CSR Blog

Sustainable Tuesday: The launch of our CSR blog

Welcome to our Corporate Social Responsibility blog!

Today is ‘Duurzame Dinsdag’ (or Sustainable Tuesday) here in the Netherlands, a perfect day to publish our first blog post about our CSR strategy at De Bondt. Each month, here I’ll be posting about a topic that is on our minds.

Firstly, Let me introduce myself. My name is Joanne Stegenga and I have been working at De Bondt for two years as a Project Manager. I’m responsible for various projects within the company and liaise between all departments. Since the beginning of 2024, I have been managing the CSR policy at De Bondt, which I find extremely fulfilling. Here on the blog, I plan to share updates about our CSR journey; the projects we are working on and the lessons we are learning along the way.

What is Sustainable Tuesday?
Today, we celebrate Sustainable Tuesday here in the Netherlands - a day dedicated to spotlighting sustainable ideas and initiatives from across the country. From grassroots efforts to innovative business solutions, ideas big and small are presented to the government, all aiming to create a better world. This aligns with our company’s vision to provide the crafting community with sustainable, quality products, designed to last.

Our CSR strategy and Sustainable Development Goals
Last year, we laid the foundations for our Theory of Change, in which we clearly state the changes we wish to make, both within De Bondt and in our supply chain. We addressed the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - 17 objectives to make the world a better place by 2030 - and At De Bondt, pledged to concentrate on these three:

SDG 8: Promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work.
This applies to both our colleagues at De Bondt and our suppliers. We stand for fair working conditions and consider it important to create a positive working environment, where everyone has the opportunity to develop. For example:

Suppliers
We visit all our suppliers, whether at they’re based here in the Netherlands or overseas. Beyond obtaining certification, we think it is important to understand our suppliers and to see with our own eyes how the products we sell are made, and under which working conditions. This applies to our own brand products, and also to the brands we buy.

Social Enterprise
We enjoy working together with local social enterprise projects. This contribution to our community is important to us, and in return, they help us tremendously! For example, our CALs and other kits are packaged by teams employed from a social enterprise project, and they also support us in repacking our bulk products to individual units.

SDG 12: Ensure Sustainable consumption and production patterns
By knowing our production processes inside out, having conversations about them with each other and with suppliers and customers, we want to contribute to reducing waste and promoting responsible consumption. For example:

Packaging
A great example for this SDG is conversations about packaging. With plastic for example, we may automatically have a negative association when thinking about responsible consumption and production. However, during transport and storage, thanks to the plastic bag, the product remains protected from dirt and other damage. If a product arrives damaged, it is returned or discarded, which may have more negative impact than the plastic bag. Many of our suppliers are already switching to cardboard packaging and for some products this is a great alternative.

Individual Units
We are increasingly moving towards unit-packaged items. Although this might not sound logical as we are a wholesaler, it has several advantages e.g.

- It offers flexibility for our customers to suit their business. Their financial investment can be smaller and it can save storage space for stock for example.
- Less volume with shipping

SDG 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.
Our collaboration with suppliers and customers is focused on sharing knowledge and resources so we can advance sustainability together. Through partnerships, we lay a solid foundation for long-term, positive change. For example:

Impulse
Impulse is a company that helps businesses achieve sustainability goals through clear and actionable insights, based on the latest standards and methods. We work with Impulse to map our sustainability mission, carbon footprint and climate impact, amongst other things. Their specialist knowledge helps us along the way. A first analysis of our own brand Scheepjes is now available!

Argo
With our cleaning partner, Argo, we also have discussions about sustainability. This concerns not only cleaning products ingredients, but also their delivery method.

Efficient Deliveries
Argo have reinstated the ‘SRV’ wagon of yesteryear. From the ‘60s to the 80s, the SRV, was an expansion of what’s known as a ‘milk float’ in some countries and were popular as a kind of mobile Dutch supermarket. Argo use the electric wagons  to deliver cleaning and other facility products in the most sustainable way as a wholesaler. The wagon drives the most efficient route here in Drenthe and the products on the bus are tailored to the needs of customers, including De Bondt.

Menstrual Products
By starting a conversation, important things happen. Free sanitary pads and tampons are available in our colleague toilets. When we talked to Argo to see if they could supply them, Argo agreed and went on to include sanitary products in their range, meaning other companies could benefit too.

So, on this Sustainable Tuesday, now you know some of our our small and big ideas!  I look forward to sharing more of our initiatives with you next month.

PS: the photo was taken near our office in Tynaarlo. A short walk from here and you can enjoy walking alongside the water and beautiful meadows!