Sustainable Partnerships Award 2014
Transcription
Sustainable Partnerships Award 2014
Sustainable Partnerships Award 2014 With the support of: KAURI Belgian meeting point for global sustainable action CONTENTS Sustainable Partnerships Award 2014 p. 3 The Sustainable Partnerships Award: who is it for? p. 5 Why the Sustainable Partnerships Award? p. 6 The organisers and jury feedback p. 7 The jury p. 8 Selection criteria p. 10 The winning projects p. 16 The other projects 2 AWARD 2014 The Sustainable Partnerships Award 2014: the most inspiring cases of co-creation between profit and non-profit organisations in Belgium After the success of the first edition in 2013, Business & Society Belgium and KAURI decided to join forces again for a new Sustainable Partnerships Award. With this competition, both sustainability networks want to celebrate the best co-creation efforts between Belgian companies and civil society organisations. We hope to inspire you and all our member organisations by showing that the greatest value for our society is the one we create together. Whether you have a commercial, environmental, humanitarian or regulatory agenda, this is a great opportunity for you. Because, in an era where the real challenges for our society are too big to tackle alone, the collaboration model has now evolved towards a true necessity for sustainable development. The Sustainable Partnerships Award wants to encourage a more co-creative and cooperative society. The participants in this year’s edition automatically apply for the European Social & Business Co-creation competition by Ashoka. By submitting one application, all partnerships are evaluated on their innovation and impact by a national and international jury. All participants also have the exclusive opportunity to further optimise their co-creation process at a ‘Pimp your partnership’ workshop in July 2014. During a short crash course, jury members and partnership-building experts share tips and tricks with the partners on how to develop their relationship into a strategic collaboration. As sustainability networks for both pioneers and starters, we find it important to think beyond the showcasing of best practices and also stimulate co-creation efforts which are still in a more preliminary phase. The Sustainable Partnerships Award: who is it for? The Sustainable Partnerships Award is open to both SMEs and large enterprises, NGOs, public authorities, the academic world, non-profit associations, foundations etc. It rewards the most innovative partnerships between businesses and various players in the way they provide solutions to societal issues (environmental, social or economic). The projects should be created between 2008 and 2013 and should demonstrate specific qualitative or quantitative results in terms of impact on the environment, society and economy. 3 AWARD 2014 Why the Sustainable Partnerships Award? • To explore partnerships between companies and civil society that are finding collaborative solutions to societal challenges. • To share good practices and inspire your stakeholders. • To participate in the workshop ‘Pimp your Partnership’, exclusively for participants in the competition, to help them strengthen their partnership. The 33 cases and their contents are very representative of the diversity of the paths today’s companies explore in their collaboration with civil society. In terms of project partners, types of partnerships, ways of involving employees or stakeholders and societal objectives, we see that the imagination is the only real limitation in setting up projects. We also note that many companies’ candidates have already reached a stage of maturity in the way they develop their social projects. The sustainable dimension has now become a competitive argument and leads to a new analysis of the complete and complex process chain with external partners from the non-profit field. Collaboration with civil society is not just about making a humanitarian gesture any more. Instead it is about starting from the core business to inspire a sustainable approach. Finally, companies have realised that they have a crucial role to play through the leverage they can create by pushing their customers, suppliers and competitors to adopt a more sustainable behaviour. This year, there were more projects focused on strategic partnerships instead of philanthropic ones. Even though the award was open to projects with an impact abroad, most projects had a strong impact in Belgium. Business & Society Belgium and KAURI are happy to share this richness of vision and actions through this brochure, which they hope will serve as inspiration for other initiatives. The message of all the companies who participated in this year’s Sustainable Partnerships Award is very clear indeed: “Collaboration between business and civil society is doable!” 4 AWARD 2014 “Working together in a smarter way changes systems, creates value and allows us to do more. The Belgian Sustainable Partnerships gives an insight into the shift that is taking place today, from a competitive model to a cooperative one.” David Leyssens Network Director KAURI “No player – whether government, social entrepreneur, non-profit, or business – can address social and environmental challenges alone. Ashoka deeply believes that these societal challenges need to be jointly addressed with a win-win approach, going beyond the traditional tensions between social-mission and profit-making organisations by leveraging their complementary strengths and expertise.” “A prosperous economy needs a healthy society. Companies are looking more and more to create Shared Value by addressing societal needs and challenge. Companies can not achieve this alone, but reach out to actors from civil society to partner. So does Business & Society by partnering with Kauri for the second time for The Sustainable Partnerships Award 2014 to promote the best practices of Shared Value in Belgium.” Sabine Denis Change Executive Officer Business & Society Virginie Samyn Representative Ashoka Belgium 5 THE ORGANISERS The organisers and jury feedback Business & Society Belgium and KAURI thank all the organisations that have participated in the award. Through this award they hope to inspire others to start new partnerships with sustainable impact or to further develop existing projects. The projects’ variety shows how partnerships can be created in every field of sustainability, such as resource scarcity, mobility, energy, biodiversity, social entrepreneurship, new business models, sustainable supply chain, unemployment, poverty and healthy food. Through partnerships, many different actors start working together: companies, social entrepreneurs, academics, NGOs, suppliers, clients etc. Borders are not obstacles to collaboration. Thanks to transparent co-creations, the organisations learn from each other and improve their projects. Many of them are very ambitious, in the challenge they want to face and their long-term objectives. The jury identified five evolutions from last year’s projects: • There were 5 more projects compared with last year. Sustainable partnerships are more and more on the agenda. The quality of many projects made the evaluation difficult and there were a lot of potential winners. • Several projects are still in a beginning phase. We look forward to seeing their evolution in the years to come. They have potentially 6 important impacts thanks to replication or scaling-up (e.g. energy savings and sustainable supply chain management) and the jury really encourages them to apply again next year. • More projects were built through real cocreation processes. Each partner shares its key competences, linked to its core business. External stakeholders are also more and more engaged from the beginning to identify the needs, actors concerned and project steps. • Many innovative projects were presented. Some of them even led to new business and governance models through the creation of new structures or products. This is a big step beyond the philanthropic starting point of many CSR projects. • This year, Belgian projects with international impact could participate. Good examples of how Belgian actors also have impact beyond our borders and in developing countries, were presented. Many of them are linked to the organisations’ value chain. The jury wants to encourage international projects to develop further (wider scope through supply chain and integrating North-South dimension in sustainability in a more innovative way). As for the award’s next edition, sustainability criteria will be further developed, to see how projects create shared value through the three pillars of sustainability: economy, environment and society. THE JURY The jury An independent multi-stakeholder jury, composed of representatives from profit and non-profit organisations, evaluated each project. President Jan Goossens Artistic Director, KVS Members Brigitte Hudlot Director, ICHEC Jean-Marie Postiaux Public Affairs Director Belgium, Solvay Virginie Samyn Representative, Ashoka Belgium Benoît Derenne Director, Foundation for Future Generations Erik Tamboryn Partner, Cheyron Jochanan Eynikel Project Manager Ethical & Inspiring Entrepreneurship VKW Metena Organisers Danny Jacobs Director, Bond Beter Leefmilieu Vlaanderen Sabine Denis Change Executive Officer Business & Society Belgium Patrick Kenis David Leyssens Benjamin Huybrechts Network Director, KAURI Associate Professor HEC Management School - University of Liège Dean, Antwerp Management School Oriane De Vroey CSR Business Partner Business & Society Belgium Lettemieke Mulder Jan Ockerman Carl Michiels Communication Manager, KAURI Director, Belgian Technical Cooperation Partner, TheRockGroup 7 SELECTION CRITERIA Selection criteria The jury evaluated the actions implemented by companies in an “overall assessment” grid. The following indicators were taken into account: Collaboration Impacts Model of co-creation: 10% Innovation: 20% The quality of the co-creation model. How is the partnership essential to the project? How does it create value? Why did each partner participate in the co-creation project? What are their needs? In which sense is the solution innovative? How does it make a difference? What are the contributions of the partners in the co-creation project? What resources were available to the project (human, financial etc.)? Stakeholder engagement: 10% In which extent were stakeholder dialogues used to establish the project? How were the different stakeholders (employees, customers, suppliers, NGOs, associations, etc.) engaged in the process? 8 Societal impact: 30% How was the programme beneficial to society as a large (environment, social, economical)? What is the project’s impact to date? By societal impact, we mean the impact on beneficiaries of the partnership and wider society (community, environment etc.). Impact on partners: 30% How was this program beneficial for the profit organisation and civil society (e.g. in terms of human resources, image, work environment, territorial anchoring, reduced costs, leverage to mobilise other resources, creating a new vision, new management practices, new skills and new organisational structures)? THE WINNING PROJECTS The jury of the Sustainable Partnerships Award 2014 has rewarded three projects. Changing the e-waste cycle Innovate with a heart Partnership for Biodiversity 9 THE WINNING PROJECTS Changing the e-waste cycle The jury highly valued the international and local aspects of this project. “Changing the e-waste cycle” integrates the full scope of sustainable development, addressing environmental, social and economic issues. DESCRIPTION Access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is still lacking in developing countries. Reused quality equipment is an affordable option. But at end-of-life, ICT can pose serious environmental and health threats. Therefore WorldLoop, Recupel and some e-waste (electronic waste) management organisations are developing innovative solutions to address the access to ICT and the environmental risks posed by e-waste in Africa. WorldLoop is an international non-profit organisation committed to extending positive impacts of ICT in developing countries and offsetting the negative environmental impact of its hardware. It was founded by Close the Gap, a non-profit organisation bridging the digital divide by offering high-quality donated computers to socially beneficial projects in developing countries. Recupel is the Belgian take-back system responsible for collecting household electronic appliances. Together, they created a partnership with local African organisations to develop sustainable e-waste recycling centres in Africa, creating new job opportunities for the local population. WorldLoop takes care of the training and coaching. Recupel provides the necessary expertise, access to industry leaders and start-up funding for WorldLoop to perform. 10 Local SMEs share their financial and organisational skills with the projects. Through the best technologies available in Europe, they coordinate the environmentally friendly recycling of the computers’ resources. In Europe, the companies giving their ICT software address international social and environmental challenges with their core business. This combination of local e-waste collection and recycling with international expertise, ensures maximum resources are recovered and creates green jobs. It is sometimes referred to as the ‘Best-of-both-Worlds’ (Bo2W) approach. CHANGING THE E-WASTE CYCLE RESULTS TIPS • This project led to the first ever e-waste recycling centre (the WEEE Centre) launched in Kenya in 2011, recycling more than 274 tonnes of metal and reaching 80% self-sufficiency in 2014. • First develop a pilot, then replicate it thanks to the expertise and lessons learned. WorldLoop has replicated its model using Recupel’s expertise and lessons learned from the pilot project in Kenya in nine other countries. Five more are expected in 2014. • The community benefits from job creation (in Kenya, 30 jobs were created) with better working and health conditions. • There are also indirect economic advantages via the formalisation of an informal industry, which serves as inspiration for local governments to develop sustainable solutions. • Look for the different competences needed and gather them around the table. • Think “glocal” (global and local), take what is best from both worlds and combine it in one solution. • For the SMEs, this implies a continuous development of skills, a transatlantic knowledge transfer and around 20% increase in financial returns. YEAR Started in 2011. PARTNERS Business: Recupel (collection and processing of materials), Galloo, Coolrec, Umicore (recycling companies, operational strategic partners) Civil Society: Worldloop (international non-profit organisation in ICT), Close The Gap (non-profit organisation bridging the digital gap), UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organisation) CONTACT Worldloop: Barbara Toorens, Business Development & External Communications ([email protected]) Recupel: Katrien Verfaillie, Communication Manager ([email protected]) 11 THE WINNING PROJECTS Innovate with a heart This project gathers various partners to tackle a key challenge in the social profit sector: create synergies between the technological world and social organisations for a more sustainable and inclusive society. The jury recognised the multiplier effect of this project, especially due to the participation of students and to the collaboration between worlds that do not always have many contacts together. DESCRIPTION Cera, the bank cooperative, and non-profit organisation RVO Society which promotes engineering among youngsters, create “Innovate with a heart”. They bring social profit organisations (such as the social profit sector Verso vzw) together with students in higher technical education (Thomas More, KU Leuven and other Flemish universities and colleges). The social profit organisation formulates a real technological need and the student draws a solution and works on that solution for his thesis/master thesis. RVO Society coordinates and takes care of the everyday operations. For exemple, they connected the Dominiek Savio Institute with bachelors in engineering to co-create toys for children with cerebral problems. Cera, in close 12 consultation with RVO Society, determines the need’s priorities and strategic objectives. Innovate with a heart differentiates itself through a combination of two aspects: • the strong bottom-up and demand-driven approach: starting from ideas from the social profit sector itself. • changing the vision of technological training: show young people that engineers are not just “computer nerds”, but that those courses can lead to careers that focus on people and social solutions. INNOVATE WITH A HEART RESULTS Innovate with a heart realises four levels of impact: • Create awareness in the social profit sector of the potential of technological innovation through semi-annual calls within the sector for project ideas, the (media) attention for results of elaborated projects and the annual organisation of the Cera Award to attract attention to the possibilities of technology in the social profit sector (around 35 projects are submitted per year). • Facilitate co-creation for technological innovation: “Innovate with a heart” wants to identify and group all the actors of that sector in Flanders. They will organise a networking event in December 2014 to strengthen “working together”. ner in co-creation projects around technology in the social profit sector. Cera employees have been involved, as a jury for the Cera Award or to visit local organisations, allowing the cooperative to be strongly positioned in the co-creation, specifically in social and technological fields. The project has a European scope through the European program on community service engineering. The partners wish to create an engineering discipline “Technology for inclusive and sustainable society” in several European countries (partners in the Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden). The post-graduates will place a strong emphasis on project work and co-creation with stakeholders. • Make engineers aware of the challenges in their sector and give them the possibilities to find concrete solutions. By doing so, engineering studies are becoming more attractive to students. • Develop new innovative products and services for organisations in the social profit sector: around 13 projects are realised annually. TIPS The partnership as source of great know-how and multiplier effect. RVO Society was originally known as an educational organisation. Thanks to this programme, they are becoming more and more experts and increasingly demanded as part- YEAR Started in 2006. PARTNERS Business: Cera, bank cooperative Civil Society: RVO Society (promotion of engineering and science among youth), Verso (employers in the social sector), Flemish universities CONTACT RVO Society: Kristien Rombouts, Project Coordinator Technological Innovation for Social Profit ([email protected]) Cera: Stéphanie de Smet, Programme Coordinator ([email protected]) 13 THE WINNING PROJECTS Partnership for Biodiversity The jury was impressed by the local roots and the multi-stakeholder approach of this project. Industry, agriculture and nature preservation reconciled their respective interests and created shared value in the region of Hollogne-sur-Geer. DESCRIPTION In Hollogne-sur-Geer, the reservoirs of the sedimentation system originate from the beetroot refinery of Hesbaye Frost (factory of production, freezing and packaging of vegetables). In this country town, 230 different bird species have been listed. When the refinery stopped its activities, this ecosystem was threatened with a complete drying up of the site, meaning the end of this fragile mosaic of different eco-systems or micro-climates. Besides, the cooperative of local farmers Apligeer, facing a lack of water some years, developed a system to draw the groundwater to irrigate the surrounding fields. In 2011 the land was purchased by Hesbaye Frost, nature preservation association Natagora conducted a biotope inventory and the water needs were identified. Together with Apligeer, they wrote a Founding Charter to launch the co-creation of the Nature Reserve of Upper Geer. In 2012 they placed a pipeline from the factory to the site, supplying water to the dried ponds. They also initiated the first reserve management days in partnership with schools, non-profit organisa- 14 tions and scouts. In 2013, they organised a walk for the citizens, town farmers and Hesbaye Frost staff members to introduce them to the societal partnership. They set up the non-profit organisation Réserve Naturelle du Haut Geer (RNHG). Today, the irrigation system has been inaugurated and they campaign for recognition as a nature reserve. The recurrent on-site nesting of uncommon bird species in Wallonia and the opportunity to sustain a site that has been renowned for its great biological interest (BIMS) by the Walloon Region, were determining factors in the commitment and support of stakeholders. The partners met in a convergence of common interests, encouraged by the strong willingness of the town citizens and their elected representatives, in order to maintain a historical and cultural heritage (the omnipresence of beetroot refinery and beet growing in Hesbaye for many years) and a natural one. PARTNERSHIP FOR BIODIVERSITY RESULTS The impact has manifold benefits: • For biodiversity, the Reserve being a very attractive biological ‘Fishpond’ for avifauna as nearly 230 bird species have been recorded amidst large growing areas that are relatively ‘poor’. • It plays an educational role, as most of the site is permanently open to the public (about 10,000 visitors a year have been estimated), and some guided tours are organised, which reinforces the educational impact. The site is renowned among ornithologists, entomologists and photographers. • Communicate on the projects to local citizens by informing and inviting them. Schools, town citizens and their elected representatives are important ambassadors. • Use existing projects as an example and encourage other stakeholders to do the same. This project could serve as an example and be the driving force behind the takeover of the nature reserve of Waremme, built on previous settling basins and where the lack of water is also a challenge. • The reserve is part of a more global project, in partnership with the Administration of Geer city, with a long-term integration of wet meadows, adjacent to the reserve and other old settling basins located a few hundred metres north. TIPS • When a company leaves a site, it is the opportunity to gather various local stakeholders together to find innovative environmental solutions. • Regularly share the needs of the projects with the partners to identify new solutions. This approach assures the project is evaluated each year to furtherly improve the site or find new water sources. YEAR Started in 2011. PARTNERS Business: Hesbaye Frost (Production, freezing and packaging of vegetables), Apligeer (Local cooperative of vegetable growers) Civil Society: Natagora (Preservation of natural environments in Wallonia), Nature Reserve Upper Geer CONTACT Nature Reserve Upper Geer: Alain Martens, Curator ([email protected]) Hesbaye Frost: Arnaud Crevits, Environment Manager ([email protected]) 15 INSPIRING PROJECTS Social Entrepreneurs Academy Energy Saving Pioneers The idea of the Academy of Social Entrepreneurs is based on research by the Social Economy Centre (HEC-ULg), identifying unmet management training and networking needs in social entrepreneurs. Energy Saving Pioneers is a Bond Beter Leefmilieu initiative, gathering a series of frontrunners in energy saving. It consist of Studiebureau Boydens, Viessman Group, Van De Kreeke, Techcomlight, Stad Gent, Spirax Sarco, Siemens, Rockwool, Recticel, Philips, PHP, OVED, Lightplus, Intellisol, Helia, Greenforce, ETAP, Emaze, Climact, Bostoen. The Academy of Social Entrepreneurs promotes connections between different players: social entrepreneurs as well as researchers, teachers, students, traditional entrepreneurs, etc. It consists of 17 organisations, including HEC-ULg and CBC. The Academy brings together training, support and networking. The purpose is to provide different audiences interested in social entrepreneurship (entrepreneurs, students, researchers, etc.) with a place to meet, strengthen social entrepreneurs and foster connections with the academic world. CONTACT HEC-ULg: Sybille Mertens, Professor ([email protected]) CBC: Sandra Circhirillo, Marketing and Communication ([email protected]) MORE INFORMATION www.academie-es.be www.hec.ulg.ac.be https://twitter.com/HEC_ULg www.facebook.com/HECULg www.cbc.be 16 It calls for a more ambitious transposition of the European Energy Efficiency Directive, the 2030 Energy and Climate Package and national policy, making ten recommendations to Belgian policymakers.They ask for ambitious and binding energy saving targets and implementing structural policy measures in building and industry. The ESPs also showcase best practices in energy saving plus facts and figures on social benefits, emphasising the importance of an energy efficient economy. CONTACT Bond Beter Leefmilieu: Jonathan Lambregs, Project Manager ([email protected]) Studiebureau Boydens: Dirk Boydens, CEO ([email protected]) MORE INFORMATION www.bondbeterleefmilieu.be/ www.facebook.com/BondBeterLeefmilieu http:// energysavingpioneers.be/ www.boydens.be www.facebook.com/pages/Boydens/210666082316560 INSPIRING PROJECTS Co-creation for a GoodPlanet Discover Your Talent GoodPlanet wants to reconnect teenagers and kids with the earth. Through their (financial and conceptual) partnership with the Spadel Group, they make Education for Sustainable Development attractive. They do this in a playful, positive, innovative way. The 50 GoodPlanet employees spend time with children, youth and adults on a daily base, communicating the sustainability message with passion. Many youngsters don’t have the skills to hunt successfully for a job. Often they have no CV, are unsure how to respond to job ads, don’t know how to present themselves, generally have no experience with the professional world or are brought up in an environment without positive role models. The partners realised three educational poster packages around forests, water and sustainable development for all Belgian schools. 40 socially vulnerable children were given an opportunity to spend 5 days in nature and learn about sustainable living through games and adventure. In the future, both parties want to focus on two projects about biodiversity. One on bees, the other one on the 5 “GoodPlanet actions”. Discover Your Talent bridges the gap between their world and the professional world, giving them practical tips on how to find a job. It is a yearly event organised by a team of four companies (this year it’s Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Elia, Accenture and Securex) with Maks vzw and Business & Society Belgium. About 60 volunteers at these companies help 80 unemployed youngsters from Brussels by sharing their professional experience during a day of workshops to sharpen their employability skills. CONTACT GoodPlanet: Jo van Cauwenberge, Director ([email protected]) Spadel: Ann Vandenhende, CSR Manager ([email protected]) CONTACT Maks vzw: Gunter Vandeplas, Coordinator of Project Kurasaw Tewerkstelling ([email protected]) Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP: Anneleen Straetemans, Associate ([email protected]) MORE INFORMATION www.goodplanet.be www.facebook.com/GoodPlanetBelgium www.spa.be www.facebook.com/SpaBelgium MORE INFORMATION www.discoveryourtalent.be/discoveryourtalent/index.php/fr/ www.maksvzw.be/ www.facebook.com/kurasaw.tewerkstelling.1 www.freshfields.com 17 INSPIRING PROJECTS Embroidering for progress Cambio: the missing link In the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Big Lakes region there is a lack of well-educated adults. Many heads of families, widows, orphans and sexually abused women are extremely vulnerable. Over 90% of adults have no regular salary. Belgian social enterprise Kisany gives people work and raises education levels. Belgium is known as one of Europe’s most congested countries. Too many people want to move in the same places at the same time. The challenge was to offer people the insurance of mobility at any time without their own car. That’s why Taxistop and Public Transportation Services developed combined mobility, by implementing Cambio’s car-sharing stations close to public transport. Kisany teaches vulnerable women with family responsibilities embroidery and weaving, to create exclusive products. In 2008, Belgian linen fabric company Libeco began helping Kisany, providing linen fabric at a very good price as well as work and continuing education, giving team members a better future and training some to manage their own workshop. They accompany team members for several years, so they can become leaders in their community, regain dignity and give their children a better future and education. CONTACT Kisany: Manuela del Marmol, Responsible for Sales and Development of the Project ([email protected]) Libeco: Sarah Popelier, Marketing & Communication Manager ([email protected]) MORE INFORMATION www.kisany.com www.facebook.com/kisanyafrica www.libeco.com/en/home.aspx www.facebook.com/LibecoHome 18 Cambio’s vision is to challenge the reflex of car usage by promoting car-sharing and public transport as realistic alternatives to the private car. To reach that objective, the partners focused on users’ needs: in town, soft modes are sufficient (PT, cycling, walking) and cars are reserved for specific uses (e.g. shopping or weekends). Their solution is to change mobility patterns and enhance benefits for urban areas. CONTACT Taxistop: Frédéric Van Malleghem, CEO ([email protected]) STIB: Didier Dumont, Director Business Development Operations ([email protected]) MORE INFORMATION www.cambio.be/?l=fr www.taxistop.be/language.html www.facebook.com/taxistopbe www.stib-mivb.be/index.htm?l=fr www.facebook.com/lastib INSPIRING PROJECTS Engage Schools Fair Trade in Belgium Engage Schools is a cooperation between the Notre Dame and St Joseph institutes, two private companies (Accenture and Heidelberg Cement), Business & Society and Beci. Youngsters demotivated by their studies or disconnected from the labour market are coached by employees and guided on factory visits. Income uncertainty threatens the future of a multifunctional agricultural sector. Therefore Biosano, Vredeseilanden, Max Havelaar, Oxfam and the Biomelk Vlaanderen/Biolait Wallonie cooperative have developed a unique business model: Biodia. Through workshops on skills and tailored one-toone coaching with experienced consultants, the youngsters gain insight, confidence, workable tools and a successful approach to prepare for professional life. They are invited to job interview simulations with Accenture volunteers and CV workshops. To complement this, Heidelberg Cement hosts guided factory visits, giving the students an idea of what work is really like and how rewarding it can be, motivating them to finish their studies. Biodia stands for organic Belgian milk. Biosano buys this from 24 organic farmers in Belgium, producing milk and chocolate milk. Vredeseilanden has developed a process comparable with Fair Trade. The price of the milk is calculated based on production costs, wages and a margin for investment. On top of organic production, they give importance to durability, reducing the proportion of soy in animal feed, using antibiotics and promoting biodiversity. Fairtrade-labelled cocoa and sugarcane are used. Biodia also has inspired other new Fairtrade initiatives in Belgium. CONTACT Business & Society: Oriane De Vroey, CSR Business Partner ([email protected]) Accenture: Joachim Wauters, ENGAGE coordinator ([email protected]) CONTACT Biosano: Mieke Lateir, Project Manager Biodia ([email protected]) Vredeseilanden: Jan Wyckaert, External Relations and Strategy ([email protected]) MORE INFORMATION www.businessandsociety.be www.accenture.be/ MORE INFORMATION www.vredeseilanden.be www.facebook.com/Vredeseilanden?fref=ts www.biosano.be www.biodia.be www.facebook.com/pages/Biodia/216952855094993 19 INSPIRING PROJECTS Green energy for more nature The nature conservation organisation Natuurpunt and green energy supplier Lampiris work together for more nature in Flanders. They share the same values: a sustainable society with local involvement and employment. Natuurpunt and Lampiris promote green energy while achieving more biodiversity in Flanders and their members and customers share this green commitment. Natuurpunt and Lampiris developed different campaigns to raise funds for Lampiris’ green energy. As an incentive, Lampiris promised to invest in the purchase of a natural area or new forest through Natuurpunt for every new client. This approach quantified Lampiris’ commitment and really made new clients’ contributions concrete. 20 Gyproc C2C Product Innovation The “Cradle to Cradle” (C2C)concept is becoming more and more popular in sustainability thinking. The ideology states that products must not end up in a landfill after use, but should be recycled again and again. Besides the ecological cycles we find in nature, the economy should focus on developing technological cycles to limit the negative environmental impact of our consumption. In fact, our ecological footprint could even be positive. Aiming for eco-efficiency will give way to the pursuit of products that contribute to the circular economy. Existing Lampiris customers who are members of Natuurpunt also save money for nature. Gyproc Belgium is the only manufacturer of C2C plasterboards, thanks to a collaboration between Gyproc and the non-profit C2C Product Innovation Institute. This led to a redesign of the supply chain and contributed to the development of a real plaster cycle. CONTACT Natuurpunt: Chris Steenwegen, Director ([email protected]) Lampiris: Tom Vande Cruys, CEO ([email protected]) CONTACT Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute: Roy Vercoulen, Vice President ([email protected]) Saint-Gobain - Gyproc Division: Tom Rommens, Sustainability Manager ([email protected]) MORE INFORMATION www.natuurpunt.be www.natuurpunt.be/lampiris www.twitter.com/mijnnatuurpunt www.lampiris.be/natuurpunt www.facebook.com/LampirisBeNL https://twitter.com/lampiris MORE INFORMATION www.c2ccertified.org www.gyproc.be INSPIRING PROJECTS Housing Fast Inspire young minds Via the Housing Fast project, Infirmiers de Rue, Kois Invest and Baita deliver a double social impact. Toekomst-Atelier de l’Avenir provides motivation and voluntary additional social education. In Brussels, one child out of three is considered disadvantaged in education. TADA provides a helping hand to education authorities and families in disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Brussels, who do not always have the expertise or time to allow children to explore all facets of society. They provide social reintegration for homeless people, through housing in a building on avenue Jacques Sermon in Ganshoren, where Infirmiers de Rue has a dedicated room to provide them with sustained care. The rest of the building (about 50%) is dedicated to people who cannot afford to buy or rent a house. Kois Invest acts as an intermediary between the real estate market and social rental market. They buy and renovate buildings before leasing them to Social Rental Offices such as AIS Baita. AIS Baita ensures the project is socially and financially viable, offering target groups housing even if they have difficulties paying rent, so investors receive interest on their capital. CONTACT Infirmiers de Rue: Emilie Meessen, Coordinator ([email protected]) Baita: Gert Van Snick, Manager ([email protected]) Kois Invest: François de Borchgrave, Managing Director ([email protected]) MORE INFORMATION www.infirmiersderue.org/ www.straatverplegers.org/ www.koisinvest.com www.housingfirstbelgium.be/pages/ six-implementations/bruxelles-infirmiers-de-rue.html Through practical classes by passionate volunteers, TADA wants to widen their vision. CVC Partners, AXA, Bain&Company and Ernst&Young provide financial and in-kind support to the project. Various schools support TADA in this approach, via in-kind support or contact with the families, for example. There is a similar project in the Netherlands, IMC Weekendschool, that helps TADA with pedagogy and didactics. CONTACT Toekomst-ATELIER de l’Avenir: Sofie Foets, Managing Director ([email protected]) CVC Capital Partners: Geert Duyck, Managing Partner ([email protected]) MORE INFORMATION www.toekomstatelierdelavenir.com www.facebook.com/ToekomstATELIERdelAvenir https://twitter.com/ToekomstAtelier www.cvc.com/ 21 INSPIRING PROJECTS microStart microStart combats unemployment and social exclusion in Belgian cities through microfinance. They target entrepreneurs who fall outside the traditional banking system: the unemployed, underprivileged or (re)-starters. microStart grants microcredits from € 500 to € 15,000, as well as free tailor-made guidance from volunteer experts for candidates to create their own jobs. The “Association pour le Droit à l’Initiative Economique” offers microfinance expertise, specific grid analysis, an enthusiastic market approach and excellent knowledge of the client segment. BNP Paribas provides the project with funding as well as process efficiency, risk control, a pool of volunteer bankers and a connection with a large existing network. The project has granted 775 microloans since its creation in 2011. CONTACT ADIE: Emmanuel Landais, Managing Director BNP Paribas: Alex Houtart, CSR Director ([email protected]) microStart: Patrick Sapy, Director ([email protected]) MORE INFORMATION www.adie.org www.facebook.com/association.adie https://twitter.com/Adieorg www.bnpparibasfortis.be/portal/Start_BE_F.asp www.facebook.com/BNPParibasFortisBelgique https://twitter.com/questionbnppf 22 Mutuality of immigrants for economic and social development Coordinated by CAAD (Cellule Action d’Aide au Développement), the project focuses on the African diaspora in Europe, helping emigrants manage resources from their country of residence to family members in their country of origin. This leads to more efficient use of remittances and allows families’ needs to be better met. Two specific projects: a healthcare insurance policy for the diaspora, supporting families’ health needs (through a monthly fee paid by the migrant) and a social housing program involving a bank in each country, combatting lack of housing and difficulties faced by migrants building family homes. DB Immo will provide an account and guarantee, as an intermediary between the construction company and migrant buyer, to begin payment services to families receiving donations from migrants. CONTACT Cellule Action d’Aide au Développement (CAAD ASBL): Pape Sene, President ([email protected]) DB Immo: Ndiaga Bane, Managing Director ([email protected]) MORE INFORMATION www.mides-transfert.org/sites.nova-technologies.com/ dbimmoniger.com/ INSPIRING PROJECTS Mother and Child Hospital in Togo SOS Children’s Villages, St.-Augustinus Hospital and The Boston Consulting Group Brussels set up a ‘tripartite’ to build up healthcare provisions at the SOS medical centre in Kara, Togo. The medical centre is now a cutting-edge “Mother and Child” hospital. The result is better, cheaper, faster and more accessible healthcare by improving the internal management of the hospital. The St.-Augustinus Hospital provided transfer of medical know-how and good medical practices adapted to the field: training on the job, supply of materials and providing a reality check. The Boston Consulting Group provided external advice, expertise, management methodology and analytical skills. SOS Children’s Villages managed the communication with the Boston Consulting Group and supervised implementation of the strategic recommendations. CONTACT SOS Children’s Villages: Tom Moons, Head of Communications ([email protected]) Sint-Augustinus Hospital: Paul Leyman, Surgeon ([email protected]) Boston Consulting Group: Filiep Deforche, Senior Partner and Managing Director ([email protected]) MORE INFORMATION www.sos-kinderdorpen.be/ www.facebook.com/SOSKinderdorpenBE?ref=stream https://twitter.com/KINDERDORPEN www.bcg.be/ www.facebook.com/TheBostonConsultingGroup?fref=ts NewB 114 organisations and businesses and more than 46,000 citizens are building a new cooperative bank in Belgium. NewB is value driven (transparent, sober, simple, participative, inclusive, innovative, fair, local sustainable economy), professional (partnership between bankers and civil society) and responds to a real demand for new financial tools, products and services for investments and savings. It is to be an example for mainstream banks. In a first phase, they brought together a broad range of interested businesses, bankers and citizens and built up a first set of activities and interactions in the financial sector. In a second phase, they set up a new cooperative bank that is transparent, sober, participative and exclusively oriented to real and local economy. The actual business model plans to start banking operations in the course of 2015. CONTACT Réseau Financité: Bernard Bayot, Director ([email protected]) Fairfin: Kristien Vermeesch, Director ([email protected]) MORE INFORMATION www.financite.be/index,fr.html www.facebook.com/pages/Financit%C3%A9/18292336 1744574?fref=ts www.8infini.be https://newb.coop/fr 23 INSPIRING PROJECTS Beyond your limits! St. Gerardus offers care and education for children and young adults with neuromotor and motor impairments in Limburg. To do this in an innovative way, they build concrete collaborations with companies to exchange knowledge, relationships, media channels, mobilisation and money. Together with their partner companies (Samman, Carglass, SD Worx, IDEWE, Monard D’Hulst) they have identified what they can do for each other and how to strengthen the exchange of money, mobilisation, media, people and resources (5 Ps). They came to the conclusion that the partnership positively influenced the HR management of both organisations. The way St. Gerardus treats its staff and young people was an inspiration for new HR tools for businesses. They then worked with the companies to make a mood film, a ‘making of’ for this film and a manual. CONTACT St Gerardus: Ludo Vandewal, Director ([email protected]) Samman: Lieve Strappers, Managing Director ([email protected]) MORE INFORMATION www.sintgerardus.be www.samman.be www.facebook.com/pages/SAMMAN/582171038467610 www.facebook.com/RefLudo https://twitter.com/RefLudo 24 Safer Internet Training Children aged 10-12 are heavy users of new technologies and teachers don’t always have the skills to deal with internet security. Microsoft and Belgacom work in partnership with Child Focus to promote fun and safe internet use. Their employees volunteer to go into schools twice a year and provide these children with interactive training. This interactive training (designed by Child Focus) helps the Microsoft and Belgacom volunteers (330 per company) explain the internet safety challenges kids face daily. It also provides teachers with the tools to continue raising awareness through the educational material provided at the end of the course. Teachers are encouraged to continue teaching about the subject. Initiated in 2009, this programme has already reached more than 66,000 children. CONTACT Child Focus: Nadege Bastianen, E-safety Programme Manager ([email protected]) Microsoft: Cécile Jabaudon, CSR Manager ([email protected]) Belgacom: Anne Catherine Doumont, CSR Manager ([email protected]) MORE INFORMATION childfocus.be/nl/splash-nl www.facebook.com/ChildFocusBelgium https://twitter.com/ChildFocusFR www.microsoft.com/nl-be/langswitch/default.aspx www.facebook.com/WindowsBelgium?fref=ts https://twitter.com/microsoftbe www.belgacom.com www.facebook.com/belgacom https://twitter.com/belgacom_press INSPIRING PROJECTS Create employers to create jobs Revalue Foundation Faced with rising unemployment and periods of economic recession, the original idea of Réseau Entreprendre was to create new businesses to provide new jobs and contribute in this way to economic prosperity. The Revalue Foundation brings Life Cycle Assessment closer to different stakeholders with a management tool facilitating sustainable collaboration and reduced energy and resources. The Foundation is a cooperation between the Colruyt Group, the University of Ghent and 14 other partners from 5 countries in Europe. The practical reduction advice output and the model can serve as inspiration for all business models aiming to realise collaboration within and between value chains. The main business development lever is now obtaining the mandate from all key stakeholders to become a reference as a European platform stimulating reduction initiatives. Bank Degroof took part in the creation of Réseau Entreprendre International, an association aiming to develop the Réseau Entreprendre France model. Operating since 2009, this partnership has given rise to the development of RE in Brussels, Charleroi, Geneva and Barcelona. This strategic agreement for the two partners combines the expertise of Réseau Entreprendre, new networks and better knowledge of the entrepreneurial sector for Bank Degroof. In Belgium, 15 new laureates are selected each year and 57 projects have been mentored, generating 200 direct jobs since 2010. CONTACT Réseau Entreprendre: Véronique Baradel, Managing Director ([email protected]) Bank Degroof: Silvia Steisel, Philanthropy Advisor ([email protected]) CONTACT Colruyt: Mieke Vercaeren, Sustainability and Regulatory Affairs ([email protected]) University of Ghent: Steven de Meester ([email protected]) MORE INFORMATION www.ugent.be www.colruytgroup.com MORE INFORMATION www.reseau-entreprendre-international.org/ www.degroof.be 25 INSPIRING PROJECTS Steentjesbos StreetwiZe In 2013, the international communications and PR firm Sustainability Consult and Belgian NGO Natuurpunt launched a partnership to preserve and improve the Steentjesbos, a 47-hectare wood in Kampenhout, Flanders. StreetwiZe is a talent development company with two main clients: street youth and business leaders. They work in the slums of Romania, Greece and Albania but also in the financial district of Brussels. Mobile School empowers street youth. StreetwiZe translates the skills, competencies and attitudes they use to survive into top-quality talent development programmes for corporate clients. As a 1% for the Planet member, Sustainability Consult commits 1% of its sales to local NGO Natuurpunt, which invests it in local nature reserves. This project has made the area more accessible to walkers, families and youth groups and provides information on local biodiversity. The Steentjesbos is a vital link to a larger network of sites, so the partnership project has also made these areas more accessible. To highlight the fact that businesses can add value to society, an opening event was held to demonstrate that business and civil society partnerships can bring people together to celebrate the local environment. CONTACT Natuurpunt: Petra Beeckx, Communication and Marketing ([email protected]) Sustainability Consult: Kathryn Sheridan, CEO and Founder ([email protected]) MORE INFORMATION https://twitter.com/sustconsult www.facebook.com/pages/Sustainability-Consult/279521648743327 www.sustainabilityconsult.com https://twitter.com/MijnNatuurpunt www.facebook.com/natuurpunt www.natuurpunt.be 26 StreetwiZe helps organisations create meaningful and lasting change. Their educational panels incorporate the kids’ daily reality: health, creativity, trading, friendship, etc. They serve as conversation starters and help increase the self-esteem. The model focuses on the talents and not the problems. By participating at the programme, Nike EMEA provided financial support and brought insights to the R&D of educational materials. They gained valuable knowledge and insights to improve their own teams and the way their company works. CONTACT StreetwiZe - Mobile School: Arnoud Raskin, co-founder and director ([email protected]) Nike EMEA: Rodney Brouwer, Talent Director Europe ([email protected]) MORE INFORMATION www.streetwize.be/en www.mobileschool.org/en www.facebook.com/arnoud.raskin?fref=ts www.nikeinc.com INSPIRING PROJECTS Sugarcane Copy Paper Sustainable Port Development We use too much paper, leading to unnecessary deforestation. As well as reducing our paper consumption, we can choose paper made from bagasse: waste from sugar cane production (with the nutrients already extracted). Replacing office paper with this alternative could save 60% to 65% of trees from being felled. The Antwerp Port Community has recently published its second sustainability report. In addition to this latest report, a guide was launched to enable individual companies to implement sustainability into their daily management practices. The guide deals with a variety of topics and contains practical testimonials, port-specific information, useful links and references. Moonen Packaging and 15 schools partnered to give children and teachers a sustainable way of using their school’s materials and to make them think about the origins of these materials. They promote replacing wood-based paper with their variant of sugarcane paper. Moonen Packaging took part in the development of this product and the packaging and now distributes it. The schools will use this paper and actively propagate the idea behind this choice in the context of their sustainable philosophy. CONTACT Moonen Packaging: Paul van Dijk, Project Manager ([email protected]) Scholengroep 11: Ingrid Ronsmans, Financial Advisor ([email protected]) MORE INFORMATION www.moonenpackaging.com www.facebook.com/MoonenPackaging?ref=hl https://twitter.com/PaulvanDijkMP www.scholengroep11.net www.facebook.com/Scholengroep11 The Antwerp Port Authority developed this guide together with Flanders’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry VOKA and the Left Bank Development Corporation (LBDC). The information provided aims to show the benefits for the company itself as well as for the port community and society as a whole. The report helps putting sustainability on the agenda of all stakeholders. The sustainability report and guide will be used as a basis to work out sectorial guidelines for other ports, in Belgium and abroad. CONTACT Antwerp Port Authority: Eric De Deckere, Technical Manager Environment ([email protected]) VOKA - Chamber of Commerce Antwerp-Waasland - Alfaport: Sofie Coppens, Advisor Environment and Sustainability ([email protected]) MORE INFORMATION www.sustainableportofantwerp.com/en/ www.portofantwerp.com/language www.voka.be/antwerpen-waasland/alfaport 27 INSPIRING PROJECTS The FOOD Programme The Green Link The FOOD programme was initiated as a pilot in 2009. Public and private entities in six EU countries, including Belgium, teamed up to promote healthy eating among employees and restaurants. The Belgian partners are the company Edenred, SPF Santé Publique, CIRIHA (Lucia de Brouckère School) and the company NutriChallenge. The Green Link (TGL) is a deliveries and pick-ups business in Paris with a fleet of 100% electric battery vehicles. The Green Link also works for elderly people, delivering home meals ecologically. They operate 3 green hubs and a fleet of 50 electrically assisted cargo bikes and electric vans. The 3 hubs are supplied outside rush hour by truck and/or boat. The parcels are consolidated in the hub before being optimised into rounds and delivered using exclusively clean vehicles. Saveurs et Vie provides the Green Link with 600 daily diet meals, which will be delivered exclusively by electric cargo bike. This partnership also includes the city of Paris and the Institute for Sustainability (ITS), an organisation supporting sustainable city logistics projects across Europe. The work of the FOOD programme is twofold. It aims to educate and inform two complementary target groups (workers and restaurateurs) to change their diet habits. The programme then connects employee demand for a balanced diet and restaurants’ offers, through a network of restaurants following recommendations set by national experts. The third target group is the company, which plays a role in its employees’ welfare and health. CONTACT SPF Santé Publique: Olivier Christiaens, Expert Communication ([email protected]) Edenred Belgium: Fanny Charpentier, Communication and CSR Manager ([email protected]) MORE INFORMATION www.health.belgium.be/eportal @be_gezondheid www.edenred.be www.facebook.com/EdenredBelux @EdenredBelgique 28 CONTACT Institute for Sustainability: Stella Okeahialam, Coordinator ([email protected]) Saveurs et Vie: July Burgy, Operational Director ([email protected]) The Green Link: Michael Darchambeau ([email protected]) MORE INFORMATION http://instituteforsustainability.co.uk/ www.saveursetvie.fr/ INSPIRING PROJECTS Voluntario Variable Speed Drive Compressors for Life Cofely Services, which provides technical solutions to companies, launched the Voluntario project in partnership with Time4Society, which makes the link between volunteers and charities. In addition to every two days employees give to society during their free time, they can use one working day for the same purpose.This can be for an organisation they were already volunteering for or they can choose an organisation or project on the Cofely platform (in co-operation with Human Business). Teams are encouraged to replace their traditional team-building event with a Voluntario project. They will spend a half or whole day volunteering for an organisation chosen by them. Time4society provides a proposal for each team – in the desired area, for the desired target group and fitting the skills and size of the team. 112 Cofely employees have participated in 17 different projects. The industrial company Atlas Copco launched its VSD for Life campaign to highlight their most energy-efficient compressors, but also to make an impact that will last for generations through the WeForest project in Burkina Faso. CONTACT Time4Society: Benjamin Demarcin, Project Manager ([email protected]) Cofely Services: Karolien Vandersteen, Social Development and Training Manager ([email protected]) MORE INFORMATION www.time4society.com www.facebook.com/pages/Time4Society/159439097446940 www.cofelyservices-gdfsuez.be Variable Speed Drive (VSD) compressors not only save energy and money. They also bring life to the desert. For every kW sold, a tree is donated to the Burkina Faso ecosystem. The VSD for Life campaign kicked off on October the 1st 2013 and lasted for 6 months, until April 2014. Atlas Copco donated one or two trees, depending on the compressor model purchased, to WeForest. On top of that, there was an energy recovery option, giving a bonus of 10 extra trees. The goal is to have a forest of 225,000 trees (which is almost the size of Central Park in New York) at the end of the campaign. CONTACT WeForest: Marie-Noelle Keijzer, CEO ([email protected]) Atlas Copco: Elke Van Overbeke, Product Manager ([email protected]) MORE INFORMATION @VSDforLife Facebook URL: meetatlascopco / atlascopco www.atlascopco.com @WeForest_org www.facebook.com/WeForest?ref=hl www.weforest.org 29 INSPIRING PROJECTS Women’s schools in Africa Chronically ill but still going to school In 2013, French cosmetics brand Sisley decided to provide long-term support to Kisany, a Belgian social enterprise training vulnerable men and women in the art of embroidery and weaving. Sisley offers work and education, giving each worker a better future. The embroiderers (women) and tailors (men), produce fully handmade high-quality household linen and exclusive products. They receive a complementary education in the fields in which they believe they can improve their skills. From going back to high school to accessing university, computer training, literacy, family planning and improvement in French. Kisany accompanies the workers over years, so those who were first vulnerable become leaders in their community, regain dignity and can give their children a better future and education. Bednet connects long-term and chronically ill children aged 6-18 and living in Flanders with their own class using the internet. Bednet is free for children and schools and is gradually being expanded to all chronically ill children living in Flanders. Belgacom, the telecommunication company, offers an internet connection allowing the sick child to follow the lessons live in their own living room. CONTACT Kisany: Manuela del Marmol, Responsible for Sales and Development of the Project ([email protected]) Sisley: Simon Dufeigneux, Directing Manager Belgium / Luxembourg ([email protected]) MORE INFORMATION www.kisany.com www.facebook.com/kisanyafrica www.sisley-cosmetics.com/be-fr/ www.facebook.com/sisleyparis 30 Using special software, students will watch their teacher and classmates on a laptop screen. Every Bednet project is supported by an ICT helpdesk available at all times, so inconvenience to the class and student due to technical problems is minimised. Furthermore, the sick child and the school will receive guidance from a regional facilitator which ensures smooth communication, introduction to and monitoring of the process. CONTACT Bednet: Els Janssens, Director ([email protected]) Belgacom: Xavier Dekeuleneer, Head of CSR ([email protected]) MORE INFORMATION https://twitter.com/belgacom_press: @belgacom_ press www.facebook.com/belgacom www.belgacom.com www.facebook.com/Bednet?fref=ts www.bednet.be COLOFON KAURI Belgian meeting point for global sustainable action KAURI is the Belgian multistakeholder network for sustainability. We gather a broad range of companies, civil society organisations, governments, academic institutions and other associations to think, act and collaborate on sustainability challenges. To make this happen, we yearly develop a series of networking and inspirational events for and together with our members. Next to these live events, our members can use our online community to build ecosystems on those sustainability themes that are most relevant to them. As a pioneer on the Belgian sustainability scene in the 90ies, the network focused on linking NGOs and companies in international business and fair trade. Anno 2013, we believe more than ever that multistakeholder interaction is the most powerful driver towards a sustainable environment, society and economy. KAURI, de Fiennestraat 77, 1070 Brussels www.kauri.be Business & Society is a business network with over 85 companies and business associations from various sectors, who wish to integrate CSR in their strategy and operations. As a reference point of CSR in Belgium, we provide business with supporting tools by sharing best practices, developing new CSR solutions and engaging dialogue with the stakeholders on various CSR dimensions. Business & Society Belgium, Stuiversstraat 8, 1000 Brussels www.businessandsociety.be COLOFON Edited on June the 2nd of 2014. Copywriting: Jan Ockerman, Oriane De Vroey, Clara Perles, Magelaan Layout: www.magelaan.be Responsible editors: David Leyssens, de Fiennestraat 77, 1070 Brussels & Sabine Denis, Stuiversstraat 8, 1000 Brussels 31 Sustainable Partnerships Award 2014 With the support of: KAURI Belgian meeting point for global sustainable action