Working together on our sustainability path

The needs of our society, customers, employees and network are changing. As a result, the solutions they ask for are also changing. At Van den Bosch, we see a huge opportunity to contribute to this shift: making the bulk industry more sustainable. “We want to take on our responsibility in the area of sustainability,” says Brecht den Otter, Sustainability Specialist at Van den Bosch.

Brecht den Otter started as a trainee at Van den Bosch. One of her placements was at our facility in Sweden. Already at that time, her focus was on sustainability, and among other things she worked on studies that focused on CO2 reduction and potential expansion of the intermodal network. She now works as a Sustainability Specialist. "One of my focus areas is the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It’s my job to safeguard these within the organisation. In my role, it’s important to engage with people, to see where we can improve on sustainability."

SDGs
"In order to pursue the same sustainable goals worldwide, the United Nations has established 17 so-called Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). So we are focusing on these goals and, as an organisation, we want to provide the solutions that our stakeholders are demanding." Of the 17 globally established SDGs, the following have been selected by Van den Bosch:

• Goal 3: good health and well-being
• Goal 8: decent work and economic growth
• Goal 10: reduced inequalities
• Goal 13: climate action
• Goal 17: partnership for sustainable development

”But we want to go even further. For example, we want to reduce not only the emission from our trucks, but also CO2 emission throughout the entire supply chain,” says Den Otter. “Ninety percent of our shipments are now by intermodal transport. That saves a considerable amount of CO2 every day. We are also making strides in biofuels and reducing empty miles, thanks in part to Bulkio. And through the development of smart equipment we are increasing load factors, thus reducing the number of transport movements."

Widely interwoven
“But,” as Den Otter says, “sustainability is about more than just the environment. It’s a broader concept than you might think. More and more reports and legislation concerning sustainability are coming our way. The environment obviously plays a big role in it, but it also has to do with social and policy aspects ensuring that we have good workplaces." A sustainable workplace, as Den Otter puts it, in every sense of the word. "With sustainability as a major pillar in the strategy towards 2030, facilities will be put in place for waste separation, for example. But our partnership with UNICEF Netherlands is another good example, regarding such things as social equality and fair employment opportunities."

Thus, our SDG goals and sub-goals are woven into our future strategy organisation-wide. Den Otter says that the focus on sustainability is growing. "Awareness is also increasing among the employees of the future. That’s a positive development, since we all play a big role in it."

Want to know more about our sustainability projects? Read more here.