Team spirit, daring and perseverance

These three core values reflect the manner in which we work at Allshoes. Just how relevant and powerful these values are was strongly proven during 2021.

Unfortunately, the past year does not yet mean the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately for us, we were spared the uncertainty with which many other sectors had to deal. While many companies had to temporarily close their doors, the construction and technical sectors were allowed to continue with their work. This in part guaranteed the continuity of Allshoes. And yet, we were faced with challenges. The scarcity of raw materials put extra pressure on our production and logistics activities. The doors of our physical shops closed and this has meant that the volume of online sales increased. By switching quickly and, at times, taking daring choices, we were able not only to avoid losses but were even able to realise substantial growth.

That we were able to have a strong year in such turbulent times is also most certainly due to the people with whom we work.

I am proud of the perseverance with which all Allshoes employees continue to perform. With an unprecedented drive and flexibility, they were able to adjust to new regulations and procedures – even from home. Together, we were able to keep our team spirit high.

For that matter, I see this flexibility not only at Allshoes. I think that we, as a society, have proven to ourselves to have a huge capacity for adapting. Although the climate crisis is less tangible than a neighbour infected with a virus, a parallel can nevertheless be seen. A Coronavirus crisis or a climate crisis – both situations demand an adjustment of our behaviour. That may feel rather uncomfortable at first, but as long as we all take that first step, we will all have a healthy society.

At Allshoes, we have been working to positively influence the impact of our organisation for some time. This means that sustainability is not new for us. What is new is the publication of this annual sustainability report. The climate crisis demands a sound approach and substantiated choices. Thus the past years were spent gathering and analysing data and coming up with a strategy. We have now come to a point where we can tell you more about our mode of operation.

Exciting? Yes, absolutely. Why? Because we still do not have all the answers despite our hard work and thorough research. We are not there yet. But with daring, perseverance and a collective drive, we have come a long way.

Michiel van Kempen Bunzl Safety NL Managing Director