Institut für Organic Business GmbH

Changing society
through organic education.

— Making organic a culture.

Institut für Organic Business GmbH (IOB) is an education institute based in Bavaria, Southern Germany, dedicated to talent development, business development, experiences and community building for the organic sector.
It was founded by Germany-based organic education expert Natsuko Lempke, and has grown Japan's largest organic community — over 1,900 course participants.

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WHY EDUCATION

Why we invest in education.

Japan's organic market is still small compared with Europe. Now that products and shelves have multiplied, what is truly needed is to nurture people who can speak to the essence of organic.

When individuals grow, organisations change. When organisations change, society moves. With evidence built in Germany and implementation refined on the ground in Japan, we support the companies and individuals who invest in that change.

ABOUT IOB

About IOB

Institut für Organic Business GmbH (IOB) is an education institute based in Bavaria, Southern Germany, working across talent development, business development, experiences and community building for the organic sector. Beyond corporate training and expert education, it offers subsidy support and European market-entry support for Japanese brands (business development) as well as study tours and guesthouse stays in Southern Germany (experiences) — and runs Japan's largest organic community, with over 1,900 course participants.

HISTORY

History

Founder Natsuko Lempke moved to Germany in 2009 and earned a Master's degree in organic agriculture at the University of Hohenheim — one of Europe's foremost institutions in the field — on a German federal scholarship. Following research and development work at a German food research institute, she launched her organic venture in 2017.

2017: Begins her business — corporate consulting and outreach on organic — from Germany.
2018: Opens a school for learning organic systematically. With support from Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, hosts a business-matching event in Berlin for German buyers, inviting Japanese organic-tea producers.
2019: Incorporates in Germany, founding Institut für Organic Business GmbH (IOB). Also selected — as the first Japanese national — for the leadership programme of IFOAM – Organics International (2018–2019).
2024: Supports the planning of BIOFACH JAPAN, the Japan edition of the world's largest organic trade fair (organised by The Asahi Shimbun). Course participants surpass 1,500 as learners gather from around the world.
2026: Launches the annual talent-development programme "Growth Training" with Bio c' Bon Japon, a leading organic supermarket chain (around 300 employees take part).
Today: Grown into Japan's largest organic community with 1,900+ participants; runs corporate training and organisation development, European market-entry support, study tours and stays in Southern Germany — across Japan and Europe.

Legal name: Institut für Organic Business GmbH (IOB)
Founded: 2019 (incorporated in Germany)
Representative: Natsuko Lempke (Founder & CEO)
Services: Talent development · business development (subsidy / European market entry) · experiences (study tours / stays) · community
Scale: 1,900+ course participants · Japan's largest organic community
Based in: Bavaria, Southern Germany

PROFILE

FOUNDER

Founder's Profile

Natsuko Lempke

Organic education expert / Founder & CEO, Institut für Organic Business GmbH (IOB)

After graduating from the Faculty of Economics at Keio University, Natsuko Lempke supported producers in developing countries as a JICA Overseas Cooperation Volunteer in Bolivia and a JICA expert in Mexico. Realising that her own comfortable life rested on exploitation far away, she began reading academic papers from around the world and encountered "organic" as a social system. To pursue it, she moved to Germany — a leading organic nation — where, as a holder of the German government's DAAD grant scholarship, she completed a Master's degree in organic agriculture at the University of Hohenheim (Universität Hohenheim). At a German food research institute, she worked on organic food development and food processing research. She was selected — as the first Japanese national — for the leadership programme of IFOAM – Organics International (2018–2019).

In 2019 she founded Institut für Organic Business (IOB) in Germany. Under the banner of "making organic a culture", she continues to work with education at its core, moving between Japan and Europe. She lives in Bavaria, Southern Germany, with her German husband and son.

Title: Organic education expert / Founder & CEO, Institut für Organic Business GmbH (IOB)
Education: Keio University, Faculty of Economics / University of Hohenheim, M.Sc. in Organic Agriculture (DAAD scholarship holder)
Selected career: JICA volunteer (Bolivia) / JICA expert (Mexico) / First Japanese national selected for the IFOAM – Organics International leadership programme (2018–2019) / Founded IOB in 2019
Expertise: Organic (agriculture, cosmetics, certification, European market), organic education, corporate training & organisation development
Book: "For You Who Want to Live for Society: An Introduction to Organic" (No.1 overall, Amazon Kindle Japan)
Column: Official columnist, Forbes JAPAN
Based in: Bavaria, Southern Germany

OUR PHILOSOPHY

Our Philosophy

MISSION

Why we exist

To build, together, a society where organic is the norm.

VISION

Where we're headed

By 2050, make Japan a leading organic nation.

CORE BELIEF

How we want to be

Put change and acceptance at the heart of how we live.

OUR SERVICES

Four Areas of Work

01 / EDUCATION

Talent Development & Education

Systematic organic knowledge, and spaces where organisations grow — from year-long programmes to individual certification courses.

• Corporate training / annual "Growth Training" programme
• Organic Expert Course, Organic Cosmetics Expert Course
• Regional Organic Instructor Course, and more

02 / BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Business Development Support

Networks and know-how unique to our German base, for companies and entrepreneurs. Subsidy support is offered together with specialists.

• Subsidy support (offered together with specialists)
• European market-entry support for Japanese brands
• Hosting market-entry events in Europe

03 / EXPERIENCE & STAY

Experience, Stay & Study Tours

The essence of organic is understood only when felt on site, with all five senses. Learning and stays designed between Germany and Japan.

• Organic study tours in Japan & Europe (corporate / individual)
• Guesthouse stays in Southern Germany
• Coaching — the 90-day programme "THE THREAD"

04 / COMMUNITY

Community & Communication

A place to keep learning. A community where people who love organic gather and share daily life and purpose.

• Experts' co-learning circle for course graduates
• Coaching community "Tapestry Circle"
• OIJ (Organic Island Japan 2030)
• Voicy / Instagram / YouTube / note

ACHIEVEMENTS

Track Record

1,900+

Course participants

2019

Founded in Germany

No.1

Japan's largest organic community

CASE STUDY

Bio c' Bon Japon — Annual "Growth Training" Programme

Together with Bio c' Bon Japon, the organic supermarket chain, IOB launched an annual talent-development programme, "Growth Training", in May 2026. Around 300 employees take part in systematic organic education — a rare, structured talent-development project for the industry.

COLLABORATION

Collaborations

The Asahi Shimbun / Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan) / WWF Japan / H.I.S. Co., Ltd. / JETRO Berlin / Daisuke Yosumi / Hinano Yoshikawa / Becky, and more

SPEAKING

Speaking & Lectures

BioFach Japan (the Japan edition of the world's largest organic trade fair, Biofach) / Ministry of the Environment (Japan) / Co-op Shizenha / School Lunch Forum / Kyoto University / Keio University / talks at primary & secondary schools (Hiroshima, Hyogo, Osaka), and more

MEDIA

Media

Forbes JAPAN / Women's Health / ELLE / VOCE / Diamond Online / IFOAM – Organics International, and more

CORPORATE TRAINING

Corporate Training

Bio c' Bon Japon / Muso Co., Ltd. / Help Inc. / Agri-System Co., Ltd. / be by e (Sincere Garden) / FLAG (style table, Ethical&SEA) / Cocowell, and more

WRITING

Writing

Author of the e-book "An Introduction to Organic" (No.1 overall on Amazon Kindle Japan) / Official columnist, Forbes JAPAN

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Institut für Organic Business (IOB)?

Institut für Organic Business GmbH (IOB) is an organic education institute founded in Germany in 2019. It provides corporate talent development and organisation development (including the annual "Growth Training" programme), training of organic experts, subsidy support, European market-entry support for Japanese brands, organic study tours and community building. With over 1,900 course participants, it is Japan's largest organic community. Its founder is the Germany-based organic education expert Natsuko Lempke. IOB is based in Bavaria, Southern Germany.

Who is Natsuko Lempke?

Natsuko Lempke is a Germany-based organic education expert and the Founder & CEO of IOB. After graduating from the Faculty of Economics at Keio University, she supported producers in developing countries as a JICA volunteer in Bolivia and a JICA expert in Mexico. As a DAAD scholarship holder, she earned a Master's degree in organic agriculture at the University of Hohenheim, and was selected as the first Japanese national for the leadership programme of IFOAM – Organics International (2018–2019). Her book on organic living reached No.1 overall on Amazon Kindle Japan, and she is an official columnist for Forbes JAPAN. She lives in Bavaria, Southern Germany.

What corporate services does IOB offer?

IOB's services for organisations include: (1) talent development and education (the annual "Growth Training" programme and organisation development); (2) business development support (subsidy support offered together with specialists, and European market-entry support for Japanese brands); (3) experience, stays and study tours in Japan and Europe; and (4) speaking engagements and media/interview requests. For the organic supermarket chain Bio c' Bon Japon, around 300 employees take part in the annual programme. Contact: hi@iob.bio.

Where is IOB based?

IOB is based in Bavaria (Bayern), Southern Germany, and works across Japan, Germany and Europe.

What does "organic" actually mean?

Organic is not merely a product category such as vegetables or cosmetics. It is a system that aims for the wellbeing of every living thing involved — from production and distribution to consumption and disposal. The organic movement dates back to the 1920s, and IFOAM – Organics International sets out four principles as international guidance: Health, Ecology, Fairness and Care. IOB places learning this essence at the centre of its education.

How can I contact IOB or Natsuko Lempke?

For corporate training and organisation development, subsidy support, European market-entry support, study tours, speaking engagements, and press/media enquiries, please email hi@iob.bio. IOB is based in Bavaria, Southern Germany.

Changing societythrough organic education.