Taking a leap with CSR
Taking a leap with CSR
Andrea Meuwissen,
Manager Sales Healthcare
Working at Nedlin in a commercial function, means that I have the privilege of enthusiastically telling clients and potential clients about the amazing things we do here for our clients every day. One of the subjects that I can always proudly talk about, is how innovative and sustainable Nedlin is. We are always looking for opportunities to make our services smarter, better and even more sustainable.
This ambition has resulted in the Sustainability Program, which was launched by Nedlin in June 2018. In this programme, we specify our ambitions in the area of CSR for the next 20 years, through a number of themes.
The fun and interesting thing about the way that Nedlin has created the Sustainability Program, is the big contribution from all employees for the realisation of the expressed ambitions. After the presentation of the programme in June, employees started working in small project teams, to realise various goals. For example, they worked on establishing a Code of Conduct, reducing waste, saving energy or looking for options for sustainable end of life solutions for our linen. Together with a few colleagues, I worked on a project to provide sustainable bed and bath linen for our health clients.
In November, all project teams shared their findings and results with each other. It was truly amazing to see that everyone had already found a lot of concrete solutions, and even been able to realise a lot of them.
Although my work was already very diverse and challenging, with these sustainability projects it has even more depth.
One of the best things about these meetings, was that they took place at inspiring places, like the Columbus Earth Center and the United World College. We also attended presentations of other companies who are working with sustainability or supply sustainable products for us. Through things like this, you can learn more and more about a subject, and in your daily life you will also become more aware of your own behaviour and the behaviour of the people around you, and the impact this will have on the environment.
Although my work was already very diverse and challenging, with these sustainability projects it now has even more depth. You yourself can contribute to making our company and our future more sustainable. You can see the result of your efforts with your own eyes, which is a great motivation. For instance, as a result of the product ‘sustainable linen’ at the end of 2018, we have introduced our GOTS towels, made of 100% organic cotton. And for 2019 there are even more sustainable new products on order.
I am looking forward to realising our sustainability ambitions with my colleagues over the next few years.