BLYDE WAKE-UP CALLS

The past years have laid bare many truths about our current model of capitalism — the severe income inequality and the belief that improving human lives and taking care of the environment are expendable for better profit margins. The changemakers in the growing Certified B Corporation community are demanding an end to the myth that profits must come at the expense of purpose, and environmental and social care. It’s time to wake up, it’s time for action.

At Blyde we believe in questioning the status quo. We believe in the power of the collective, in taking a stand and inspiring people by showing what can and must be changed. In our Wake Up Calls, Blyde stirs up hunger for positive change. We listen to several B Corp voices who talk about their call to action for companies around the globe today. By letting people from different perspectives and businesses speak, we would like to underline the important role of business in this decade of action. ‘On stage’ today: changemaker Sam van Gentevoort, founder of Fairlingo, a translation agency focused on using translations to remove language barriers from the world and create meaningful global connections. 

What was your actual wake-up call for contributing to a better world and the reason for becoming a sustainable/social company?

It was a gradual development. I started entrepreneurship during my studies and experienced it as a great adventure. At first, I strived for the mainstream image of success. But as I got older, I found personal and spiritual development more interesting. I started to delve deeper into the system’s challenges and alternatives, such as the meaning of economy. I also followed shamanic training and found that real happiness and change come from within. I find combining entrepreneurship with the transition we are in an appealing challenge.

What is your call to action for companies around the globe?

Rewrite the story of success and our economic model. Many companies and people still see money as an end and not as a means. Currently we rely too much on competition, individualisation and consumption. This causes a lot of damage to the earth and society in the long term. The current crisis of climate, inequality and ecology is at its core a spiritual crisis. Letting go of old structures, fear and control is especially difficult where the most change is needed. For example, politicians and central bankers are really just letting themselves be held hostage by the financial world. The mountain of debt gets bigger every year and by having to grow, one wants to make the debt manageable. But growth is putting pressure on the earth and its inhabitants.

Which SDG (Sustainable Development Goal) calls you most and why?

I think they are all important, but if I had to choose one, I hesitate between SDG 4 and SDG 16. Education aimed at a systemic change can be the seed of change. Peace is a basis for that, so I choose SDG 16.

As a translation agency, we can make the most impact in the area of ​​SDG 8. This by helping impactful organizations with translations to increase their reach in the world. In addition, as a service provider, we can contribute to decent work for all and inspire other companies with our B Corp activities.