SADC's Jeanet van Antwerpen: ‘Health is about consciousness. Keeping your body and mind vital.’ Health

Just Brands: With 30 colleagues on a yoga mat

BoerBos: Farmers, sheep and circular thinking In search of more happiness at work

Jeanet van Antwerpen, Director of SADC

Photo: Michel ter Wolbeek

Welcome to the third edition of Faces, the magazine in outside world by ‘green buffers’. There are opportunities which SADC staff talk to people who work on or near our to discover and develop relationships, connections and business parks. In this edition, we’re paying a visit to our exchange. And if you add a holistic viewpoint into the Faces Magazine July 2019 / no. 3 neighbours. In Dutch we have a saying ‘a good neighbour mix, you get a different perspective as an area developer. is better than a distant friend’, and luckily we’ve got a The result? Places where people not only like to work, Editor wide variety of great neighbours! From a shepherd who but which they also go out of their way to explore. Jeanet van Antwerpen gives training courses on what you can learn from a herd Coordinator of sheep, to a nurseryman who grows plants that make Health is the broad theme running through this edition Sanne van Veelen office environments and people happier. Personally, of Faces. It strikes me that the people we interviewed Concept I think our most interesting neighbours may be the colony often talk about consciousness: making conscious decisions SADC/Enchilada of spoonbills along the A200 motorway. The chance to for a career switch, and the way you can maintain watch nesting spoonbills is one of the perks of working vitality of both body and mind. Or consciously choosing Design Enchilada at the PolanenPark. Or taking a close-up look at a to use particular products, or how you interact with strawberry plant at the Fruittuin van West at Business and experience your environment. Taking the time in Photography Aatjan Renders Park Amsterdam Osdorp. Extraordinary everyday things, your hectic life for a moment of peace, contemplating a right on our doorstep. bumblebee on a flower, or rolling out your yoga mat. Final editing All of which will lead you towards a happier work life! Aleida Bos We see the people who work on our business parks as Editorial staff residents, and these areas as part of their environment – All staff members at SADC part of the ‘urban fabric’, as the jargon aptly puts it.

Printed on 100% We want our business parks to be the opposite of recycled paper ‘non-places’ that are unloved and hidden away from the 2 3 BoerBos (‘Farmer Bos’) Where: next to Schiphol Logistics Park Municipality: ‘WE Who: Paul Bos, shepherd/trainer Interviewer: Raisa Knibbe, SADC CALL IT www.boerbos.nl ORGANIC, MY PARENTS At the edge of Schiphol’s business parks is a sheep CALLED farm and more: Fortboerderij Dijkzicht IT in Aalsmeerderbrug. Shepherd and trainer GOOD Paul Bos – ‘everyone calls me Farmer Bos’ – explains what you FARMING’ can learn from nature and a herd of sheep.

Farewell farm ‘The idea was that I should follow in my parents’ footsteps on the farm, but after secondary school, I didn’t want to. I left and studied journalism, communication and marketing. I had various jobs in the sector, including running my own agency for 10 years, with more than 20 people working for me by the end. It was a great time.’

Turnaround ‘For 18 years, my father used to call me twice a year to ask “Will you come and help for a day?” and I would always say no. But then one time I thought, “oh go on then, I’ll go for a day.” That day brought about a complete turnaround in my life. A year later, I cut the Gordian knot, found someone to take my place at my company, and took over my parents’ farm.’ 4 ‘FARMERS 5 HAVE CENTURIES OF EXPERIENCE WITH CIRCULAR THINKING’

Growth Everything benefits ‘As a farmer I felt the need to get ‘There’s a lot we can learn from the closer to business and society. It was laws of nature. It’s had a few billion after I took my sheep out on a tour years of R&D, I often tell my clients, of the polder that I realised how so why wouldn’t you make use of it? to do it. It wasn’t long before there Farmers have years of experience were schools asking me for nature with circular thinking. We don’t use education, restaurants asking for any artificial fertilisers or pesticides meat from the herd, managers for here, the animals are outside all workshops on leadership, and teams year except in the winter, they give wanting to learn how a farmer birth on their own, never lie grows things.’ helplessly on their backs, and there’s plenty of shade. We call it organic; my parents called it good farming. Out and about “Work together with nature,” they’d ‘I still take the herd out around the say, and then everything benefits: polder for a couple of days, once nature, insects, biodiversity, birds, or twice a year, in consultation with the sheep, and so also the farmer.’ farmers in the area, or site managers, because the sheep are then grazing on their land. Increasingly you see Using your talents managers getting a herd of sheep to ‘During our team days, I ask the graze on a business park rather than participants to move the herd from having it all mowed. It fits nicely one field to another. What you see with the zero-emissions trend.’ is that nearly everyone throws themselves into the task, and nobody stops to think what the sheep want. Forward to the past Yet that’s the essence of leadership ‘Taking nature as the inspiration, we and cooperation: thinking what now run team days and custom-made other people need, and what steps programmes for companies. And also can you take together. courses for the Amsterdam Regional Our programmes teach employees Training Centre (ROC Amsterdam). and teams to make better use of The central theme is ‘lifelong growth’. their talents. Doing what you’re What 21st-century skills do you need good at keeps you healthy. I see it for your organisation to grow success- in myself too. Since I took over fully? Apart from that, we’re still a my parents’ farm I’ve been more farm, with around 120 sheep, and we effective, I do more using less energy, sell our produce locally. I’ve breathed and I feel better.’ new life into the farm, and built on its rich tradition – moving forward into the past.’ 6 CLOTHING COMPANY 7 JUST BRANDS On a busy day at STIMULATES A least 30 people roll HEALTHY LIFESTYLE out their yoga mat’

No wonder Kirsten Huij is smiling: at clothing company Just Brands she’s a member of Just Active, which runs activities for the staff. And the activities are enough to make you green with envy!

Active ‘I work in the business Tasty ‘At our company restaurant support department, where I mainly we can order healthy food for lunch, deal with the electronic data traffic and increasingly it’s also organic. for the wholesale business. Twice we’ve organised a ‘recharge’ Along with four colleagues, I’m also at the company. There was a special responsible for Just Active, with lunch menu, and if you wanted, you which we organise activities for the could get a shopping list for breakfast staff. We recently had an afternoon and dinner for the whole week, too. with a speaker who explained how Part of the recharge is ‘mind fitness’: Just Brands you can best protect yourself against training and coaching for your brain. Where: Airport Business hackers. But we also regularly We’d really like to hold another one. Park run fitness boot camps. When we It’s great to work for a company Municipality: Haarlemmermeer extended our existing building last that’s so committed to its employees’ Who: Kirsten Huij, business support year, we gained enough space for a health, and also to play an important Interviewer: Olav Steffers, SADC fitness room for the staff. I did a role in it. It also stimulates our www.justbrands.nl survey to find out what sort of sport creativity: we keep thinking about our 130 colleagues wanted to do. how we can help every member We already had boot camp, and of staff to feel healthy and happy.’ we added fitness, yoga, kickboxing and weight training. The company provided the equipment, and the Sustainability facts room gets a lot of use. It took a while - We sort our waste Just Brands is the company to work it out, but we now have a - People have to say whether or behind the clothing brands PME busy programme. Yoga is much more not they’re going to be there Legend, Cast Iron and Vanguard. popular than we expected. On a for lunch to avoid wasting food The company was founded in busy day we’ll have at least 30 people - We have LED lighting 1992 and the head office has rolling out their mat.’ throughout our head office been at Airport Business Park - We’re a PET-free company Lijnden since 2009. - We focus on good working Last year, Just Brands expanded Keeping fit Healthy ‘Just Brands promotes conditions in the factories its premises to around 8,000m2. sport partly because healthy - We use good materials: BSCI The company also opted for at Just Brands employees produce good results. certified cotton (for better working sustainable energy alternatives, Sport can prevent burnout and help conditions) and recycled polyester including solar panels and you recover from it. Staff members - We’ve signed the Sustainable ‘concrete core activation’ to boot camp & with an injury can do exercises here, Garments and Textile covenant keep the building at a constant MONDAY weight training under professional supervision, to temperature through heat and speed up their recovery. We constantly cold storage. TUESDAY yoga evaluate the programmes, so we know The sustainable building reflects that our staff really like the fact that Just Brands’ efforts to make WEDNESDAY kickboxing there are so many opportunities to its garment manufacturing as do sport here. I’m really proud of it!’ sustainable as possible. THURSDAY fitness training 8 ‘Neat? It’s just the way I take my clothes and towel 9 ‘At work, on Monday I do the out of the wardrobe. I pile it in the bag and take weight training, very occasionally it out like that – although I think the photographer on Tuesday I do a yoga lesson, The sports has also folded it more neatly for the photo.’ and on Thursday there’s also a bag of ... sort of weight training session.’ Kirsten Huij of Just Brands

‘From home I often go running. I like running outside more than on a treadmill at the sports centre.’

‘I do loads ‘Yes, this is a PME Legend bag. of sport. We were given it once at an event. What I do is It’s a nice bag, a mix of with lots of compartments, and it’s made from one of those materials that doesn’t fitness and hold the smell of sweat.’ weight training.’

‘I do sport both before and ‘I really like doing sport after work. and exercise, and I thought, On Mondays wouldn’t it be great if we could give people the chance after work and on ‘Everyone who works to do it right here? That’s Thursdays early in at Just Brands gets why we put a lot of effort the morning. one of these Dopper into making it possible at water bottles. Mine isn’t Just Brands. So it was a bit That feels great! in such a good state, of self-interest!’ I’ve already had it gets a lot of use.’ some exercise and then I go to work.’ ‘I really like the combination of fitness and weight training. In the weight training sessions we also do a bit of ‘We have changing rooms and shower cabins cardio, but I mainly use the sessions with a bench and clothes hooks. So after to get stronger. I go running purely to working out you can have a nice shower and keep fit and avoid putting on weight.’ then go home feeling fresh… or start work.’ 10 11 Air Products Where: PolanenPark Municipality: Haarlemmermeer Who: Jeroen Vos, supply chain & optimisation manager Interviewer: Masha de Wekker, SADC www.airproducts.nl Gas!

Air Products & High satisfaction, More buzz low absenteeism ‘I’ve been working for Air Products ‘We do everything we can to for years, and I’ve been at a lot of healthcare enable people to do their job as different locations. I’ve only been well as possible. Colleagues who here at PolanenPark for a year and a do physically hard work receive half. We’ve been here since 2015, in personal advice twice a year from a new building, with all the facilities an ergonomic consultant. And we we need. I’ve got a great workplace, stimulate people to do exercise. I think. I don’t spend much time in We always have a group who take my office though, as I’d much rather part in the Dam tot Damloop be on the work floor – that’s where running event, and in Rotterdam it’s all happening! It’s nice that there’s Liquid and frozen every year we have a cycle tour. more of a buzz here at PolanenPark Safety driven There’s also an annual sports these days. The CyrusOne data ‘We sell gases. We have the air gases ‘For MRI scanners, we supply liquid tournament in a European country centre is opening soon, and it’s filling oxygen, nitrogen, argon and carbon helium. An MRI scan uses radio ‘Air Products is a US company, with an Air Products branch. up around us. A lively atmosphere dioxide delivered to us in cryogenic waves and a strong magnet to make and one thing that’s typically This year it’s a football match in is important – if you don’t have that, liquid form, and then we turn them an image of the body in ‘slices’ to American is that we’re incredibly Germany, and anyone who works you’re missing something.’ into gas and put them in different help the doctor make a diagnosis. safety driven. Our target is zero here can join in. There’s also a free types and sizes of gas cylinders under The MRI scanner depends on liquid incidents. I associate our employees’ physiotherapist and mental coach very high pressure. Why liquid? helium, because it’s used to cool health with safety. Gas diffuses, for employees. So we do a lot to It has a lot less volume than it does the magnet. The colder the magnet, so we use a closed system so no keep our people healthy and happy. as a gas, and that makes transport the better the conductivity, so the gas is lost, and nobody is exposed And to keep the level of absenteeism easier and cheaper.’ faster the current and the bigger to gases unnecessarily.’ down. Because there’s also work the magnetic field. At -250°C, liquid that needs doing, haha!’ helium is the coldest product we can make. It makes the magnet Intriguing more accurate, and then so is the MRI scan. ‘Gases are used a lot in healthcare. If you see someone with a nasal ‘Laboratories use gas for research cannula and an oxygen tank, it’ll be on diseases and treatments. Here a COPD patient who has specially too we make gases with very specific About Air Products conditioned oxygen to help their compositions. For conditioning, to breathing. Or those familiar masks isolate a research environment from Air Products and Chemicals Inc. they use in hospitals: that’s oxygen certain components of the outside is an international company or medicinal synthetic air. What’s less air, for example. But also for storing that sells gases and chemicals well known, but also intriguing, is blood, eggs and other tissue.’ for industrial purposes. incubator gas. That’s vital for babies The head office is in Allentown, that are born prematurely. It’s the Pennsylvania, USA. best thing for them. We mix oxygen and other components to make it, so it meets very specific demands. ‘Spoonbills as neighbours. It’s a perk of working at PolanenPark. Extraordinary things on your doorstep. ’ Jeanet van Antwerpen, Director of SADC 14 15

‘Our approach is evidence based ‘Clustering works for organisations Amsterdam Health & and data driven: we base our in this sector. Ahti helps to promote Technology Institute work on data from the “real world”, it by forming a community. Physical Where: Amsterdam which proves whether or not proximity is great, but it’s not enough. Who: Birk Frankvoort, something works. You also have to make connections business developer between the organisations in the area. Interviewers: Reinoud Fleurke ‘Ahti brings together partners from Here the presence of the AMC and Joep Schroeders, SADC the public and private sectors, profit location is a driving force for innova- www.ahti.nl and not-for-profit. For successful tion and enterprise. cooperation you need mutual under- standing, and here too we see data ‘This partnership with Amsterdam as a solution. We use it to create a UMC as a leading university set that everyone uses as the starting medical centre is very important. point for cooperation. This can be at A recent example is the advent of the a high level, for example in efficiently Amsterdam Skills Centre, a high-tech and effectively organising acute care training centre for medical specialists for the elderly in Amsterdam, plus and other healthcare professionals. the associated funding. But it can also It’s a partnership between the be at a lower level, like in our district medical technology company Stryker approach, where we use data as a and Amsterdam UMC. Medical Photography: Melle Meivogel starting point to enable professionals practitioners from all over Europe from different fields (from the police come here to improve their skills in to healthcare to housing associations) operating theatres, using the latest to look at their districts and devise equipment. It’s a great example of shouldn’t just have an office in local policy.’ public-private partnership. an area, but also a presence. There’s room for the life sciences Although the Amsterdam Life sector to grow. There are still plots Sciences District was originally Amsterdam Life available, and there’s room in existing built as a mono-functional district, Sciences District buildings. Plenty of opportunities it’s now being transformed into a ‘Ahti will have been a success if for growth for both small and large dynamic residential and office area. health­care improves. It will help companies. When people only used to work ‘OUR AIM? if economic activities are attracted in the area, outside of office hours to Amsterdam, with a focus on ‘A lot of room has also been left for it became a bit of a no man’s land. The Amsterdam health & innovation for better healthcare: new residential buildings. More and more That’s not good for anyone, and technology institute (ahti) is one of companies, or startups that are scaling companies are realising that you with these developments we’re IMPROVING the many initiatives launched by up, and also research and innovation trying to change the situation.’ Joep Lange, the AIDS expert who funding for institutes in Amsterdam. died in the MH17 air disaster. It was he who came up with the plan for ‘These economic activities can find a ‘Medical practitioners Responsible employer CARE AT this research institute, aimed at home at the Amsterdam Life Sciences ‘Companies have an important improving healthcare at every level – District, which is an ahti initiative from all over responsibility regarding their in Amsterdam and beyond. Sadly, with partners including Amsterdam Europe come here employees’ health. There’s huge he didn’t live to see his plan become University Medical Center (UMC) potential here, but for a healthier EVERY LEVEL’ a reality. and the City of Amsterdam. This is to improve their lifestyle you need behaviour change, an area with a cluster of companies which by definition is difficult to ‘But you can still see his way and organisations in the field of skills in operating achieve. A major part of it is paying of thinking in our pragmatic health and care, with a special focus theatres, using the attention to each other and creating The way you achieve innovation in healthcare approach,’ says Birk Frankvoort. on artificial intelligence. It’s an inspir- balance. That’s not something you ‘Our director Michiel Heidenrijk ing environment which is developing latest equipment.’ can simply arrange. As an organisa- is by bringing people together, around the worked with Joep Lange for years. rapidly, close to Amsterdam UMC, at tion you need to do something about We aren’t a traditional research the Academic Medical Center (AMC) health, and you also need to be table, or in a neighbourhood, where people live institute, we want to do projects location. And in cooperation with sensitive in giving meaning to work. and work. That is the belief at the Amsterdam that have an impact, by bringing partners like amsterdam inbusiness, At our office we provide healthy together people, organisations, Amsterdam UMC and property nutrition and we’re experimenting health & technology institute. Business companies, researchers and developers, we’re bringing health tech with ways to keep fit. We now do entrepreneurs to work on innovation companies there. For example, to stretching exercises every hour, and developer Birk Frankvoort talks about better in healthcare, to improve the help startups and scale-ups to take the we do a plank. And recently, as a healthcare, the advantages of clustering, quality of care, increase patient next step in their development with team, we took part in the Amsterdam satisfaction, and make the care our European accelerator programme UMC Run, which is good for your and the benefits of doing a plank every hour. more cost-effective. HealthInc. health and also for team building.’ 16 17 De Arendshoeve Where: next door to Schiphol ' Plants Logistics Park Municipality: Haarlemmermeer Who: director Jacob van Zijverden Interviewer: Jeanet van Antwerpen, are on SADC the up www.arendshoeve.com and up '

When you step In the genes Facebook and Amazon, which have them to the financial institution in Jacob is the fourth generation in made their offices into entirely green the Zuidas business district. inside the the Van Zijverden family to run environments. It’s totally achievable The 400 COOs then personally greenhouse at a business at this spot on the for non-multinationals too. took their creations to the homes of Aalsmeerderdijk. His great-grand- You can make big gains with a small lonely elderly people in Amsterdam.’ Arendshoeve, it’s parents started a mixed farm investment.’ here in 1852. Around 55 years a pretty striking ago, Jacob’s parents switched from Community transition. arable farming to greenhouse 30 years of sustainability Over the past 20 years, Arendshoeve horticulture. And 22 years ago, Arendshoeve was sustainable before has gained a lot of new neighbours, You leave the they added an events space anybody was using the word. and Jacob and his team are keen to measuring 3,200m2. ‘In the 1980s, energy prices went make contact. ‘I’d love to organise ordinary world through the roof, so we double a neighbourhood get-together with behind and enter glazed all the greenhouses and the people who work in the huge Fascinating insulated them thoroughly, for buildings at Schiphol Logistics Park. a wondrous The 15,000m2 production green- example using an insulation screen. Wouldn’t it be great to get to know house has jungle appeal thanks to We were very successful in cutting each other better and see if we can environment that’s the huge hanging plants, which do our energy consumption. We went make use of each other’s facilities?’ a feast for very well on the market. Jacob finds from 100% to 50 and now 30% of inspiration in magazines and at trade our original consumption. We also the senses. fairs. ‘It’s also just a matter of luck. use the anaerobic digestion plant My motto is “dare to be different”. at the Meerlanden waste processing I think it’s fascinating to do things company, and our solar panels that are out of the ordinary. Why? provide a third of our power. Because there’s already too much Oh yes, and we’ve also been recycling Wondrous world uniformity and too many grey suits water for 25 years.’ Beautiful, filtered light, subdued in the world. People are looking for sounds, a profusion of green in ways to stand out from the crowd every shade and a huge variety of and I capitalise on that.’ Social responsibility shapes and sizes of foliage, from ‘We help customers find solutions, big, shiny, dark green leaves, to pale we pick up the phone when they grey-green fronds tumbling from Health call, and we give answers to their the ceiling. Above your head are ‘Lots of research has shown that questions – apparently for a lot hundreds of white amaryllises; plants have a positive effect on people. of customers this is something water splashes soothingly in the When there are plants in your living special. It’s actually just excelling in background. In the greenhouse, and working environment, you the ordinary. A good example is an you can feel the atmosphere of the feel healthier, and you recover more event we ran a couple of years ago. flowers and plants. It’s a popular quickly. What’s more, people in spaces Four hundred COOs from a major location for corporate events run with a lot of plants are apparently financial institution came here, by companies like Google, L’Oréal less aggressive and more creative. not for a meeting, but to plant a and KLM-Air France, as well as At the same time, a lot of people hanging basket full of beautiful for smaller business events, private are convinced that plants are on the plants. We grew the baskets on here parties and weddings. up and up. Look at companies like for two months, and then delivered 18 19 DISASTER? ACTION! If a disaster happens ‘EVERYONE WORKS Gefco somewhere in the world and Médecins Sans Frontières TOGETHER TO • Founded in 1949 by car manufacturer (Artsen Zonder Grenzen) is Peugeot to transport car parts between going to help, Gefco and MSF DELIVER AID the factories in Sochaux and Paris. join forces and get to work. • Still transporting today, now also by air, In March, Cyclone Idai caused TO A DISASTER rail and sea. a huge natural disaster in • Peugeot is still a major customer and Mozambique. A tidal wave AREA WITHIN shareholder, but by no means the only swept away entire villages one anymore. and more than 2,000 people 24 HOURS’ • Gefco has now grown to become a were killed. MSF went to the MSF - Holland (Artsen zonder Grenzen) worldwide logistics provider, operating disaster area to help, and contacts Gefco. and specialising in a variety of sectors. Gefco transported the aid to Gefco Forwarding • The global HQ of Gefco Forwarding Mozambique. The partners Where: Schiphol is at Schiphol. have a tried and tested plan Municipality: Haarlemmermeer • Planned for next year: a move to for disasters: Who: Marco van Kampen, Schiphol Trade Park. The logistics Sales and Marketing Director space will be doubled. By: Joep Schroeders, SADC • A lot of customers are in the life Sometimes Gefco coordinates ‘door-to-door’ to www.gefco.nl sciences and health sector, including the disaster area from Schiphol, sometimes MSF, aid organisations such as Médicins Sans depending on the country and the disaster. Frontières (Artsen zonder Grenzen). • Using extensive track & trace technology, Gefco monitors all shipments, from A to Z. • Member of Pharma Gateway Amsterdam, an initiative by Schiphol Airport, Air Marco van Kampen (50) Cargo Netherlands, KLM, Gefco and other market players. One of the aims • Married, sons aged 21 and 16, lives in of the project is to raise awareness among Via the warehouse management Import permits are arranged by local Purmerend. Has worked in logistics for pharmaceutical companies of the possibilities system, Gefco and Médicine Sans agents. Insurance is taken out – some 25 years, of which 5.5 for Gefco. for the storage, distribution and transport Frontières (Artsen zonder Grenzen) consignments are worth millions of dollars, of medicines by Dutch carriers. determine what needs to be sent. especially medicines. Bottlenecks in the • Warehouse staff wear augmented reality Often it’s emergency aid that needs to destination country are analysed (e.g. glasses. During picking and packing, arrive at the destination within 24 hours. goods held up at customs, high tariffs). they get instructions via the glasses: what goods are needed, how many products per delivery, and how they should be stacked. Working at Gefco

• It’s a flat organisation with a nice working atmosphere, and that’s due in part to the Gefco prepares the orders: route chosen, orders picked highly motivated staff and our special and packed, Unit Load Devices (ULDs) built up. customers. ‘We are a crucial part of the A ULD is a pallet or container used to transport air freight. supply chain and help to save people’s One ULD takes around 1.5 hours to build up. An aircraft lives every day.’ usually holds 15 ULDs. • Everyone is passionate about the work Médicins Sans Frontières (Artsen and there’s a strong group feeling. zonder Grenzen) and Gefco You can just walk into anyone’s office, and the staff are very committed when it • MSF has been a Gefco customer for years. comes to special deliveries, for example At Gefco, 4 FTEs are dedicated to MSF. to a disaster area. • Around 75% of the present warehouse is All the staff help out • If a member of staff has a good idea, they filled with goods for MSF, mainly medicines – including Marco – packing, TAKE can pitch it to the management. If the – both refrigerated and unrefrigerated – labelling and carrying. management approves, the staff member food, spare tyres for jeeps, tents and OFF! gets a budget to put the idea into practice. other materials. 20 21 Fruittuin van West Cows on the doorstep, Fruittuin van West Where: Tuinen van West, next to the city around Business Park Amsterdam Osdorp Municipality: Amsterdam Who: Lisan Sturkenboom, co-owner of Fruittuin van West the corner Interviewers: Yasha Schadee and Peter Joustra, SADC www.fruittuinvanwest.nl

In 2014, biodynamic fruit growers Wil and Lisan Sturkenboom sold their orchard in Dronten, in the polder an hour east of Amsterdam, and moved with their children to a recreation area called Tuinen van West ('Gardens of West'), on the outskirts of Amsterdam. There they began Fruittuin van West ('Fruit Garden of West'). They still grow fruit - but now they do a lot more besides.

Surprising the visitors they are. Visitors can pick their own There are performances, you can So on our 6.5 hectares of land our business we pay a lot of attention It feels like the polder ‘Our dream was to have a farm fruit and collect eggs. We already had get married here or have a party, we have around 20 types of fruit, to the cycle of plants, people and ‘It’s wonderful here, we feel close to nature with a wide range our first pickers in September 2014!’ or just have a nice lunch. We grow from cherries to apples.’ animals. That means we don’t want completely at home. We’re outdoors, of activities and products that our fruit organically – for example, to harm nature, we want to add to it.’ the city is just around the corner, are all interconnected. And to get the orchard is fertilised naturally and lots of really nice people come close to the consumer. In Dronten Best of both worlds by our chickens. And the building Farmer's sense here. Our visitors are creative and our business was really focused on ‘We consciously chose Tuinen van is energy efficient.’ ‘It’s not for nothing that the Dutch Earthship very diverse. And the surroundings, production, which means you have West in the Amsterdam district of expression for “common sense” is ‘We want to take good care of the the landscape, everything suits us more contact with the wholesaler Nieuw-West, because here we have “farmer’s sense”. That’s what we do, environment around us, and also perfectly. When I first came to this than with the consumer. We wanted the best of both worlds: we’re close Spreading the risk we use our common sense. It’s the of our business. In the orchard, we place I thought, “this is it!” It gives to do things differently here. to the city and we have cows on ‘We think it’s important to have only way to keep a farm going. built an “earthship”, with a 400m² me the feeling of the polder – after We want to surprise our visitors with the doorstep.’ a number of different activities, Apart from being farmers, Wil and garden. It’s a sustainable building, all, that’s where I come from!’ all the life on the farm and in the so we maintain our presence in I are also businesspeople, and ideals which doesn’t leave a footprint, orchard. I love it when I see children the area all year round, and we aren’t much use to you if you can’t and fits into the existing landscape. watching a worm for 15 minutes. Connecting spread our risk. That’s why we make ends meet. You have to make The earthship houses our organic Or when adults are fascinated, taking ‘Our business model: connecting don’t want to grow just one type your business economically profitable, shop, our café, where you can have a really close look at a strawberry the town and the countryside, of fruit. Imagine if we only had whatever the ideals behind it. lunch, and our meeting facilities. plant. That’s what happens here: close to the consumer. We have apples and the harvest wasn’t good We want to be a real biodynamic The free-range chickens in the we show simple things and people the orchard, café, meeting facilities one year because of a hailstorm. agricultural business which is also orchard provide natural fertiliser find out for themselves how beautiful and a little supermarket. Then we’d be in trouble. economically healthy. In running and help to combat moulds.’ 22 Karma Kartel Where: C-Bèta, Schiphol Trade Park Municipality: Haarlemmermeer Meanwhile at C-Bèta... Who: Thijs Bos, owner Interviewer: Isaac Roeterink, SADC SADC’s showpiece is C-Bèta, the place for www.karmakartel.nl circular experimentation at Schiphol Trade Park, and home to creative entrepreneurs with Thijs Bos innovative ideas. In each edition we check out Sea Buckthorn one of the pioneers of sustainability at this Crémeux circular economy hotspot. This time it’s the Ingredients: turn of Thijs Bos of Karma Kartel. • 500 g sea buckthorn juice • 150 g sugar • 150 g egg yolk • 150 g eggs 1 Karma Kartel Frikandel [a traditional Dutch 4 Inspiring • 9 g (organic) gelatine ‘We’re the caterers at C-Bèta. fried snack]. That’s sure to be ‘We use the most sustainable • 150 g butter We serve food that’s produced as a hit at festivals.’ ingredients of the moment, so our (at room temperature) sustainably as possible, and we menu is constantly changing. want to make it as easy as possible For every dish I serve, I say what to eat more sustainably and with 3 Food awareness ingredients we’ve chosen and why. • Bring the sea buckthorn more environmental awareness. ‘In cafés and restaurants, people Your story has to be right, but juice to the boil with a For example, with familiar flavours are increasingly aware of serving ultimately taste is the most important tablespoonful of the sugar or vegetarian alternatives to meat vegetarian and vegan food. thing. I try to inspire people with and a splash of water. but with the same texture, the That’s a good thing too, because flavour. If a true carnivore really Puree with a hand blender same mouthfeel. Karma Kartel agriculture and the food industry enjoys a 100% plant-based dish, then sieve into a bowl. is purposely an odd name. are responsible for a quarter of the then I’ve achieved something.’ We concentrate on food awareness world’s greenhouse gas emissions. • Heat a little water in a and sustainability, but first of all, I think that people will only become saucepan. Put the syrup food is about pleasure. We want to really aware of it if there’s a CO2 5 2029 in a bowl that fits in the keep it fun.’ tax on food. Then sustainable and ‘In 10 years I’ll still be working pan as a bain-marie. responsible products will become a in catering. It’s really my thing. Add the remaining sugar, lot more interesting. A lot of people If you give people good, tasty food, egg yolks and eggs, 2 Future proof would like to be more conscious it makes them happy, and that gives and stir the mixture in ‘As a society we need a future-proof about what they’re eating, but they me energy. In our business, I’m sure the bain-marie until it way of eating, with food that’s still opt for the cheapest product. we’ll be working on yet another reaches 80°C. produced that meets the terms of At C-Bèta we hardly ever serve meat. new challenge – Karma Shawarma the Paris climate agreement. We If we do, it’s a surplus product – 36.0 or something. And it would • Meanwhile, soak the consciously don’t use soya as a meat venison from the Oostvaarders­ be fantastic if the street food line gelatine and add it substitute, because after meat it’s plassen or Amsterdamse Water­ we’re developing now becomes to the mixture, stirring the biggest polluter. Our Karma leidingduinen nature reserves, or available in supermarkets. Then we until it dissolves. Shawarma is a more sustainable – billy goat meat. It’s a shame to could really inspire more people and healthier – alternative to meat throw that away.’ to buy sustainable and responsibly • Allow the mixture to cool. shawarma. Comparing Karma produced food.’ When it reaches 45°C add Shawarma to lamb shawarma, the softened butter and there’s a 52% reduction in CO2 emulsify the mixture with emissions – that’s more than half! ‘Your story has 6 C-Bèta the hand blender. It proved to be a big success at ‘We want to get together to hold festivals like Lowlands last year. a Circular Food Festival in and • The colour will gradually At that point our Karma Shawarma to be right, but around C-Bèta on 30 September. change. When the colour was made of celeriac, but we went If it works out, then it will be a great stops changing, the on to develop a version using 100% ultimately taste opportunity for Karma Kartel to mixture is fully emulsified. wheat, and now we’re thinking about show the importance of choosing Pour into small dishes a mixed vegetable and wheat version. is the most sustainable and responsible food, and chill in the fridge So we keep developing our products. and to inspire even more people.’ for 4 to 5 hours. Our next product is the Karma important thing’

c-beta.nl Space for circular development 24 25

DecoWraps Lagging behind Sustainability Where: Greenpark Aalsmeer In the Netherlands, half of the at home Gemeente: Aalsmeer plastic is recycled, which is pretty Who: Ralph van ‘t Hart, Sensible good! A lot of people are surprised commercial director to hear that other European • don’t eat meat, and neither Interviewer: Aleida Bos, SADC countries are lagging behind when does my wife or my daughter www. .com it comes to recycling, but it really Åsa. Our youngest daughter packaging is the case. A lot of plastic waste Lune is still too little, she only is still burnt or goes into landfills. drinks milk.

Paper packaging • I’ve installed extra Research shows that 90% of plastic insulation in my house, DecoWraps has been waste ends up in the sea via 10 rivers at my own expense. – two in Africa and eight in Asia. working for years to make So in Europe there’s not as much • I used to shower for its packaging for flowers and we can do about it. But I understand 10 minutes, now just two. Recycling that consumers expect action. plants more sustainable. We sell to a lot of different countries Paper packaging can be a solution, • Ten years ago, I used to Commercial director Ralph around the world, but even in Europe but not in the Netherlands. drive at 140 km/h in the there are still many nations that We package flowers, and they’re fast lane, but now I do van ’t Hart was in at the start. don’t compost waste. That’s why we wet, so paper packaging can 80 in the slow lane. ‘Sustainability is really my thing.’ chose to make our packaging using tear, and consumers won’t sugarcane, which is recyclable, but accept that. They will in not biodegradable. The majority of Scandinavia, so we do sell countries do recycle. So we’ve chosen paper packaging there. this material because it’s green and it suits our customers. And in countries where the recycling facilities are still poor, the emissions are less harmful Packaging or not? Strict requirements A big impact when it’s burnt. We have to keep asking The plastic bags you buy at the You might think that packaging is ourselves whether packaging supermarket are made of 100% only part of the problem, but every is really necessary. recycled material, but that isn’t day a huge amount of packaging It is necessary for flowers, if allowed for food packaging. gets used, and much of it is made only to prevent waste, but we There are all sorts of hygiene of plastic, at least in part. If you do need to do it differently. requirements, and as yet you something about this, it can have can’t use recycled plastic. a huge effect. To give you an idea, Single material the annual effect of plastic on Wherever possible, packaging should Plastic climate change is 1%, and for be made from a material that can be Even if plastic is biobased, it’s aviation it’s 2%. So it’s a big impact! sorted into a single container, and still plastic. So just like conventional We’re trying to do something about that needs to be easy to understand. plastic, it won’t biodegrade in aviation – flying less, compensating It means not using coated paper, the sea. And if you burn it, it emits CO₂ emissions – so we can also do for example, because it would need CO₂. In that respect it makes no something about the use of plastic. First step to be taken apart. The paper would difference. However, you can recycle Our flower packaging sleeves are have to go in a different container it, and it is made of a renewable Bioplastics made of polypropylene, which is from the coating. Consumers can’t resource. If you burn packaging Reusable plastics are made of plastic made of petroleum, a take it apart, and it can’t be done by made of sugarcane, the CO₂ that’s sugarcane. There are already quite fossil fuel. We have sleeves made of machine either, so it’s not recyclable. emitted was absorbed by the a lot of compostable bioplastics, recyclable bioplastic as an alternative. sugarcane last year, which means but you can’t throw them away They cost twice as much, which is Virgin film it is climate neutral. That’s the big with the organic waste, because often a bridge too far. What isn’t a Hard plastic is easier to recycle difference between bioplastic and food composts faster then bioplastic. bridge too far is compensating CO₂ than the films we use. The films petroleum-based plastic. So the use of bioplastic actually by paying a small supplement. bring down the Dutch average. contributes to pollution rather For companies that’s a good first step. Recycled consumer plastic is grey. than providing a solution. In many We offer it in cooperation with Consumers don’t want their flowers countries waste isn’t composted at ClimatePartner,­ which invests the wrapped in this – they want to see all, so the bioplastic is simply burnt. compensation in forestry, green energy the bouquet. So there remains a And that produces CO₂ – less than and hydroelectric power. We’re taking demand for ‘virgin’ film – that’s burning normal plastic does, but still. part in a project in Congo. what the transparent type is called. 26 27

ANWB Where: Business Park Amsterdam 'WE HAVE OUR Osdorp SATISFYINGLY SUSTAINABLE Municipality: Amsterdam Who: Olaf Groen, real estate project manager for ANWB OWN SUSTAINABILITY  The glass has a positive effect on  The staff can even adjust the room Business Services the solar gain, or G value. What temperature themselves – they Interviewers: Yasha Schadee does that mean? It keeps out the can raise or lower it by up to and Masha de Wekker, SADC heat of the sun but lets in enough two degrees. After office hours www.anwb.nl SPECIALISTS' daylight. And the view outside is the temperature goes back to the optimal. original setting.

 There’s ‘purge ventilation’ on the  There are 230 solar panels on first floor: floor-to-ceiling panels the roof. An eye-catching new building at Business on either side of the windows that Park Amsterdam Osdorp is home to the can be opened for fresh air while  There’s a fast charger in the you work. grounds and 15 regular charging motoring association ANWB, the Royal Dutch stations for electric cars.  The lighting is controlled by an Touring Club. Project manager Olaf Groen automated system. We can adjust  Because of the mass of the the brightness of each light concrete structure, the building was in charge of construction, during which centrally, and if a room isn’t in has a constant interior climate, use, the light is dimmed. In the which is very pleasant for careful attention was paid to the responsible 24/7 canteen, the light dims from the users. use of materials and energy. ‘ANWB aims to around seven o’clock, so people aren’t sitting in bright light in the  To promote cooperation be a socially responsible business, and part evening. We adapt the lighting to between ANWB and Logicx, the wishes of the users. there are some common facilities, of that is sustainable building.’ including pantries, offices and relaxation rooms. This helps to build team spirit. In his 11 years with ANWB, are more breakdowns than others, and their contributions have to be construction engineer Olaf Groen and this region has a high incidence invested as well as possible. We do has managed countless projects for rate. This building has a number this by thinking carefully about the association. For the building at of different functions. There’s office sustainability, in close harmony Business Park Amsterdam Osdorp, space, a breakdown repair service with price and quality.’ he was the project manager for centre with a customer reception the construction process. ‘I was room, and a repair garage with three responsible for the entire project, bridges. And we share the building Strict requirements from developing the schedule of with ANWB’s subsidiary Logicx, ‘Business Park Amsterdam Osdorp requirements to installing waste which is responsible for recovering has a list of very strict requirements bins in the grounds. We started stranded cars and dealing with loan for companies that want to have Business Park Amsterdam building at the end of May 2018, car pick-ups and returns. Whether offices here. Both the building Osdorp’s ambition in September the shell was finished, we’re constructing or renovating, the and the grounds have to meet all and on 10 January we were able schedule of requirements is always sorts of sustainability demands. Business Park Amsterdam Osdorp’s to move in.’ based as closely as possible on the The business park’s sustainability ambition is to realise a circular wishes and demands of the end user. policy is a good match with the working environment. Its key starting After all, they’re the ones who have ANWB’s. My job is finished here, points are energy neutrality Strategic base to work in the building. Sustainability and I’m now very busy working at minimum, with the aspiration ‘Business Park Amsterdam Osdorp is an important starting point. As on a variety of projects all over ultimately to become an energy was chosen because of its strategic long as I’ve been working here we’ve the country. Along with everyone supplier, plus the creation of circular position in relation to the A9 been geared towards sustainable involved in this project, I’m very public space, and nature-inclusive motorway, Amsterdam Airport investment and intelligent technical proud of the result. As the architect and soil-friendly development. Schiphol and the centre of applications. Why sustainability? Onno de Vries put it, “The building The park aims for both its public Amsterdam. From here we have ANWB aims to be a socially is a sort of Rubik’s cube: ANWB’s space and business premises to access to the surrounding areas responsible business and part of entire functional schedule of be as sustainably designed as which have a high incidence of that is sustainable building. ANWB requirements has been incorporated possible, in consultation with the breakdowns. In some places there is an association, with members, into the limited building mass.” occupying businesses. 28 Schiphol Logistics Park On your bike! The proportion of green space to land FACTS & FIGURES available for business premises at SLP is 3.9 KM Schiphol Logistics Park (SLP) is a hive 40 / 60 of road runs SADC's big e-bike test of activity, with new buildings appearing through SLP all over the park. It’s high time the area was made more attractive. And at SADC business parks, more attractive also means 300 TREES have already been more sustainable. Project manager planted in the Arnoud van der Wijk fills us in on what Ringdijkpark, which There they were in May, ready and The idea was for the staff to find out this means in practice at SLP – he’s a borders SLP waiting: four brand new e-bikes to how an e-bike or speed pedelec be tested by SADC staff members. rides, to imagine whether they’d like facts and figures man. They’d been delivered by Mobilys, to commute like that a couple of days which supplies e-bikes to the per week, and to see how it feels corporate market. This pilot is aimed to begin and end the working day at taking a closer look at mobility with some physical exercise. And if 740 TREES 12,240 SOLAR PANELS policy. Why come to work by car the bikes are parked at SADC during are being planted along the N201, from Aalsmeer are currently being installed at SLP or train every day if you can cycle? the day, colleagues can also use to . This is part of the plan for visual In 2020, a national tax-friendly them for work-related journeys, for quality. The trees form an avenue. The road to The capacity of all the cycle scheme will come back into example to Schiphol Logistics Park Schiphol Logistics Park will be a tube lined with solar panels combined is operation, which will make it more or C-Bèta. After the pilot we’ll assess green columns. It’s the first thing you see when 3.3 MEGAWATTS economical to lease an e-bike: the test cyclists’ experiences (first you turn off the A4 motorway. which is enough for it will cost employees just €5 net impression: enthusiasm all round) 3,066,811 KWH PER YEAR per month. In the run up, SADC is and explore the possibilities, assisted COLUMNAR OAKS which is enough to supply already exploring the possibilities. by mobility experts. And who knows, as the name suggests, grow tall and thin like 900 FAMILIES Until July, 13 SADC staff members perhaps next year we’ll be seeing a column. Side by side they make a real screen. had the chance to try out an e-bike a big group of SADC staff e-cycling Because they don’t spread, they’re well suited to see if it suited them, whizzing to to our offices and work sites. for planting along the roads at SLP. Schiphol from Amsterdam or nearby Bloemendaal, but also from as 16 METRES far afield as Utrecht and Vleuten. is the maximum height the trees can grow to. BIODIVERSITY We’re close to the busy airspace of Schiphol has greatly increased because of SLP. There used to Airport, and the trees mustn’t obstruct air traffic, be only pasture and arable land, but now there’s a which is why there’s a maximum height. lot more variety in the landscape. Two green areas are being created. There are partly wild verges, and 1.5 METRES for water storage there’s a retention area with lots of is the maximum diameter of the tree crown. reeds, which is proving especially popular with birds If they spread any wider, they’d touch – and those are certainly welcome at SLP. It’s a great the buildings. place for nesting swans.

16 TREE SPECIES At SLP there’s room for animals 2 SHRUB SPECIES as well as businesses. There are: 4 GRASS AND HERB MIXTURES 7 BEE HOTELS, have been planted at SLP, but there are now 34 NESTING BOXES more than 100 different kinds of plants in the park. 1 POND FOR NATTERJACK TOADS

To plant the trees, The new cycle path between SLP East 3 C. 2,680 M and SLP West is laid with On their bikes (from left to right) of compost/humus has been used 19,632 TILES Reinier Folkerts, Yasha Schadee, to improve the soil. Rosemarijn Verdoorn, Arno Jansen 'We show simple things and people find out for themselves how beautiful they are' Lisan Sturkenboom, Fruittuin van West (p.20)

About SADC SADC (Schiphol Area Development Company) develops a coherent portfolio of high-quality, easy-to-access working environments in the Amsterdam Airport Area, which are competitive both nationally and internationally.

SADC N.V. The Outlook, building C, 2nd floor Evert van de Beekstraat 356 1118 CZ Schiphol The Netherlands T: +31 (0)20 - 206 66 40 www.sadc.nl

linkedin.com/company/sadc-n-v @SADC_NL Inside SADC’s business parks… and more to explore