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Application deadline: 12 January 2026
Unlock your passion and creativity and accelerate the sustainability transformation
At TEAMPACTOR, we believe in unlocking the full potential of young professionals. Based on our proven experience with the UN Global Compact Young Professionals Program, we offer in close cooperation with WIFS (Women in Financial Services) a tailor-made Future Leaders Program that equips top talent to drive the SDG and ESG agenda.
We know that this generation of upcoming leaders wants to be involved and is seeking for opportunities to contribute actively to the sustainability agenda. Today’s young professionals are deeply committed to making a difference. They want to help solve our most urgent global challenges. Yet, far too often, their passion for impact remains untapped within corporate sustainability strategies.
We strongly believe it’s time for a shift.
This Future Leaders Program (FLP) is more than leadership development. It’s a strategic investment in innovation, purpose, and long-term impact. By joining this program future leaders are empowered to act boldly on pressing issues like climate, biodiversity, circularity, human rights and inequality. So, you don’t just adapt to the future, you help shape it!
Now more than ever, it matters to lead with purpose and build a future where everyone feels included. Let’s start building!
The FLP is specifically designed for ambitious young professionals (aged 23-35) that are eager to:
- Embark on an exciting SDG-journey and step out of their comfort zone
- Be part of a mixed team of young professionals that makes a difference
- Transform from an individual contributor to a high-performing team player
- Discover how to unlock game-changing potential in themselves and others
Mission of the Future Leaders Program:
Reaching out to young leaders within the Financial Services community and beyond to involve them actively in a unique SDG leadership journey!
Key objectives:
The FLP is a distinctive and advanced leadership program that is based on action-learning and focusses on three key objectives (learning goals):
- Understanding where the SDGs and the ESG agenda are about and delivering with a team of young leaders an impactful and innovative SDG project within the timeframe of a year.
- Building and sustaining an effective multidisciplinary and cross company team, getting insights in team building, team roles, team performance and team dynamics. Understanding your own role within the team.
- Developing leadership skills that will contribute to become an inspiring, sensitive, innovative, effective and responsible business leader.
How does the concept of the FLP in a nutshell looks like?
- Participants from different companies and with diverse professional backgrounds form a multidisciplinary team (10 – 12 team members) with the aim to deliver an impactful and innovative SDG project together.
- During the SDG-journey of 13 months (including a 6 weeks Summer break and 3 weeks Christmas break) the team members are challenged and empowered to learn about the SDGs and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors and develop their teamwork and leadership skills.
- The team members (aged between 23 and 35) are highly motivated to join the FLP and are selected from a diverse mix of companies and functions.
- A senior Executive Team Coach supports the team throughout their SDG-journey
If you want to know more about the Curriculum of the FLP please click here.
Business and Personal Benefits
As FLP participant you will get the opportunity to:
- Step out of your regular position and comfort zone and gain new insights & experience by working in a multi-disciplinary team of up to 10-12 young professionals.
- Add value to society by tackling an SDG-related challenge.
- Develop an innovative and impactful project with your team, using out-of-the-box and innovative thinking.
- Collaborate with peers from other organizations and provoke useful connections to facilitate future partnerships.
- Develop your project management skills and leadership qualities.
- Get deeper understanding on how to achieve effective teamwork and get insights about team dynamics, team roles and your own role within the team.
- Work on specific Personal Learning Objectives throughout the FLP and get individual coaching where needed.
- Meet with like-minded young professionals and sustainability / ESG experts and extend your professional network.
- Get guidance throughout the program from a senior executive team coach with a lot of experience on sustainability and ESG related business issues.
The Future Leaders Program
A learning journey of growth, impact and leadership:
the development of future-proof skills
In a world that requires decisive, conscious and future-oriented leaders, the Future Leaders Program offers young professionals a unique springboard. Over the course of a year, 10 to 12 talented participants work intensively in a team on a socially relevant project around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Not as a spectator, but as a co-architect of change.
This context creates a powerful learning environment in which the following top 10 essential leadership skills develop organically and purposefully:
Strategic and Analytical Thinking
At the heart of every SDG project lies complexity. Participants learn to recognize patterns, analyze causes of social issues and use strategic thinking power to come up with innovative solutions. They are challenged to think outside the box and use social innovation as the key to system change. By working together on a complex social issue (SDG project), participants learn to think broadly and systemically. Through design thinking sessions, data analysis, interviews and strategic feedback rounds, they are challenged to develop smart, innovative solutions that make a real impact around a socially relevant issue.
Collaboration and Team Dynamics
The program is all about teamwork. From the start-up phase with team charters, team dynamics theories to dealing with personal differences and tensions. Participants learn to use the power of diversity and get to know themselves and others better as a team player. It is about working together in a larger team, but also within subgroups. Participants discover how they contribute to a strong team, build trust and learn to deal with different roles, styles and interests. Through team coaching, peer feedback and individual reflection, they grow in understanding and influencing group dynamics.
Creativity and (Social) Innovation
Creativity is not only stimulated, but is a prerequisite for impact. In a setting where there is room for experimentation, participants learn to let their own ideas flourish and to inspire others. They develop the power of initiative: daring to act before everything is certain. In the SDG project and through the individual challenges / assignments, participants are given plenty of room to turn their creative ideas into action and build on the ideas of their team mates. It is about originality, taking initiative and an entrepreneurial attitude. They are encouraged to think outside the box and to show leadership themselves by identifying opportunities and taking action.
Problem-solving and Decision-making
Participants are helped to arrive at workable solutions based on empathy, logic and intuition. They learn to unravel complex problems and translate them into concrete actions. Through continuous iteration, feedback and group reflections, participants sharpen their ability to dissect problems, develop new solutions and properly substantiate choices. During the decision making process participants learn to look closely at the division of roles: who takes the lead, who asks questions, who tests on facts? Learn to be aware of group influence: think of peer pressure, dominance of certain team members, or conflict avoidance. And learn how important it is to create psychological safety in a team setting: to guarantee that there is room to express a different opinion?
Listening Skills
Active listening and the ability to observe without judgment are keys to good leadership. During the program, participants learn to weigh up, make nuanced judgments and make decisions based on shared values and goals. During deep listening exercises, dialogue sessions and team meetings, participants learn the power of real listening and careful judgment. This forms the basis for making well-thought-out, supported decisions, crucial for future-oriented leadership.
Effective Communication
Clear communication makes all the difference. The program will practice storytelling, giving and receiving feedback, and tuning in to various stakeholders. Participants learn to speak with impact and to listen with openness. The continuous exchange of insights, pitches, presentations and peer feedback makes participants aware of their communication style. They practice communicating in a clear, connecting and convincing way, and learn how to ask, give and receive feedback in a constructive way.
Project Management
Impact requires the power to realize. Participants learn to set goals, monitor priorities, achieve cooperation with third parties (e.g. an NGO) and steer towards results. They discover how to get others on board and turn resistance into support, crucial skills for those who want to lead change. Team members practice planning, prioritizing and steering for results, with room for reflection on their personal leadership style. In alternating pairs, participants can take on the role of Team Captain (project leader) or Chief Happiness Officer (team inspirator) and actively practice with it.
Adaptability and Cognitive Flexibility
In a rapidly changing world, the ability to switch perspectives and deal with uncertainty is indispensable. Participants work on inner flexibility and the ability to reposition themselves over and over again. In a dynamic learning environment in which not everything is predictable, participants are challenged to switch, deal with uncertainty and look at things from different perspectives. Reflection exercises and coaching stimulate self-insight and resilience.
Emotional Intelligence
Leadership starts with self-awareness. By sharing personal experiences, showing vulnerability and learning about their own motives and emotions, participants develop empathy and resilience, for themselves and for others. In collaboration with others, participants learn to better recognize, understand and regulate their own emotions and those of others. This promotes empathy, self-awareness and social sensitivity; crucial skills for sustainable leadership.
Leadership and Social Influence
By leading a project with social impact, participants experience in practice what it means to give direction, inspire others and exert influence. Not from hierarchy, but from authenticity, vision and connection. The combination of self-management, group responsibility and impact-oriented work ensures that each participant develops his or her unique leadership voice. Situational leadership, influencing stakeholders and building support for change are practiced.
Practical Information
Timelines
The FLP, which has a lead time of roughly 13 calendar months, will start twice a year.
The first round of the FLP starts mid January 2026 and will end around the end of February 2027.
During the Summer months (mid-July to the end of August) there is a Summer break of approximately 6 weeks.
From mid-December 2026 till the second week of January 2027, there will be a Christmas break of approximately 3 weeks.
Team Meetings
The FLP starts with two kick-off days that will take place centrally in the country and spread over a period of three weeks.
After the kick-off, plenary team meetings will take place twice a month (1 x virtually, an hour and a half and 1 x physically on location at different companies, in the afternoon / half a day).
The rhythm (times and preferred days) of these monthly meetings will take place in consultation with the team members (tailor-made agreements).
Time Investment
Participants that will take part in the FLP-journey should take into account a time commitment of approximately 15 days.
This means an availability of 12 working days throughout the duration of the FLP for team meetings (virtual and at different locations) and working in subgroups.
Approximately 3 days for self-study and making assignments.
Target Group
Top talented young professionals that are interested in the SDGs, ESG, innovation, teamwork and (responsible) leadership development.
Requirements:
- Aged between 23-35
- Based in the Netherlands
- Have a minimum of 2 years of professional working experience
- Ability to invest 1 working day a month (total of 12 working days) and 3 days of their own time
Application deadline: 12 January 2026
Dates for the kick-off:
FLP Team 1: 21 January and 13 February 2026
FLP Team 2: 28 January and 20 February 2026
Financial Investment
€3.750 ex. VAT is the fee for participants from members of Women in Financial Services.
€4.250 ex. VAT is the fee for participants that are not a member of Women in Financial Services.
Note: If you’ll join the FLP, you will automatically become a member of the WIFS community for the first year.
Questions?
Please contact Jan van den Herik: +31 6 51222450, jan@teampactor.nl
An unexpected journey with lasting impact. A learning experience that stays with you!
The Future Leaders Program is not a program in the traditional sense. It is a journey of discovery in which learning, working and growing come together. The integrated approach: learning by doing, reflecting and giving meaning makes the Future Leaders Program unique. Under the guidance of an experienced senior executive coach, in a safe and ambitious learning environment, a profound development is created that affects head, heart and actions. Participants leave the program not only with a strengthened profile, but with a deeper understanding of who they are as a leader. With an increased awareness of themselves, a strengthened set of leadership skills and a solid foundation to make a positive impact in their own organization and the world beyond.
Future Leaders Program Registration
A Proven Concept and Track-Record
The Future Leaders Program is a spin-off of the very successful Young Professionals Program (YPP) of UN Global Compact Network Netherlands. During the period 2017-2025 >140 young professionals (15 teams) took part of the YPP under the guidance of the executive team coach Jan van den Herik. Please have a look at the YPP-video and testimonials of some of the former YPP participants. If you want to know more about some of the different SDG projects that were delivered by the YPP-teams you can find more information via the BLOG posts. See for a quick view as an example also the overview of the different SDG projects below:
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