires the rediscovery of key European values, a coherent view on responsible capitalism, and a new self-awareness as a global player for the Common Good in today’s and tomorrow’s world.

REVIEW
“We are in a race against time to transition to a net-zero and sustainable economy. This is a must read for anyone seeking to learn more on how Europe can help set the world on a new development pathway to make us more resilient to future shocks.”
Ban Ki-moon - 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations

“Reconnect convincingly explains how we should focus on the things that matter and apply cooperative leadership to attack todays biggest challenges. We would all be so much the better for it.“
Paul Polman - Former CEO Unilever Author of Net Positive. How Courageous Companies Thrive by Giving More Than They Take

"As we move into a multipolar world in the 21st century, Europe’s role will be critical. Sadly, in many ways, Europe has lost its way. This volume by Balkenende and Buijs is timely as it provides a deep analysis of Europe’s challenges and prescribes many thoughtful solutions. It’s a must read for all friends of Europe around the world."
Kishore Mahbubani - Former UN Permanent Representative of Singapore; Distinguished Fellow at the Asia Research Institute of NUS.

"The road to sustainability is a shared assignment, for citizens, civil society, businesses, national and European authorities. Cooperation is a value in itself. A renewed economy requires a renewed society. A book full of ideas, values, and especially hope, which we badly need."
Herman van Rompuy - President Emeritus European Council, Minister of State Belgium