Workwear should be a tool that helps you do your job safely and comfortably, yet for women across numerous industries, ill-fitting protective equipment remains a daily frustration. In this special episode recorded at the Future of Work event in Brussels, we explore the often-overlooked world of gender-specific workwear with two experts at the forefront of this issue.

Lena Bay-Høyland, Product Director at Fristads, reveals that while women's workwear has existed for decades, awareness and accessibility remain the biggest hurdles. "It's there, but somehow, miraculously, we don't notice," she explains. Meanwhile, Martyna, Lyreco's UK Innovation Ambassador and previous winner of our Pioneers program for her work on this very issue, describes the real-world challenges women face when forced to wear men's workwear in professional settings.

The conversation unveils fascinating insights into corporate purchasing behaviors that perpetuate these problems, with many companies opting for the simplicity of ordering a single product line rather than accommodating different body types. We also explore surprising specialized options that many don't realize exist – from maternity PPE to flame-retardant religious accommodations.

Most exciting is Fristads' innovative solution launching in 2026: gender-inclusive workwear offering both men's and women's fits under a single product code. This approach not only simplifies purchasing decisions but addresses sustainability challenges caused by inefficient production of women's sizes while creating more inclusive workplaces for everyone.

Whether you're responsible for workwear purchasing decisions, interested in workplace equality, or simply curious about how something as seemingly straightforward as protective clothing intersects with important issues of gender, sustainability and inclusion, this episode offers valuable perspectives on creating workplaces where everyone can perform at their best.

Organizational psychologist and BrainMove founder Anton Maes explores how workplace environments impact productivity, wellbeing, and organizational culture, particularly in the shift to hybrid working models. Anton reveals practical strategies to manage change, engage teams, and create productive workplaces that balance business needs with human psychology.

• The psychology of resistance to change and why people experience change as uncomfortable
• Balancing productivity objectives with employee wellbeing needs
• Why face-to-face interaction remains critical for knowledge sharing and team building
• The limitations of using solely physical environments to attract employees
• Creating effective activity-based workspaces that support different work processes
• How leadership practices need to adapt to hybrid working models
• Practical approaches to bring teams back together while maintaining flexibility
• The four key elements for successful hybrid working: environment, structure, knowledge exchange, and leadership
• Why leadership communities are becoming increasingly important
• How disruption can be positive for organizational growth when managed well

Join us at our Future of Work event on June 5th where Anton will be speaking and participating in a panel on return-to-work strategies.

The path to sustainable electronics isn't straightforward, but Trust International's ESG Manager Arjan Steenbergen is navigating it with remarkable dedication. Having spent his entire career at Trust since 1995, Steenbergen's journey from IT to sustainability exemplifies how environmental consciousness can evolve within corporations.

Electronics sustainability presents unique challenges - how do you make products more environmentally friendly when they're essentially "chemicals put together with electricity running through them doing something magical"? Trust approaches this complexity through comprehensive life cycle assessments, examining impacts from production to end-of-life. This methodical approach reveals that different products require different sustainability strategies: for mice, it might mean incorporating rechargeable batteries and recycled plastics; for keyboards, it could involve designing for repairability.

The conversation takes a fascinating turn when exploring the apparent contradiction between product longevity and carbon footprints. Counterintuitively, a longer-lasting electronic device might calculate a higher overall carbon footprint simply because it consumes energy for more years. This reveals how current sustainability metrics often lack critical context, prompting Steenbergen to advocate for more sophisticated communication approaches - perhaps expressing impact as carbon footprint per year rather than as a lifetime figure.

Looking ahead, the European Union's Eco-Design for Sustainable Products Regulation will fundamentally transform electronics design. Batteries will need to be removable, parts replaceable, and products more repairable overall. For Trust, this means rethinking product architecture from the ground up, eliminating practices like gluing components together that make disassembly difficult. While these changes present engineering challenges, they represent crucial steps toward true circularity.

The passion driving this transformation isn't just regulatory compliance - it's a genuine belief in building a more sustainable future. As Steenbergen puts it, having a level regulatory playing field helps, but seeing "so many people active in this space" provides the real energy to continue pushing forward. His story reminds us that behind corporate sustainability initiatives are individuals deeply committed to making meaningful environmental progress, one product design decision at a time.

Find out more about the Future of Work conference here: https://www.future-of-work.eu/

Trust: https://www.trust.com/en

Edelman trust index: https://www.edelman.com/trust/2025/trust-barometer

Meet Pep Rosenfeld, co-founder of Boom Chicago, a comedy club in Amsterdam, and champion for incorporating comedy into the workplace. In this conversation, we explore why humor is a powerful tool for business success, discussing practical ways to harness comedy for better team communication, engagement, and handling of difficult situations.

• Founding Boom Chicago as "the greatest stoner idea ever" in Amsterdam in 1993, now grown into a successful business
• Comedy across cultures – reference points matter more than cultural differences
• How improvisation skills directly translate to business success through better communication and mental agility
• Using humor to address challenging topics in the workplace without crossing inappropriate boundaries
• The impact of remote work on workplace humor and strategies for maintaining human connections in virtual settings
• Research showing teams that laugh together work better together and view their leaders more positively
• Practical applications of improv techniques for building psychological safety and team cohesion
• Using comedy to navigate difficult situations like economic downturns or organizational changes

Check out Pep's book "Work Laugh Balance" for more insights on how to effectively introduce humour into your workplace.

For more information on the Future of Work conference in Brussels - June 5th - visit: https://www.future-of-work.eu

What does it take for established companies to reinvent themselves in the digital age? Peter Hinson, bestselling author and innovation expert, believes we're overlooking something powerful in our fascination with disruptive startups.

After launching and exiting three successful tech ventures, Peter became captivated by how traditional businesses could transform themselves using technology. His journey from engineer to entrepreneur to thought leader offers a unique perspective on corporate reinvention that challenges conventional wisdom about innovation.

In this thought-provoking conversation, Peter introduces us to "Phoenix" companies – established organizations that rise from the ashes through strategic transformation. From Microsoft's remarkable turnaround under Satya Nadella to Walmart's surprising emergence as the second-largest e-commerce player in America, these examples demonstrate that innovation isn't exclusive to tech startups.

The discussion delves into what Peter calls our "never normal" world – an environment of constant change that renders traditional management tools like annual budgets quickly obsolete. This new reality demands more than structural adjustments; it requires cultivating curiosity, critical thinking, and adaptability throughout organizations.

Perhaps most fascinating is Peter's admiration for Hermès, the 180-year-old luxury brand that has continually reinvented itself across generations. From abandoning saddle-making when automobiles appeared to pioneering mushroom-based leather alternatives today, Hermès exemplifies how even the most traditional companies can embrace innovation while maintaining their identity.

Whether you lead an established company or aspire to disrupt an industry, this episode offers valuable insights into navigating transformation in an increasingly volatile business landscape. Join us at the Future of Work conference in Brussels on June 5th to hear more from Peter in person.

See Peter Hinssen speak live at the Future of Work Conference in Brussels, June 5th 2025: https://www.future-of-work.eu

Lena Bay Højland, Product Director at Fristads, reveals how the Swedish workwear company has evolved over its 100-year history while maintaining a commitment to quality and sustainability. She shares insights into how workwear quality has expanded beyond mere durability to include functionality, comfort, and thoughtful design.

• Quality in workwear has evolved from focusing solely on durability to incorporating functionality, comfort, and design
• Fristads practices 100% user-driven product development, involving end users at every stage of creation
• Sustainability has been in the company's DNA for 100 years, starting with their focus on durability and longevity
• Women's workwear faces challenges with limited options and low sales (15%), creating a difficult cycle to break
• Counterintuitively, organic cotton can have a lower CO2 emission than recycled polyester because cotton absorbs CO2 while growing
• Future innovations will focus on textile-to-textile recycling, more sustainable production methods, and modular design approaches

Visit us at the Future of Work event in Brussels on June 5th to see Fristads' latest sustainable workwear innovations and learn more about their closed-loop production processes.

www.future-of-work.eu

https://www.fristads.com/

Chris Forbes, co-founder of Cheeky Panda, shares the journey of building a sustainable toilet paper brand that uses bamboo instead of trees to create products that are better for the planet and for people.

• Bamboo regenerates from its roots unlike trees, preserving ecosystems and biodiversity
• Bamboo tissue produces 65% less carbon emissions than tree-based alternatives
• Younger generations (under 50s) are driving market change through values-based purchasing
• One poll found 60% of office workers rate their workplace toilet paper as "not good" or "terrible"
• Cheeky Panda became B Corp certified before it was widely recognized, building sustainability into their foundation
• The brand has expanded from toilet tissue to approximately 30 products including kitchen towels, facial tissues, wet wipes, and period products
• 25% of people have skin conditions that can be irritated by chemical-treated toilet paper

If you'd like to learn more about Cheeky Panda products or their sustainability journey, visit their website or look for their branded dispensers launching in March.

Bruce Daisley is a leading in voice in the world of workplace culture, a best selling author and past leader of some of the biggest technology companies.

Bruce is one of our keynote speakers in the Future of Work conference in Brussels on June 5th. 

Bruce Daisley pulls back the curtain on tech company workplace cultures in this illuminating conversation about what really creates thriving workplaces. The former VP of Twitter EMEA and bestselling author of "The Joy of Work" shares how the celebrated cultures at companies like Google and Twitter were often carefully constructed illusions designed primarily as recruitment tools rather than genuine attempts to improve employee experience.

"Most organizations feel like organized chaos on the inside," Daisley reveals, challenging us to move beyond superficial perks like office slides and snack rooms to create meaningful workplace environments. As our working patterns become increasingly homogenized across companies—hybrid schedules, messaging platforms, and endless meetings—the critical question becomes how organizations can truly differentiate themselves.

Daisley offers practical, actionable insights for businesses of all sizes. He explores how meeting-free days transformed productivity and employee satisfaction at companies that implemented them, and explains why intentional use of office space is crucial in the hybrid work era. "Wednesday looks different to Monday, Wednesday looks different to Friday... I don't think we've pushed ourselves hard enough there," he observes, suggesting that being deliberate about how we use different workdays creates opportunities for both creativity and efficiency.

Perhaps most powerfully, Daisley challenges conventional wisdom about resilience, sharing how the US Army's billion-dollar investment in individual resilience training failed while approaches fostering community and connection showed remarkable results. "Resilience is a collective thing. It's a sense that we're all in it together," he explains, offering two key levers for reducing workplace burnout: giving employees more control over their work and fostering genuine connections.

Don't miss Bruce Daisley's keynote at the Future of Work conference in Brussels on June 5th. Visit LinkedIn or www.future-of-work.eu to secure your tickets for this transformative event.

In this edition of the Pioneers Podcast, Marc talks to Adeline Barras - entrepreneur, social enterprise founder, restauranteur and start-up mentor.

Adeline is the co-founder of Entropy Restaurant - a fine-dining experience founded on the idea of conscious gastronomy. All their profits go to Adeline's other initiative, The Hearth Project.

Mentioned in this podcast:
https://eclo.farm - Formerly Le Champignon de Bruxelles

This podcast is owned and produced by the Innovation Team at Lyreco Group

Find out more about Lyreco Innovation here: www.lyreco-pioneers.com

In this episode I speak to Rasmus Vincentz, a pioneer in the complex field of helping corporations to embrace the benefits of biodiversity for the health of employees and the environment.

In this 40 minute discussion we covered a number of topics in the field of biodiversity including how we can measure biodiversity, who are the leaders and what companies can do. 

• Rasmus' company - Habitats - can be found at www.habitats.dk

The books he mentioned:

• Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants - By Robin Wall Kimmerer
• Métamorphoses - by Emanuele Coccia 

Links:

• Edelman Trust Index
• Kering's sustainability roadmap - more information here   
• BNP Paribas' work on quantifying "natural capital" - more information here
• Rasmus Vincentz on LinkedIn