Magazine 95 - nr 4 (Engels)

‘Sometimes you just have to make a move’ Marjan Minnesma, the Netherlands’ most sustainable woman

Theme: measuring sustainability To measure is to know

Which car marque can call itself the greenest brand? number 4 - autumn 2012

in the picture photography Dreamstime

How sustainable is sustainable? Many producers claim that they make responsible chocolate. Many of them boast about reducing CO2 emissions, but the precise details are often left out. The use of green and honest raw materials of course plays an important role, but there too, the facts and figures are often absent. ‘Sustainable’ sounds attractive of course, and that perception adds an extra dimension to eating a chocolate bar … but whether that is truly responsible in itself …

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95 p4 Marjan Minnesma, according to daily newspaper Trouw the Netherlands’ most sustainable woman, on the courage needed to take sustainable steps

p10 Responsible government procurement strategy p14 Agri-food sector sustainability scan: learning from another sector

p17 Dossier Measuring sustainability p29 Column Prof. Dr Jan Jonker on new business models p30 Care Schadeservice: Large-scale approach to sustainable business practice p34 Will the most sustainable manufacturer please stand up? p38 Sustainability glossary p40 News, media, gadgets

p42 95 Short

p44 Measuring with gas tokens

TESTING AND MEASURING I can think of very few organisations that attach no importance to sustainability. Nonetheless, understandably enough, there is still often a vast chasm between thinking and doing. Initiatives to promote sustainability are often still swathed in a tinge of idealism. Striving for positive ecological yields is praiseworthy, but as yet represents no attractive economic return, and it is that lack of tangible profit that prevents many businesses from putting words into deeds.

After all, even in a sustainable business, salaries and other costs still have to be paid.

In that sense, sustainability above all works when it also delivers an economic gain, and ARN is constantly on the lookout for such opportunities. The recycling of fibres from the remains of car upholstery is an excellent example. In the past, these fibres were used to help dry sewage sludge. Although this is a useful application, it is not exactly the ultimate form of recycling. Thanks to research and development, the same fibres are now combined with residues from powder coating, resulting in an extremely useful substance for making sheet materials for applications in the construction industry.

Another example from practice at ARN is the use of the mineral waste fraction. In the past this residue was used as a filling agent, but in terms of economics, this was not such a favourable form of recycling. The fraction is now used in the manufacture of bricks and signs for street names.

In developments of this kind, identifying the economic and ecological return is a careful balancing act. As soon as a new application is developed, we launch new research into even more profitable possibilities. Identifying the ideal option is a question of sound testing and measuring.

At ARN, we have a range of tools to do this, including the Ecotest and the ARN Environmental Scan. Our ambitions in terms of recycling will succeed or fail according to the quality of our measuring tools. As a consequence, there can be no doubt that we will continue to focus both energy and attention on the further development of those tools.

Ir. Arie de Jong CEO ARN

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marjan minnesma, urgenda

‘sustainability is about having courage’ text Robbert Jan Sabel photography Maarten Corbijn

Don’t talk, act. That’s the motto of Marjan Minnesma, number 1 in the Sustainable Top 100 published in the daily newspaper Trouw.

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marjan minnesma, urgenda

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marjan minnesma, urgenda

According to Minnesma, sustainability is mainly a question of taking action – and not everything has to be verifiable and quantifiable: ‘‘Sometimes you just have to make a move.

Otherwise nothing will ever happen.’

M

innesma’s pragmatic attitude has already brought her many sustainable successes. She has been using her go-getter mentality since 2007 as the director of Urgenda, a foundation that aims to accelerate increased sustainability in the Netherlands by means of concrete initiatives by individuals and the business community. In 2011, for example, Urgenda sold 50,000 solar panels to individuals, schools, companies and churches without receiving any subsidy from the government.

Boundless energy

At the end of 2011, Minnesma’s decisiveness led to the highest position in the Sustainable Top 100, the list compiled by the daily newspaper Trouw of the most influential Dutch people in the area of sustainability.

According to the jury, she was streets ahead of the other trendsetters, who included Paul Polman, CEO at Unilever (number 2 on the list) and Wubbo Ockels, professor of sustainable technology (number 3).

Minnesma explained her success as follows: ‘I’ve been part of the environmental world for 20 years, so I know a lot of people. Besides that, I have lots of energy. I’m a doer. And that strikes a chord now.’

The fighting strategy of the ‘old’ conservation movement

doesn’t appeal to Minnesma. Instead of going on the warpath, she prefers openness and telling it the way it is. ‘If someone asks me to organise a conference, I tell them I’d rather do something more active. And if I don’t want to work with certain people because I see them as holding things back, I say it. I’m not one for keeping the peace at any cost or discussing every single thing – as in the Dutch “polder” model. That just leads to delays. I like to cut to the chase, but in a positive way, and I enjoy enticing and connecting and forging new coalitions.’

Daring

Minnesma favours employing passion and optimism to achieve a sustainable world. However, the spirit of the age is not helping. According to her, we are living in a period in which we keep each other in a rigid grasp through repression, protocols and control. ‘We try to get a grip on society with rules and supervision, because we have an attitude of mistrust and fear. The trouble is, those rules and that supervision nurture more fear and mistrust.’ Minnesma believes we have gone too far in this respect. ‘We should not hold on to the illusion that everything can be measured and controlled. That leads

Marjan Minnesma in a nutshell Marjan Minnesma began in 1993 an internship at Novem (now Agentschap NL). She managed to secure an EU project aimed at making Eastern Europe more energy efficient that was worth several million euros. By so doing, she created her own job. In 1998, she became campaign leader at Greenpeace. One of the people she managed there was the current chairman of the Dutch parliamentary Labour Party, Diederik Samsom. Three years later, she moved to the VU (Free University of Amsterdam) where she founded CIMO, a centre for innovation and corporate social responsibility. In 2004, she was appointed director of Drift, the Dutch Research Institute for Transitions, which is allied to Erasmus University Rotterdam. Minnesma founded this institute, which helps people and groups to switch over to a sustainable way of living, with Jan Rotmans, who is a professor of Transitions and Transition Management. Together, they founded Urgenda, a foundation that aims to accelerate the process of making the Netherlands more sustainable. Minnesma

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has been director of Urgenda since 2007. Minnesma is well known for her boundless energy and the many sustainable initiatives she has boosted by making use of her vast network. On September 4th 2012 (Dutch Sustainability Tuesday) she proclaims her alternative Queens Speech from the Throne with Sustainability as main topic. The essence of her story: “ In order to maintain our current prosperity, mankind has been overexploiting natural food and energy resources for decades. This will inevitably lead to an ecological disaster which is inextricably linked to the financial crisis that has gripped the world over the last years. If we want to stop and reverse this negative spiral, we will have to work together extensively on an international basis.

We need to take action immediately in order to keep our planet livable for our future generations.” You can watch the full Sustainability Queens Speech on YouTube (in Dutch).

u

marjan minnesma, urgenda

‘ I’ve been part of the environmental world for 20 years, so I know a lot of people.

Besides that, I have lots of energy.

I’m a doer. And that strikes a chord now.’

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marjan minnesma, urgenda

Urgenda Vision 2050: Inner-city transport will for the most part be electrically-powered; Behind wide, energy-generating dykes, saline agriculture will be practised, with underground transport modalities.

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marjan minnesma, urgenda

to inflexibility and bureaucracy. I hope we can find the way back to passion and decisiveness instead of rules and protocols. I’d rather do 100 things with the chance that 98 of them will go wrong, than only two things I know for certain will achieve a result. Because it’s important to learn from what you do. Sometimes you just have to make a move. Otherwise nothing will ever happen.’

Siberian winter

Minnesma shares her attitude towards the current spirit of the age with Tom Kniesmeijer, author of The Seasons of the Zeitgeist. In the book, Kniesmeijer describes how our culture makes a swing towards a new season every five years. Minnesma quoted him: ‘We’re in the winter now, characterised by limitation and pessimism.’ Minnesma saw the first Rutte cabinet in the Netherlands as an important exponent of this concept: ‘In fact, you could easily call it a Siberian winter. That government wasn’t interested in sustainability and stated, for instance, that wind energy relies on subsidies. They conveniently forgot that’s also true of fossil fuels. However, at the local and the regional authority level, I see a lot of enthusiasm for sustainable initiatives, and that’s also true of individuals. The country is bubbling with ideas.

For example, consumers who want to install solar panels not just on their own property but also on the neighbour’s, to generate even more energy. Unfortunately, the rules and regulations don’t allow it.’

Healthy future

Minnesma has noticed a turnaround: after the bitter winter, spring is on the way. She would like to see it happen faster: ‘At Urgenda we want to achieve acceleration by setting up initiatives with passion and energy.

We need to move as quickly as possible towards an economy that is based on green instead of fossil fuels.

And towards a circular economy, where all our resources are reused. Urgenda is committed to this idea

and to do it in a friendly way. We don’t pillory companies that are not 100 per cent sustainable. Instead, we go and talk to them to see what we can do to help. We notice that companies are open to this approach.

Because many people from the business community just want the same as we do: a healthy future for our children.’ Minnesma is optimistic about developments in the mobility sector: ‘I expect many more initiatives for electric vehicles. Not every concept will be equally successful, but in the long run we’ll nonetheless be moving over to electric. We have to: it’s the only solution to air pollution in cities worldwide. Besides, the oil is running out.’

Realist

Minnesma: ‘The car is rapidly losing its status as a sacred cow. In time, car ownership will halve and there will be flexible car use. For many people, a car still represents freedom. But more and more people experience car ownership as a limitation of their freedom, due to a shortage of parking space, for instance. And once you’ve found a space, it can easily cost you 30 euros a day. I foresee a significant increase in service concepts that provide flexible mobility without actually owning a car yourself.’

As a champion of sustainability, Minnesma welcomes such concepts. But she is still a realist, with a predilection for quality. And she is also the daughter of a car dealer. She grew up above the showroom and accepts that it is not easy to get people out of their cars: ‘I drive in my electric car from my home in Beemster to Amsterdam every day. It takes 30 minutes. But if I go by public transport, it takes two and a half hours. The difference is just too great. Now, if there were an electric taxi that would take me to Amsterdam in 30 minutes, I’d certainly consider it, provided I could sit back and enjoy a cup of coffee.’ t

About Urgenda The aim of the Urgenda Foundation is to make the Netherlands sustainable as soon as possible.

To this end, it works together with companies, government authorities, social organisations and individuals. Urgenda has formulated a long-term vision, and its diary from now until 2050 is full of concrete initiatives. The foundation places particular emphasis on introducing products or new technologies that others ignore. By organising regional tours and the Day of Sustainability, Urgenda demonstrates how many pioneers are already active in the Netherlands.

And through such iconic projects as the Texel Experimental Garden, Urgenda shows what sustainability is all about in concrete terms. For more information, visit www.urgenda.nl.

Scan the qr code for the brochure Accelerating sustainability together, Urgenda’s vision 2050.

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government

future-oriented procurement The government would like to contribute to a cleaner environment and has therefore been carrying out sustainable procurement since 2003.

For instance, official cars purchased must be clean, economical and recyclable, among other things. text Lisa Schonenberg illustration Michel van den Boogaard

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government

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government

Why does the government procure sustainably?

What criteria does it apply? And what does the sustainable procurement policy look like in 2012?

I

n 1998, the then Ministry for Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment decided that Dutch government authorities should carry out their procurement in a more sustainable way. They called in a private consultancy firm to help look for solutions. The work carried out by this company was transferred in 2003 to Agentschap NL, called Senter Novem at the time. From then on, this organisation supported the activities of the ministry in this area. Henk Hortensius was coordinator of Sustainable Procurement at Agentschap NL for many years. ‘Sustainable procurement gained momentum when the secretary of state for the Environment, Van Geel, defined goals in 2004’, he recalls. ‘In 2010, more than half the government’s procurement would have to meet sustainability criteria. The Dutch Lower House went even further in 2005. It stipulated that 100 per cent of the national Government’s procurement had to be sustainable in 2010, with town and city councils achieving 75 per cent and provincial authorities 50 per cent. Government authorities’ purchases amount to more than 50 billion euros annually. So these goals gave the market for sustainable products a tremendous impulse.’

45 criteria documents

In order to review the goals, the ministry drew up criteria for sustainable products, which defined when a product is sustainable, and the requirements it has to meet. Hortensius: ‘Since 2005 we have been working together with the business community to draw up criteria documents for various product groups, such as catering, transport services, boats, removal services, and official cars including maintenance. In 2009 we had completed 84 documents. At that point, the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers (VNO-NCW) put the brakes on, because it was becoming too heavy an administrative burden for the business community. The number of product groups was brought back to 45, which meant that for some product groups there were no longer any criteria.

All the documents can be found on the site of PIANOo, the centre of expertise for tendering.’ Besides product requirements, the documents also specify product wishes. ‘So government authorities can take it a step further by also considering the wishes when procuring products.’

Results better than expected

At the beginning of 2011, the ministry carried out checks at the various authorities to investigate whether the goals for sustainable procurement had been achieved in 2010. The results were recorded in the Sustainable Purchasing monitor 2010. ‘All the government organisations had done very well’, according to Hortensius. ‘The national government had carried out 99.8 per cent of their procurement sustainably. The provinces achieved 96 per cent, amply exceeding the goal of 50 per cent as a result. The town and city councils also did very well; their procurement was approximately 90 per cent sustainable, well above the goal of 75 per cent.’

Business community dissatisfied

However, according to a report produced at the beginning of 2011 by Actal, the Dutch Advisory Board on Regulatory Burden, the business community was not satisfied with the government’s sustainable procurement policy. The report demonstrated that sustainable procurement had greatly increased the regulatory burden and costs for businesses, while it was unclear to what extent the requirements in the criteria documents had contributed to sustainability. ‘For that reason, secretary of state Atsma invited the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers (VNONCW), MKB Nederland, Corporate Social Responsibility Netherlands (MVO Nederland), de Groene Zaak (Entrepreneurs for a sustainable economy) and the Dutch Association for Procurement Management (NEVI) to advise on making the sustainable procurement strategy more effective.” The recommendation was ready in mid-2011 and the 5 organisations presented it to Atsma. “Atsma was extremely satisfied with the advice and is, in fact, adopting all the recommendations.’

Working together with the market

Up until 1 January 2012, Kees Clement was a member of the management team of the Sustainable Procurement Programme, which subsequently merged with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment’s Sustainability Board. He is directly involved in the implementation of the business community’s recommendations to improve the efficiency of sustainable procurement. ‘The requirements in the criteria documents are not very ambitious’, Clement finds. ‘If we had made them more ambitious, there would not be enough suppliers left who could comply with the remit. We would now like to design a more ambitious

government

sustainable procurement strategy that does not discourage businesses and put them to great expense, but rather creates a situation where we work together and consult with companies.’

From means-oriented to function-oriented

According to Clement, the criteria for sustainable procurement have been mainly means-oriented up until now. ‘We asked companies to supply a specific product. How it was manufactured and whether it was the best solution was not taken into consideration. Now we would like to move towards a procurement strategy that focuses on the desired results of a product and involves market parties in the entire procurement process. In this way, we implement sustainability throughout the procurement process, from beginning to end.’ The emphasis also lies more on the phase following the procurement process. ‘We would like to keep better track of whether the desired results really are being achieved with the product.’

Companies experience the current product requirements for sustainable procurement as an obstacle to creativity and innovation. ‘By leaving a lot up to the market in the new strategy, we aim to encourage innovation.

Companies can create a more distinct profile for themselves and specialise in the area of sustainability. And, of course, rejuvenation of the economy is in turn good for the Netherlands as a whole.’

Most sensible procurement

In the coming year, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment will be working hard on implementing the new strategy. ‘We will be adapting all the criteria documents to match. We aim to complete this process in the course of the year and would also like to reinforce the function of procurement agent within the government. Up until now, procurement agents have been largely invisible, although they are tremendously important. A good sustainable procurement strategy depends on them to a significant extent; they have to proceed in a strategic manner.’ Will goals for the future be formulated once again as part of the new procurement strategy? ‘Actually, no. We would just like government authorities to carry out procurement as sensibly as possible. This year we will also set to work on developing a new monitoring method. How can we measure the extent to which government authorities take account of sustainability in their procurement process?’

Future-oriented procurement

Will the current economic crisis mean that the government will once again just go for cheap products instead of sustainable alternatives? Clement: ‘It is certainly true that authorities think twice about everything they procure at the moment. But once they decide to procure something, they will always go for the sustainable option. In the long term, a sustainable product is always better. Sustainability is not a fad, it is necessary to keep our planet liveable. It may cost more money at the start, but you have to consider the total cost of ownership. A light bulb is perhaps cheaper than a led lamp, but the latter lasts much longer and is therefore cheaper in the long run. So I advise organisations not to think in a short-sighted way with their procurement, but in a future-oriented manner instead.’ t

Criteria document Official Cars including maintenance In sustainable procurement, the purchase, lease and hire of sustainable vehicles and sustainable main­ tenance is encouraged. A sustainable vehicle is: • Clean (minimal emission of substances that pollute the air) • Economical (minimal CO2 emission) • Climate-friendly (suitable for renewable fuels or energy) • Quiet (minimal noise emission) • Recyclable (attention paid to aspects such as the production of the vehicle and parts, for instance batteries)

At the moment, the criteria for the supply contract are as follows: • Official cars comply as a minimum with Euro 6, VI or EEV+ standards • Cars and commercial vehicles have a CO2 emission under the maximum CO2 emission level • Official cars have one or more fuel-saving options to encourage an economical driving style • Official cars have an alternative drive and/or can run on sustainable fuel • Cleaning methods that use less water or energy are especially appreciated

Recyclable

European Directive 2000/53/EC defines measures that focus on prevention, reuse, recycling and useful reuse of waste substances from private cars and light commercial vehicles. The aim is to reduce the amount of waste that needs to be removed and to improve the environmental performance of all the companies involved in the life cycle of vehicles. The directive also states that reuse and useful application of end-of-life vehicles must be at least 95 per cent from 2015 onwards.

Because dismantling end-of-life vehicles is wellorganised in the Netherlands and lies outside the influence of a procuring authority, no criteria are included for this aspect.

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productinformation

Agri-food sector sustainability scan offers useful methodology

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productinformation

How does ‘sustainable’ become a structural element of business processes? This is a challenge that many business people struggle with, also in the auto­motive industry. It can be instructive to look at the approach employed by other sectors.

For example, the Sustainability Scan for the agri-food sector provides useful leads for car companies and car recycling. text Remco Verhezen photography Hollandse Hoogte

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rom the Max Havelaar label to the CSR Performance Ladder: there are countless scans, inspections and seals of approval in the field of sustainability. The most important one is the life cycle analysis (LCA), which identifies the environmental impact from cradle to grave, thus allowing to establish which option is the most sustainable. Whether or not to insulate a house, for example. If a house is not insulated, an environmentally harmful construction phase is avoided.

If insulation is chosen, fuel is saved. And that saving eventually turns out to be so big that insulation is the most sustainable solution. Sometimes, only the CO2 emissions are calculated during such an analysis. This slimmed-down form of LCA is known as the carbon or CO2 footprint. The LCA can also be used for the automotive sector. But although such an LCA yields substantial amounts of information, it does not provide any immediately practical solutions for working in a more sustainable manner. For optimum insight, a scan or test is required that is tailored to the specific characteristics of a sector.

In the dossier on the following pages we include descriptions of the ARN Environmental Scan and the Approved Sustainability Plus scan from BOVAG and ARN, both of which have been developed specifically for the automotive industry.

Other sectors also perform such industry-specific scans. In order to assist companies in the agri-food sector in the enduring and well-considered greening of their business, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation (ELI) and the Wageningen Agricultural Economics Research Institute (LEI) have developed a Sustainability Scan.

Systematic approach

The Sustainability Scan holds up a mirror in front of entrepreneurs: what are they already doing about sustainability?

Which aspects remain underexposed? And where do the opportunities lie to make the organisation more sustainable?

Furthermore, the scan systematically examines all facets of People, Planet and Profit. Industry-specific issues, such as food safety and crop protection, are addressed. In addition, the scan also highlights general sustainability themes, including employment conditions, chain alignment and waste management. And finally, the scan also comprises a number of good management practices that contribute to sustainable business practice, such as codes of conduct, quality marks and certificates. By completing the Sustainability Scan, agri-food entrepreneurs make their sustainable activities measurable, as is the case with the ARN Environmental Scan. Moreover, the scan helps entrepreneurs to integrate the sustainability themes into all aspects of their business. The cycle includes eight steps that stimulate entrepreneurs to identify, consider, implement, evaluate and communicate sustainable measures.

Are you curious about the set-up of the Sustainability Scan for the agri-food sector and the themes that are covered?

Take a look on www. duurzaamheidscan.nl and be inspired by the approach in another sector.

Versatile scan

The results of the Sustainability Scan are not only useful for farmers and food manufacturers, but advisors, teachers, students and researchers can also use them, for example in classes about sustainability or during the preparation of an inspection. Apart from industry-specific topics, the methodology also provides useful starting points for entrepreneurs in other sectors such as the car industry.

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in the picture photography Getty Images

Every year, we use up more of our natural capital. The consequences are visible in climate change, the food crisis, increased poverty, and the disappearing rainforests.

It is therefore absolutely vital that we deal with our natural capital in a more sustainable manner. Increasing awareness of that problem is a first step; the next step lies in taking up sustainable initiatives, by making sustainability meas足ur足able, and on that basis determining how things can be improved. In effect, we are duty bound to take this next step, not only for idealistic reasons, but also from an economic point of view. Sustainable business practice results in new insights, in the willingness to think along new lines, and at the same time simply in savings.

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case study

To measure = to know

Case study: MEASURING SUSTAINABILITY 95 95 autumn zomer2012 2012- -p017 p17

case study

How do you go about introducing sustainability policy? What does it mean when you say something is sustainable? And is one source of sustainability the same as any other? Is it a question of the lowest CO2 emission or the best recycling performance? Does the return from a sustainable measure in fact make the investment worthwhile?

In other words: how do we divide fact from fiction?

Myths busted ental m n o nvir ARN E Scan Approved lit y Plus Sustainabi

ECOtest

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S

ustainability has not only be become a permanent policy component in the mobility sector on environmental grounds. Sustainable business practice also often offers financial advantages and helps ensure continuity. ARN has set itself the target of raising sustainability in the mobility chain to a higher plane, through careful planning, together with all chain partners. This will be achieved with the right tools for each type of business, be they car businesses, production companies or car recycling organisations. Achieving sustainable objectives results from the interplay between legislation, economics and technology.

Confusing definitions

To be able to work sustainably, first and foremost it is essential to decide what sustainability actually means. ARN underwrites the UN definition according to which: ‘Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’ This can be achieved in several different ways, for example by reducing CO2 emissions or by using fewer natural resources. However, it is often unclear which of these aspects are referred to, in any sustainability claim. Take the innumerable rankings for the most sustainable organisations. According to www. rankabrand.nl, Toyota is the most sustainable major car marque in the Netherlands, while SAM Group has declared BMW Group the world’s most sustainable car manufacturer. Announcements of this kind only have any meaning once it is clear on what basis the research agencies have made their claims. What indicators do they use? Material reuse?

Reduction in CO2 emissions? And to which indicators do they attach the most importance? (Read all about it in the article on page 34-37.)

case study

For some products and producers who have been earmarked as sustainable, there is also the question: are they truly sustainable? It always sounds good if a product is made from recycled material, but if the recycling process results in higher CO2 emissions, it is very questionable whether it represents a truly sustainable choice. And what about the chocolate producers who describe their products as sustainable? They may use ‘sustainable cocoa’, but that accounts for only four percent of their purchases. Is this then truly sustainability or is it greenwashing –selling something as sustainable when that is in fact not the case?

Hard figures

Lack of clarity and confusion concerning definitions can be avoided by using hard figures and solid indicators to identify what is truly sustainable. The key lies in making sustainability measurable. For the sustainability and recycling of vehicles, ARN aims to play a pioneering role in that respect and ensure that everyone in the mobility sector knows where they stand, what they can improve and what measures are truly effective.

Only then can facts be separated from fables.

How then can we measure sustainability? One of the most important sustainability scans available is the lifecycle analysis (LCA) for environmental impact from cradle to grave. One of the greatest disadvantages of LCA studies however is that they analyse a production chain on the basis of a huge number of indicators, making it difficult to allocate a weighting to the various effects of the chain and to interpret the meaning of those effects. What happens with the CO2 emissions if more waste is recycled? How much does it cost to reduce CO2 emissions? Finding answers to questions of this kind using the current scans is a very complex business. Another disadvantage of LCA studies is that they use standard data. As a result, the scan is not ideally matched to the chain for which it is used. Finally, an LCA delivers an extensive overview of the sustainability of a chain, without offering any specific solutions for improvement.

Savings with the ARN Environmental Scan

For ARN, these disadvantages were reason enough to develop its own scans for making sustainability measurable (see also the overview of products developed by ARN, in this case study), making use of data from practice rather than standard data. The results of these efforts are the Ecotest, an assessment that gives an insight into the nature of (recycling) chains, and the ARN Environmental Scan focused specifically on waste separation and energy saving within car businesses. Sustainability is already a key area of focus in the sector, but there is still room for further improvement, especially in the field of energy and waste. Experience has shown that businesses are willing to make the transition, but often do not know how. The ARN Environmental Scan offers an overview of the possible improvements, with practical tips and information about the savings they would generate. An advice may for example be to use larger packaging types for liquids, with a dispensing system, rather than containers of a litre or half a litre, to reduce packaging waste, or to replace conventional fluorescent lighting with high-frequency fluorescent lighting that consumes less energy.

The ARN Environmental Scan can also be combined with the BOVAG Approved Sustainability Scan, under the name Approved Sustainability Plus. ARN undertakes this combined scan on behalf of BOVAG. The

Approved Sustainability Scan examines how sustainably business processes are organised, while the ARN Environmental Scan, as already stated, closely examines waste and energy policy. The Approved Sustainability Plus scan therefore combines all aspects of sustainable business practice and provides car companies with an even broader picture of their environmental efforts and the savings that can still be achieved. In addition, the integration results in a uniform certificate that enables the sector to face the outside world with a ‘united front’.

Understanding via Ecotest

Based on the ARN Environmental Scan, ARN offers car businesses handholds for implementing sustainability policy. For businesses in which production processes are the central focus, ARN developed the Ecotest in 2010 in collaboration with consultancy firm FFact. This scan provides a clear picture of the environmental performance of a (recycling) chain, from the extraction of raw materials through to production, use and disposal. With its Ecotest, ARN aims to quantify sustainability in a clear and accessible manner. It is not a scientifically-based method but a practical instrument that gives an insight specifically into those indicators relevant for the analysis. The Ecotest makes use of data from the industry and not standard data. This enables the user to examine a chain for the following aspects: CO2 footprint, recycling and costs. The test makes the impact of the production chain transparent by weighing these three elements against one another. As a result, chain options can easily be compared. Indicators relevant to a specific study (such as toxicity) can also easily be added to the analysis, wherever necessary.

The Ecotest has already been conducted for example for the recycling of tyres and end-of-life vehicles. In car recycling, chain options include the use of shredder residue for generating energy and the processing of shredder residue in the PST facility (Post Shredder Technology) operated by ARN. For each of these options, the Ecotest identifies the CO2 emissions, the recycling percentages and the related costs. The best chain option will depend on the importance attached to each of these three factors.

A remarkable feature of the Ecotest is that the input data can be adjusted.

It is for example possible to input a different target recycling percentage, and to examine the consequences for the CO2 footprint. In a way, the Ecotest works as a dashboard on which the knobs and buttons can be turned to compare a range of chain options with one another.

From fiction to fact

Making sustainability visible in this way helps bust myths. One of the myths successfully busted by the Ecotest is the general conviction that it is better not to export end-of-life cars to Africa, because the transport of these vehicles results in far higher CO2 emissions. The Ecotest reveals that the picture is less black and white. If these cars continue in use in Africa for one percent longer, less new cars need to be produced for the African market. The resultant CO2 saving is so high that transport to Africa is compensated for.

In other words, the instruments for measuring sustainability in the mobility sector are available. It is now vital that they be employed as widely as possible so that everyone can clearly see where the opportunities lie for more sustainable performance. Based on this knowledge, an important step towards sustainability can be taken. As a result, sustainability is no longer a fable but a rock-solid fact.

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case study casestudy

What is the 1 Customer question You are looking to underpin decisions in the field of sustainability using facts about the production chain based on practice.

2 Inventory Data are collected about processes, logistics, energy, raw materials, waste, etc.

?

3 Process model Using the analysed data, the chain processes are visualised in the model.

That is why you are interested in the Ecotest. Your wishes will be evaluated during an intake.

Ecotest starts with the customer and his problems.

This often involves a need to: • gain a greater understanding of his own business and his own chain; • better understand his own performance; • be able to make choices and arrive at the best decision.

Ecotest is not an academic study but a practical tool, based on practical information from the chain.

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Information is requested within your company and the businesses with which you cooperate.

Using your knowledge of the actual situation, you the customer are involved at every stage of the process.

The Ecotest differs from a static LCA study or CO2 calculation by its dynamic nature: new and future situations can repeatedly be simulated.

The Ecotest process is highly interactive; the customer is involved in every stage of the project in order to arrive at the best possible result.

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case study

You feel sure your business could be more sustainable. The Ecotest offers useful suggestions for more sustainable business practice, by offering you a clear insight into the processes that make up your production chain. The test enables you to focus on costs, recycling, emissions and toxicology.

The steps that make up the Ecotest:

4 Analysis It is now possible to examine the sustainability of every process in the chain. Different scenarios are elaborated.

5 Presentation You will receive a clear report that transparently presents the various system choices.

Where can sustainability be improved? Where can you work more cost-efficiently?

6 Implementatie Your company will be provided with a ‘dashboard’ showing a clear overview of the key indicators, and you will be trained in using the necessary software with database access *.

Based on the Ecotest model, management can directly focus on new indicators, alongside such traditional issues as costs and return on investment.

indicators: • C02 effect • costs • recycling • toxicity

Ecotest only uses essential indicators.

This gives you a better grasp of the huge volume of environmental indicators used as standard in any LCA study.

Ecotest complies with the ISO standards for studies of this kind.

The model can be expanded to make a benchmark tool. * Ecotest calculates on the basis of LCA software SIMAPRO.

9595autumn zomer 2012 - p21

case study

‘We also need to measure the soft people effect’ The measuring of sustainability has both a hard and a soft aspect. Frans Kragten, senior advisor at BOVAG explained, “The hard element is the so-called planet aspect, which includes such items as waste separation. Hard elements are easy to measure. However, there is also a soft people aspect that is more difficult to measure. These aspects also need to be carefully charted out. If you have both the people and the planet aspects under control, the third p (profit) will take care of itself.”

The Approved Sustainability scan developed by BOVAG for car companies measures both the hard and soft aspects. In developing this scan, BOVAG responded to the needs of the car companies.

Increasingly they are recognising that society wants them to work sustainably. Kragten continued, “A car company that on the one hand stocks its showroom with vehicles that emit the lowest possible levels of harmful gases while on the other failing to dispose of used batteries in a responsible manner has little credibility.” Following on from Approved Sustainability Plus (Approved Sustainability in combination with the ARN Environmental Scan), BOVAG is currently developing the Approved Sustainability Premium scan, based on ISO 26000. This standard brings together the principles of corporate social responsibility. The new scan will have the same structure as previous scans, but will focus more on individual responsibility. It is up to each operator to determine and live up to their own standard in terms of CSR. Unlike in Approved Sustainability where the question was ‘how often do you do something?’, with the Premium scan the question is ‘what exactly do you do?’.

In conclusion, Kragten explained, “We aim to ask ARN to act as one of the parties to carry out assessments for Approved Sustainability Premium. We chose ARN for Approved Sustainability Plus because they are well-versed in the subject area and because ARN itself volunteers ideas on possible savings. Such proposals make sustainability tangible and specific.”

Frans Kragten

Senior advisor policy BOVAG

‘Once you have made the measurements, take the steps’ The total mobility sector needs to know its current status and where further improvements can be achieved. For that you need to take measurements, but those measurements must then be put to some useful purpose: taking the steps needed to increase sustainability. That at least is the opinion of Jaap Tuinstra, manager sustainability and technology at the RAI Association. “Those same measurement details can also be used to show the outside world exactly what you are doing.”

Together with BOVAG, the RAI Association draws up an annual sustainability monitor that records all the environmental data relating to cars. “It helps us to show in a single set of data how the chain is performing,” explained Tuinstra. “In the same way that ARN analyses the end-of-life process with its Ecotest, we do the same for cars still in use. What sustainability advances are being achieved on the road? The most important aspects are air pollutants and CO2 emissions. Over the past few years, both have been reduced considerably. The sustainability monitor also collates data on such issues as safety, noise, congestion levels, mobility, speed and accessibility.”

Eventually, the RAI Association hopes to describe the entire chain in its monitor. Tuinstra believes that ARN has a role to play in achieving that aim. “For example by providing a simplified model for the car recycling component for inclusion in the monitor. We would also like to include the BOVAG and ARN Approved Sustainability Plus scan. It is important that we all work together to cover the entire scope, and to show that the car sector is in fact fully taking responsibility.”

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Jaap Tuinstra

Manager Sustainability and Technical affairs RAI Vereniging

case study

‘What we need is one uniform scan’

Alfred Möller

Owner Möller and Autozone, founding father Green Mobility and Electric Transport Centre

Alfred Möller is owner of Möller Beheer BV, Möller Automotive BV, Möller Autoschade BV, Möller Inv. BV and Autozone, and founding father of Green Mobility and the Electric Transport Centre Rotterdam. He considers the measurement of sustainability in the mobility sector as a great good. “In my opinion, however, it should be achieved within a single scan. We need to prevent fragmentation with a whole range of different certificates, for example a separate BOVAG label and a separate FOCWA label.

Such an approach is not practical. By introducing a single, uniform scan for the entire sector, we will avoid constantly reinventing the wheel. In addition, it will immediately be clear to everyone what the certificate stands for, without the need to look into the specific details.”

Möller not only calls for a standardised approach, the scan should above all be attainable. “Economic viability is just as relevant as sustainability. It is after all the main driving force for any entrepreneur. At the end of the day that is why they went into business in the first place.”

Möller calls for a uniform scan that should be developed by FOCWA, together with all sector associations. “In principle it should not take very long to develop the scan, if we start off with an existing test like BOVAG and ARN’s Approved Sustainability Plus, and then make it suitable for damage repair companies, truck dealers and all other components of the mobility spectrum for which there is not yet a scan in place. Surely that is not so complicated, at least as long as you always make one thing clear: exactly how much a sustainability measure generates in terms of profit or savings.”

‘Sustainability needs to become self-evident’

Jos van den Broek

Manager IvDM

The IvDM (Dutch institute for sustainable mobility) is heavily involved in measuring sustainability in the mobility sector. “Above all via the Approved Sustainability certificate,” explained director Jos van den Broek. “We are fully responsible for the coordination of that programme.” Van den Broek pointed out that the mobility sector is in fact a highly innovative industry on the product side. “Huge advances have been achieved in terms of clean and efficient engines. We are now seeing businesses that use the products becoming increasingly aware of their role in terms of corporate social responsibility. The sector is now hard at work in this field, too, and today’s customers expect their modern mobility suppliers to have all elements of sustainability fully under control.”

Van den Broek views Approved Sustainability as a useful measuring tool for sustainability aspects.

“Some companies initially showed concern about the effort involved in obtaining the Approved Sustainability certificate, but as preparations advance, we have repeatedly seen enthusiasm grow and awareness strongly improving. The concept has now clearly proven its value, and has been fully accepted in the automotive sector. Now that enthusiasm for sustainability has taken hold, it is time to look for opportunities for expanding sustainable business practice. Approved Sustainability for repair companies is soon to be introduced with a view to ensuring that the reuse of components (an element already clearly present in Approved Sustainability) will in the future occupy an even stronger position in the overall concept. These developments once again underline the fact that the automotive sector is highly innovative and is rapidly able to respond to the needs of both commercial and private customers. In response, we closely harmonise approved sustainability with the requirements as perceived within the various sectors; a truck dealer, for example, is a completely different type of business from a carwash or repair company. Our aim is to tie in as closely as possible with the various business types and as a result remain viable for businesses and their employees in the sector. Beyond that, sustainability is set to further develop, and increasingly become a matter of course.”

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Waste prevention and seperation 2,8

Waste storage 6,1 Other enviromental aspects 6,0

Energy and water consumption 4,8

Waste disposal 7,8

ARN-ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN What is it?

The Ecotest addresses the entire (recycling) chain. To investigate a single car company, ARN has developed the Environmental Scan. ARN developed this scan in 2009 to assist car companies in increasing their sustainability, above all in respect of waste and energy consumption. Most car companies have these aspects well under control, but it turned out there was still room for improvement. Many businesses are not aware of this fact. How can environmental burdens be further reduced? Using the environmental scan, in a single process, businesses have a clear indication of the possible savings and the environmental gains to be achieved within their company.

The advice can be extremely simple, for example switch off lights in the workshop when no one is working there, or replace high-frequency bulbs with low-frequency equivalents. To give another example, for the liquids replaced in workshops, half litre or litre containers are often used. This is an unnecessarily expensive approach that generates large volumes of packaging waste. The recommendation from the environmental scan is therefore to opt instead for a bulk pack with a dispensing tap. A company that follows all the recommendations for example for waste separation at the workplace, the reuse of water in carwashes and smarter use of lights can save up to thousands of euros.

What is the result?

How does it work?

For the ARN Environmental Scan, a specialist from ARN assesses the car company on five points: waste prevention and separation, waste storage, waste disposal, energy and water consumption and other environmental aspects of the business operation. ARN has developed a benchmark to demonstrate how a company performs on these aspects in comparison to other companies in the sector. The result is a clear picture of where sustainable improvements can be achieved in a car company. ARN also identifies precisely how those improvements can be achieved in practice, alongside the expected costs and savings. The results are sometimes immediate.

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First a company registers with ARN for an ARN Environmental Scan. A specialist from ARN visits the company for an assessment. Together with the owner, the specialist completes questionnaires and carries out an inspection of the company. The results are reproduced in a spider web diagram. A business that scores a pass grade on at least four of the five elements then receives a certificate that is valid for two years. With two or more fails, the company first has to comply with the recommendations prior to a followup inspection. The inspection also includes a determination of nine key figures. For example: x kg of waste (substance x) per workshop passage or y kWh per m2. On the basis of these figures, companies can in future easily compare their performance with other companies in the sector. The owner invests just one day of work, including completing the questionnaires, preparing the company for inspection, accompanying the inspector on his tour, and conducting a final interview. 150 companies have already completed the ARN Environmental Scan.

case study

APPROVED SUSTAINABILITY PLUS What is it?

Since 2011, the ARN Environmental Scan can be conducted in combination with the Approved Sustainability scan from BOVAG. This combination has been given the name Approved Sustainability Plus.

The Approved Sustainability scan was established in 2009 to meet a demand expressed by car dealers.

Increasingly, customers are expecting dealers to apply the principles of sustainability. Approved Sustainability is a measurement of the organisation and its efforts in the field of sustainability.

What is the result?

Approved Sustainability is broader than just the ARN Environmental Scan. The Approved Sustainability scan is also broadly focused on energy and waste, but not so specifically as the ARN Environmental Scan. In Approved Sustainability, the question is: what efforts are you making to achieving savings? In the ARN Environmental Scan, the central focus is: what savings can be achieved? By combining both scans, a car company is given a full picture of all the aspects of sustainability. In terms of energy saving, for example, the scan not only refers to movement sensors but also the types of fittings you use. By bringing all the knowledge and expertise of both scan systems together, the operator is able to achieve savings in terms of time, money, comfort and the environment. On average, companies can save several thousand euros per year, by following all the recommendations issued.

How does it work?

Via www.dealerplaza.nl, BOVAG car dealers first complete a self-assessment. They answer 42 questions about their management, communication, financing, sales and personnel. If they achieve a score of 96 points or higher, they can apply for the Approved Sustainability certificate. An expert then pays their location a visit. Since 2011, these assessors have been sent out by ARN. The expert examines areas where further savings can be achieved. The Approved Sustainability certificate has been available since 2009. More than 600 companies have completed the scan since that time; Approved Sustainability Plus has been conducted for more than one hundred companies. The entire Dutch Volkswagen, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle and Audi dealer organisation is currently taking the Approved Sustainability Plus scan as a result of close cooperation between importer Pon’s Automobielhandel, the Dealer Council and BOVAG Car Dealers.

This is the first time that Approved Sustainability Plus has been rolled out across an entire dealer organisation.

Under development: Approved Sustainability Premium

BOVAG is currently working on developing an even more extensive version to be known as Approved Sustainability Premium. This scan will be based on ISO Standard 26000, the international standard for corporate social responsibility (CSR). This scan focuses on the individual responsibility of each business. To obtain the certificate, the business itself is required to take more action in determining and identifying its own position in terms of CSR. The question is no longer: How often do you do something? but instead: What exactly are you doing? BOVAG will be calling upon ARN to act as one of the partners involved in the assessment process.

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case study

thE ECOTEST What is it?

The Ecotest is a tool that gives businesses an insight into the environmental performance of their production process.

ARN developed the Ecotest in 2010 in collaboration with consultancy firm FFact, in order to investigate the sustainability of the car recycling chain. ARN and FFact were looking for a solution that provides a clearer picture than the LCA. Many LCA studies assess the chain according to scores on a whole range of indicators. This variety makes it difficult to allocate a weighting to the effects of a chain, and to interpret the importance of those effects. LCA studies also use standard data rather than data generated by the sector itself. The Ecotest avoids these problems.

What is the result?

The Ecotest gives a clear insight into the performance of the entire chain and of all chain partners by clarifying the relationship between three aspects: • ecology (CO2 footprint and other indicators such as toxicology) • raw material retention (recycling) • economics (costs)

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case study

INSIGHT

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The Ecotest gives clear information regarding costs, emissions and the percentage of recycling that is attained through various processes within the chain of production. Based on this information the Ecotests suggests points which still offer room for improvement.

The graphic below shows to which extent each of the three mentioned areas have already improved, as well as possibilities for further improvement in the future. The numbers in the graphics are based on a recyclingplant that processes 10.000 tons of material, of which 4.100 tons were recycled, 1.500 tons were lost during processing and 4.400 tons were dumped or burnt.

ARN itself employed the Ecotest to examine the sustainability performance of the recycling chain for cars and all chain partners. And what emerged? According to the calculation model, for each end-of-life vehicle, the ARN recycling system generates a saving of 1.7 tonnes of CO2 emissions. That is equivalent to the CO2 emission from an average car over more than 12,000 kilometres. The Ecotest is also able to calculate areas in which there are opportunities for even more sustainable performance. The test provides answers to such questions as: What is in fact happing?

Which factors can we influence? What is the best processing option? And what will change if we adjust one aspect?

On the basis of the figures, the right decision can then be taken.

How does it work?

Various practical examples of the useful outcome generated by an Ecotest can be viewed on ecotest.nu.

The Ecotest uses only the most essential indicators to underpin the decision. This fact ensures a better grasp of the huge volume of environmental indicators used as standard in an LCA study. The Ecotest of course also complies with the ISO standards applicable to the implementation of studies of this kind and carries out its calculations on the basis of the LCA software SIMAPRO 7. The test also distinguishes itself from a static LCA study or a CO2 calculation in that the Ecotest is a dynamic model. Once all data from a product chain have been input in the model, it is still possible to make changes to calculate possible new situations. Finally, the figures used are those released by the sector itself, rather than standard databases. See also www.ecotest.nu.

95 autumn 2012 - p27

in the picture photography Getty Images

The term ecological footprint is used to measure the impact of our activities on the earth.

A CO2 footprint or carbon footprint is part of that ecological footprint and relates specifically to the volume of greenhouse gases emitted - the emission of CO2 as a consequence of the con足sumption of fossil fuels in traffic, aviation, transport, production of electricity, heating, etc.

The CO2 footprint is a major contributor to the ecological footprint: the CO2 footprint is 2.78 ha (2003) per resident of the Netherlands, while the ecological footprint is 6.2 ha (2007). In other words, 45 percent of the total ecological footprint is determined by the CO2 footprint. p28 - 95 autumn zomer 2012 2012

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Recycling earning models?

U

se of the term recycling is becoming increasingly widespread, and that is undoubtedly a good thing. Originally it related to the reuse of every conceivable item, in a material sense, starting with paper (which of us has not earned a few extra pennies during the holiday by collecting old newspapers door-todoor?), via metal to glass and now the collection of plastic via the plastic heroes programme. On the other hand, it sometimes seems as if material reuse is in fact a very recent development. In the near future we expect exciting developments such as ‘Urban Mining’ and ‘Ambient Energy Harvesting’, perhaps preceded by the breakthrough of reusing coffee ground for growing mushrooms and sawdust for palletisation (I have it from a reliable source that that is the correct term).

One development that is certainly exciting is the transition from Life Cycle Analysis (see for example the Sustainable Living Plan from Unilever) towards a life-(re)cycle-use analysis. Put concisely, it is no longer simply a question of making products, but now also includes the lifecycle use in terms of raw materials, manufacturing, energy consumption and recycling value. Some people (take for example the TurnToo project) want us to stop buying new products entirely, and only to spend our money on such items as heat, comfort and transport. An approach of that kind clearly marks the change from a linear (waste-based) economy to a circular (reuse) economy.

Nonetheless, the question (given the imminent shortages of scarce raw materials and even commodities like water and oil) is whether this form of recycling is sufficient. Is it not time to become far more radical and to intervene far more deeply? Is it not time for us in fact to recycle the concepts on which

our economic thinking is based? After all, if a linear economy leads to linear earning models then surely a circular economy will at least result in a revision of the earning models as we know them? In other words, organising the economy differently will surely lead to ‘earning’ differently. Around the world there is some support for this train of thought.

The current multiple crises facing us are clear evidence that even money is not all it used to be. Money is becoming a fragile term. Higher earnings have come to a standstill, no one today even talks about price indexing, and our pensions have stopped growing. However, if we let go of all our ideas on what value means, and translate them into a far more balanced ‘value portfolio’, more space is automatically created for other types of ‘assets’. Why for example should we not rent out our roof space for solar panels, and convert the resultant income in KWHs which are paid out as a form of pension? Or why not spend any time we have left over today caring for others, and receive a compensation in the form of ‘care tokens’ that we can use in the future? And what about offsetting the costs for our mobility against fruit and vegetables? Now you may say that this is comparing apples with oranges. But is it really? A truly changed economy – and that is the direction we seem to be heading in – also calls for the recycling of the earning models on which the old economy was based. Admittedly, these changes will take some getting used to, but they do represent a very exciting and challenging necessity, in a period in which we have already recognised the urgent need to thoroughly rethink a whole range of other until now standard practices

Prof. Dr. Jan Jonker is Professor of Sustainable Business Practice at the Nijmegen School of Management of the Radboud University in Nijmegen.

He recently published the research report ‘New Business Models: an explorative investigation into changing transactions that create multiple value’. The report is based on research undertaken in the spring of 2012, during which 28 interviews were held with ‘new’ entrepre­ neurs. The report can be downloaded free of charge via: bit.ly/NHdABn. In the past, together with 450 others, Jonker edited the ‘green’ bestseller ‘Duurzaam Denken Doen’ (Sustainable thinking and doing).

Prof. Dr. Jan Jonker 95 autumn 2012 - p29

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text Jeroen Booij photography Marco Peters

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‘Perhaps the automotive industry is not as green as we think it is’ With 65 locations in the Netherlands and Belgium, Care Schadeservice is the largest vehicle body repair company in the Low Countries. That means that plans for sustainable business operations can be formulated on a large scale – and that’s exactly what has happened in recent years. General director Johan van Klinken explained.

B

y making ‘Care’ a part of its name (the ‘e’ is in a different colour so you can also read it as car care), the damage repairer seems to be saying something about its own aims. After all, Care stands for attention, carefulness and bearing responsibility. A sustainable strategy matches these values perfectly. And indeed: sustainability has become one of the most important focal points for the company in recent years. General director Johan van u Klinken (50) leaves no doubts on that score.

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At the head office in Vianen, he told us how that came about: ‘We started to think “green” in 2007/2008. I felt it was necessary because it’s good for the company – there’s a generation growing up that just expects it. But you have to really give substance to the idea and take concrete action, otherwise people immediately see through the façade. If it’s no more than a sales pitch, people really do notice. So it’s not just a matter of putting a sticker on the door. You really have to make a big effort.’

What was the reaction to your green plans five years ago?

‘I noticed that it quickly became a moral question: “You drive a big car yourself, so there’s probably not much to it” - that kind of reaction. But of course it has nothing to do with my personal opinion. Although I do see it as a moral obligation, I want to approach the issue in a business-like way. There’s room for a great deal of improvement in this energy-guzzling business we work in. That’s why we analysed precisely what we use and came to the conclusion that we emit on average 60 kilos of CO2 per repair car. That’s the equivalent of a drive from here to Paris in an average car. As we repair 120,000 damaged vehicles each year –155,000 if we include Belgium – we’re talking about an enormous amount. It’s the same as hundreds of cars driving to Paris every day. I found that pretty shocking, particularly if you try to imagine all those car journeys. I believe that we have a professional duty to deal with it.’

So how did you address the issue?

‘After seeing the results of the analysis, we contacted ARN and shortly afterwards, quantified the true scale of the pollution in even more concrete terms. A plan was then made to perform a baseline measurement in the form of an environmental scan. On the basis of the results, you can see who is performing well in this area and who is not. There were some significant differences, so we made a separate action plan for each location.

The differences stemmed purely from behaviour. Very small things can make a big difference – an automatic sliding door, lights that switch themselves off, for instance. Many of the workplaces have skylights, but of course they get dirty over time. By making sure they stay clean, you can do with less artificial light. It almost sounds too simple for words, but all these small things taken together do help. However, larger items – such as the processing of waste – were also spotlighted. Is the waste separated? What about collection? Is there a fixed interval or do they simply collect when the container is full? That can mean less lorry journeys. We keep a precise track of how much each employee uses. Paint of course, but also tape, foil and sandpaper. We leave it up to the manager of the individual location to decide whether employees are rewarded, but it’s good for the result at any rate. And, of course, there’s a financial p32 - 95 summer 2012

element. If you translate green into money, that’s another motivation. However, one aspect we were unable to measure with the environmental scan, was the pollution related to everything we purchase from suppliers. But we do know exactly what is used by every sprayer.’

So you’re clearly identifying what resources you use. But what are your targets for a more sustainable strategy?

‘Our ambition was to reduce the 60 kilos CO2 emissions per damaged vehicle by 20% in the first three years, but that turned out to be no easy task. In 2010, we achieved a reduction of 6% and the figures for the past year are not yet known, but we’re still aiming at 20%. We make a lot of comparisons between locations, and encourage the exchange of tips and tricks. We’re also particularly keen to show our customers more clearly that “green” really has become part of our DNA. We’ve called the project “Care Green” and we have a new reception desk with a green background and green folders.’

Are you hoping that this will give you a head start over the competition?

‘The vast majority of our competitors have not really made a start yet. Most of them are cooperating entrepreneurs and it’s much more difficult for them to implement a programme like this – our size is an advantage here. We really are different from the rest, and that makes it possible to do this type of thing. Even abroad you don’t find many companies like ours.

Nationwide in the UK and Galloper in the USA are the only vehicle body repair companies you can compare us with. But aside from that, we’re pioneers in the Netherlands anyway, and that has everything to do with the controlled market. We can stipulate where lease companies and insurers must go for their body repairs.

There’s no other market where this principle is implemented to such an extent as in the Netherlands.

The average repair company in France has 5 employees.

Our smallest one has 15.’

And are the Dutch and Belgian consumers just as progressive as you?

‘I don’t exclude the possibility that clients of lease companies will eventually demand that repairs are carried out “greenly”. This project generates energy savings, but one of the main things is that greenness becomes part of our essence. That allows us to build up an even greater advantage over our competitors. We’re in the middle of an economic crisis at the moment, but when we emerge on the other side, we’ll be in pole position. Gas and electricity is only going to get more expensive, so it’s just a matter of time before our green project is really appreciated. By the way, I find the

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reaction of the average large client quite disappointing – it’s very matter-of-fact. Because we really do much more than just put a sticker on the door. Perhaps the automotive industry is not as green as we think it is.’

These days you also provide bicycles as replacement transport.

A bike the customer can keep, is that right?

‘Yes. We’ve made a deal with insurers to give our customers a bike. A replacement car is lent out on average for four days – and that costs us the same as a bike. You see, if we can supply a good bicycle for the same sort of price as a replacement car, we should definitely do that. We’ve already given away 7,000, and they’re pretty good bikes at that. I ride one myself. We had hoped to use electric cars as well, but that hasn’t really provided a worthwhile solution yet. We now have two Opel Amperas; the rest of the fleet consists of cars with an A or B label. The range of the electric car is just too limited. And then you have the matter of where to charge it and who pays the charging costs. We reimburse the customer 5 euros at the moment if he does it himself. But we’re still talking about a fleet of 700 cars, so the potential for improvement is substantial.’

Can you make further savings on the actual body repairs?

‘It all started with cost-saving repair methods – repairing in a smarter way. We repair increasingly often instead of replacing; that’s more attractive in business terms and good for us as a result. In theory, more repairing always leads to lower damage costs. We can push small round dents back out. And we can repair increasingly large

areas of damage with plastic parts, for example. Even plastic headlights. Not because we want to be top of the class, but to achieve a healthy margin and be competitive.

The best repairer wins, that’s what it boils down to. It’s our rationale and we try to impress that on our employees, too. In that respect, seeing the Care Academy open a few weeks ago fulfilled my dream. If you want to be a good body repairer, you need to use the correct materials and have the right knowledge. I’m a great believer in permanent education, including aspects that are specific to Care. In terms of body repair technology, we’re at the forefront and we can pass on our tips and tricks to our people.’

On the website careschaderservice.nl you can find a video on the green initiatives of Care, called CareGreen.

What can you improve even further in the near future in terms of sustainability?

‘We’re looking at new technologies. The spray cabin guzzles energy to dry the paintwork. But the paint can be dried much quicker with UV radiation – it’s dry in a minute. But it’s not easy. The heat has to be directed straight at the object, which means that you can do one side of a car but not the whole vehicle in one go. You’d need to have something that follows the contours of the car, like in a car wash. At the moment, BASF and AKZO are researching the idea. But the body repair sector itself is also ripe for improvement. Car dealers used to be small garage owners, but that has changed enormously in the last decades. They’ve become serious companies. The damage repair world has missed out on all these changes – a body repair company is still a traditional business. Although that makes it an enjoyable profession to be in, a good shake-up is needed because there are just too many businesses.’.

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manufacturers

Will the most sustainable manufacturer please stand up

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manufacturers

When the subject is sustainability, plenty of car manufacturers think they perform better than their competitors. Research in this area does not provide an unambiguous outcome at all. For instance, BMW, Fiat and Toyota were all designated as the greenest make of car by different research bureaus in recent years. How is this research carried out?

What are the indicators? And is there a car manufacturer that really can be considered the most sustainable? text Rob de Boer photography Getty Images, Dreamstime

T

o begin with the last question: in the 2011 edition of the internationally recognised Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), BMW won the award for the most sustainable car manufacturer for the seventh year in a row. However, the Germans had to share the title with Fiat, which achieved a score of 94/100, just like BMW. Both makes left the competition trailing far behind them – the automotive sector notched up an average score of 72/100 in this sustainability index. To make the assessment, the DJSI applies criteria relating to the companies’ economic, ecological and social performance. For the economic performance, the researchers investigate aspects such as company management, the code of conduct and the innovation process. The environmental technology analysis naturally depends on the environmental policy of the companies

investigated, but also, for instance, on the efforts made by a car manufacturer to produce in an energy-saving way and to limit harmful emissions from cars. This is the specific point where Fiat and BMW perform above the mean; the Italian cars average the lowest CO2 emissions in Europe, while BMW has achieved the greatest environmental gain with its own EfficientDynamics programme. In terms of social aspects, car producers can distinguish themselves by providing safe and healthy working conditions and staff training opportunities, and by being socially active in the regions where the cars are made. BMW performs a little better than Fiat in this respect, and is furthermore the only car manufacturer to have been included in the list every time since the first edition of the DJSI in 1999.

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manufacturers

Interbrand: Toyota the greenest make

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3

Average fuel consumption according to CAFE (l/100 km)* 1. Toyota 6,1 2. Honda 6,5 3. Nissan 6,9 4. Kia 7,1 5. Hyundai 7,1 6. GM 7,1 7. Suzuki 7,4 8. Mazda 7,4 9. Ford 7,6 10. Volkswagen 7,8 11. Mitsubishi 8,1 12. Subaru 8,1 13. Chrysler 8,4 14. BMW 8,7 *figures based on model year 2010

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Conspicuously absent in the latest edition of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index is Toyota, which was invariably highly placed in this study up until 2010. Although the Dow Jones researchers have never explained their decision, the step probably has to do with the relatively large number of recall actions Toyota was confronted with at that time. This quality aspect is apparently less important for other research institutes. According to research bureau Interbrand, Toyota is in fact the greenest make in the world, even ahead of companies such as 3M and Siemens. Interbrand calls Toyota ’an example of a brand that has elevated the environment to a core priority, and consciously seeks dialogue with target groups all over the world.’ This brings the Japanese company recognition for its many years’ pioneering work in the field of hybrid cars, while the renowned Toyota Production System has increasingly more followers both within and outside the car industry. For that matter, there are no less than seven car manufacturers in the top 20 Best Global Green Brands published annually by Interbrand. Besides Toyota, they are Honda (3), Volkswagen (4), BMW (10), Ford (15), Mercedes-Benz (16) and Hyundai (17). According to the researchers, the car industry owes this remarkable performance to its ability to apply sustainable initiatives right across the company, and to communicate this effectively as well. With this last comment, Interbrand indicates that public perception also plays an important role in the compilation of this league table.

Economical in 2025

At any rate, it is clear that sustainability within the automotive sector means more than just producing economical, clean cars. But the combined fuel consumption of all the different models from one manufacturer is also an indication of the environmental strategy the company in question is trying to pursue. As a reaction to the first oil crisis, the Corporate Average Fuel Economy – CAFE – was introduced in the United States as long ago as 1975 to reduce the fuel consumption of private cars and light commercial vehicles. Last year, the American government breathed new life into this regulation, on the understanding that the calculations would this time take account of more variables, such as the size of the car. This means that stricter requirements are applied for small cars than for large cars within the regulation. For the coming years, the 13 largest car manufacturers on the American market have agreed to reduce the average fuel consumption of their cars in 2025 to 4.3 litres per 100 kilometres (1:23.2). A study carried out last year generated the league table below, where the low ranking of a brand such as BMW is particularly noticeable. At the same time, it is clear from these figures that car manufacturers as a whole still have their work cut out for them to comply with future requirements.

manufacturers

Tall order for Rank a Brand

For the Dutch market, research bureau Rank a Brand hazarded an analysis of the car industry at the end of 2010. “We can categorically state that the car sector is by far the most complicated and extensive sector we have ever ventured to investigate. It’s the first time we have experienced that every single brand in a sector communicates on-line about their strategy for corporate social responsibility. And we have also never before seen brands placing different pieces of information on different websites”, according to the researchers’ own commentary. Despite this situation, they managed to draw up a balanced questionnaire after intensive research and discussions with experts within the sector. Rank a Brand used the results to assess the car manufacturers on their product portfolio and also on their business operations with respect to environment, climate and working conditions. In the resulting league table of the most transparent, green and honest car brands in the Netherlands, Toyota takes the top place, closely followed by Peugeot, Citroën and Fiat. Based on this study, Rank a Brand also concluded that the car industry has a long way to go yet with respect to sustainability and transparency on the subject. “Selling a hybrid model does not make a brand green. It involves all the models sold by the car brands and the entire life cycle from raw materials to manufacture, use, and recycling,” according to Imke van Schaaijk, communication manager at Rank a Brand.

Most ethical car producer

Although many manufacturers push themselves to the limit to make both their production methods and their cars less damaging to the environment, sustainability remains a thorny subject for the whole sector. After all, car manufacturers are also dealing with a desire for mobility that is still growing worldwide. But although customers are becoming increasingly aware of the consequences of that desire, the environment is not particularly high on the priorities list of many shareholders.

In addition, there is the social aspect, given that the car industry provides employment in a great deal of locations throughout the world. Ford is one of the few car manufacturers to frankly admit that pursuing sustainability and reducing CO2 emissions is important, but that building cars is still their number one priority. In the United States, Ford has been the market leader for years and years in the large pick-up truck segment. With an average consumption of 13.8 l/100 km, the F150 is a fuel guzzler even by American standards; at the same time Ford has managed to lower energy use in all its factories by 30 per cent in the past few years. That may explain why Ford is the only car manufacturer appearing on the Ethisphere Institute’s list of the world’s most ethical companies.

According to the devisers of the list, Ford owes its selection to the fact that it is more innovative and transparent than its competitors, and that it performs better in the areas of communication and social involvement. But that still doesn’t answer the question of who can be considered the most sustainable car manufacturer.

1 2

3

Rank a Brand Top 20 Most Sustainable Makes of Car (max. 24 points) 1. Toyota (16) 2. Citroën (15)

Peugeot (15) 4. Fiat (13) 5. Ford (11)

Volkswagen (11) 7. Volvo (10) 8. BMW (9)

Mercedes (9)

Skoda (9) 11. Hyundai (8)

Renault (8) 13. Nissan (7) 14. Audi (6)

Kia (6) 16. Seat (5) 17. Honda (4) 18. Mitsubishi (3)

Suzuki (3) 20. Opel (2) 95 autumn 2012 - p37

Glossary

Sustainability Glossary What do we actually mean by sustainability? And what exactly is a carbon footprint? What is the role of the Club of Rome? You can find the answers in this short glossary. From Brundtland report to triple bottom line – an explanation of terms commonly used with respect to sustainability.

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Glossary

Brundtland report This is the popular name for the report Our

Industrial Ecology This is an integral method of making a process, company etc. more sustainable. It is not just about technological solutions: social, economic and ecological factors are also taken into account. This method has been applied at eco-industrial park Kalundborg in Denmark, for instance. The companies in this park work together with the local community to reduce waste and pollution, to share water, energy, infrastructure and other facilities and to achieve sustainable development.

Carbon footprint This method is a trimmed-down version of Life Cycle Assessment. The burden on the environment is analysed in terms of greenhouse gas emission. This is ultimately calculated back to the CO2 emission – the CO2 footprint. on climate change is too mild and that the climate problems are still being toned down too much (see climate change).

Lansink Ladder This is the standard for waste management.

The ladder is named after Ad Lansink, former member of the Dutch parliament from the Christian Democratic Appeal party. He was one of the authors of the resolution relating to this approach, which was tabled in the Lower House in 1979. At the top of the Lansink Ladder are the most environmentally friendly methods of processing waste. The idea is that we should get waste as high up the ladder as possible. The Lansink Ladder is often mentioned in international circles these days.

Climate change With climate change, the average weather type

Life Cycle Assessment This is a technique used to identify the

common future from the World Commission on Environment and Development, published in 1987. The commission was chaired by former Norwegian prime minister Brundtland. The Brundtland report was the first to call for sustainable development, and the definition of this term given in the report is still frequently used: “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Climate alarmists Climate alarmists think that the IPCC report

or climate changes over a particular period of time. The UN organisation Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) publishes a report about climate change approximately every six years. It includes the scientific findings of thousands of scientists. The IPCC report is often used to demonstrate that climate change is a fact, that the earth is getting warmer and extreme weather will become more common.

Climate sceptics Climate sceptics doubt the correctness of the IPCC report on climate change (see climate change). They think the report lacks sufficient critical commentary with respect to many observations or studies.

Closed loop

In a closed loop, material flows remain enclosed within a single company or cluster of companies. Waste products from one flow become raw materials for another flow.

Club of Rome The Club of Rome was founded in the 1960s by European scientists to express their concern about the future of the world. In 1971 they published the report The Limits to Growth. This was the first report to warn that the availability of natural resources is not endless.

Corporate social responsibility Corporate social

responsibility (CSR) relates mainly to the social side of sustainability.

For instance, investing in a local football club of employing people with a disability.

Cradle-to-cradle Just like Industrial Ecology and The Natural Step, Cradle-to-cradle is a method for achieving sustainability. The idea is that all used materials (waste) at the end of product life can be usefully utilised in another product. The central concept is the creation of continuous cycles (waste is a nutrient/waste does not exist) and the use of renewable sources of energy.

materials and energy used in products, processes etc. and the burden on the environment. Everything is analysed ‘from cradle to grave’: extraction of raw materials, manufacture, use, and ultimately the disposal phase.

The assessment is based on many different indicators.

Raw material scarcity This term refers to the depletion of natural resources such as oil and ore.

Sustainability Refers to the way in which something is produced, with consideration for the three Ps – people, planet, profit. ARN endorses the definition provided by the UN (see also Brundtland report above): “Sustainability is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Sustainable procurement The Dutch government spends

more than 50 billion euros on procurement annually. It aims to spend that amount in a sustainable way and in so doing, stimulate the market for sustainable products and services. That means that companies that supply the government must meet the guidelines relating to the environment and social conditions during the production of the products or services.

The Natural Step The Natural Step is a non-profit organisation that supports a method for increasing sustainability, just like Cradle-tocradle and Industrial Ecology.

Triple bottom line / 3P The triple bottom line consists

of three Ps: people, planet, profit. The underlying principle is that a company should not just make an economic settlement (profit), but should also consider the human aspect (people) and the environment (planet).

95 autumn 2012 - p39

News, media, gadgets

Recycling contributions remain the same after VAT increase As from 1 October the Dutch VAT rate is to be raised by 2%. However, this rise will have no consequences for the various recycling contributions since ARN has decided not to allow the rise in the VAT rate to increase the level of the contributions. All contributions will thus

remain unchanged. This decision was taken based on ARN’s fervent wish to further structurally reduce the costs of car recycling.

For the sake of clarity, below is an overview of all contributions:

Type Amount in euro Disposal fee for cars

45.00

(including 21% VAT)

Management contribution Li-Ion battery <100 kg

90.00

(including 21% VAT)

Management contribution Li-Ion battery >100 kg

180.00

(including 21% VAT)

Management contribution for car (starter) battery

0.05

(excluding VAT)

Cleantech

The clean future Cleantech is the collective term for all technological innovations that make a contribution to a cleaner environment and/or energy saving. Clean production is no longer a barrier; instead, it is the basis for a new wave of innovation and industrial growth. Throughout the world, Cleantech innovations are emerging at a remarkable pace. In April 2012, the Dutch VPRO tv series Tegenlicht dedicated a full programme to Cleantech. Tegenlicht

revealed a vision on the world as it would be over the next few decades, together with Nick Parker, the spiritual father of the term Cleantech. In 2000, he founded the venture capital company Cleantech to invest in startups in this field. Watch this edition of Tegenlicht first broadcast on 23 April 2012, at tegenlicht.vpro.nl.

Energy saving with the USB green button The USB green button works via the USB port and at a single touch of a button switches your computer to sleep mode. The result is a saving in both energy and unnecessary wear while the computer is not in use.

Blueroots goes public Streetsigns and other furniture in the public realm made out of a recycled composite, this has become reality with the introduction of Blueroots. Developed by ARN Recycling and NPSP, this new material consists of recycled car parts and a bio-sourced resin. Combined, these form a very sturdy sort of plastic which is suited for a wide range of applications. The resources needed for this material are derived from ARN Recyclingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new PST-factory. p40 - 95 autumn 2012

News, media, gadgets

Sustainable business models guaranteeing growth The Dutch Sustainable Growth Coalition (DSGC) is a group of Dutch multinationals (Akzo Nobel, DSM, FrieslandCampina, Heineken, KLM, Philips, Shell and Unilever) that together wish to actively contribute to a more sustainable world. The initiative is supported by the Dutch employers’ organisation VNO-NCW and assisted by Ernst & Young, with Jan Peter Balkenende at the helm. The eight multinationals share the vision that financial and economic growth go hand in hand with the creation of profit for man, the environment and society as a whole. They are convinced that the sustainable growth model is the ultimate business model for the future. The members have committed themselves to promote business models focused on sustainable growth based on the principle of Shape, Share and Stimulate: the development of sustainable business strategies (Shape), the sharing of best practices (Share) and encouraging debate (Stimulate).

Surf to http://www.mt.nl/281/duurzaam for an interview with Jan Peter Balkenende and his vision on DSCG and sustainable business models.

The columnist from this issue of 95 has also written a Working Paper on sustainable business models that can be read via bit.ly/NHdABn.

Measuring in practice In his book Making Sustainability Work, Marc Epstein shares his experiences of implementing and measuring sustainability within businesses. The book is a mix of Epstein’s many years of academic study, the work of other thinkers in the field, field studies in businesses and almost 100 case studies. Within the case studies, dilemmas and challenges are discussed that face managers in the implementation of sustainability. The book also includes a wide variety of tools and a practical management model for measuring sustainability efforts. In other words, this is a practical guide for anyone wishing to put their ideas on sustainability into practice.

Title: Making Sustainability Work By: Marc Epstein Publisher: Berrett-Koehler ISBN: 978-1576754863 288 pages - price: € 32.99

Asian vision on sustainability The economic crisis is leading Western economists and politicians to apply pressure on Asia to consume more and thus save the world economy.

However, if the rapidly-growing Asian populations take the Western consumption pattern as their role model, the result will be disastrous for our planet. This at least is the theory put forward by Chandran Nair in his book Consumptionomics - Asia’s role in reshaping capitalism and saving the planet. He is an environmental expert and founder of the think tank Global Institute for Tomorrow (GIFT).

According to Nair, it is not only important to think about the environment, but also about how to organise society. How can we establish political institutions capable of ensuring that the planet is fairly and sustainability shared by a population of 15 billion, by the end of this century? Consumptionomics is a unique Asian perspective on sustainability and economics.

Title: Consumptionomics (digital) By: Chandran Nair Publisher: Infinite Ideas ISBN: 978-0470828571 256 pages - price: € 24.99 95 autumn 2012 - p41

95 short

‘Sustainability is about having courage’

4

‘At Urgenda we want to achieve acceleration by setting up initiatives with passion and energy. We need to move as quickly as possible towards an economy that is based on green instead of fossil fuels. And towards a circular economy, where all our resources are reused. Urgenda is committed to this idea and to do it in a friendly way. We don’t pillory companies that are not 100 per cent sustainable. Instead, we go and talk to them to see what we can do to help. We notice that companies are open to this approach. Because many people from the business community just want the same as we do: a healthy future for our children.’ Minnesma is optimistic about developments in the mobility sector: ‘I expect many more initiatives for electric vehicles.’

Case Study: Measuring Sustainability

17

To be able to work sustainably, first and foremost it is essential to decide what sustainability actually means. ARN underwrites the UN definition according to which: ‘Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’ This can be achieved in several different ways, for example by reducing CO2 emissions or by using fewer natural resources.

However, it is often unclear which of these aspects are referred to, in any sustainability claim.

p42 - 95 autumn 2012

Future-oriented procurement

10

‘Now we would like to move towards a procurement strategy that focuses on the desired results of a product and involves market parties in the entire procurement process.

Instead of asking the market to build a bridge, for instance, we ask them to provide a sustainable link between A and B. The market decides what the product will be, because they know much more about the possibilities than we do. In this way, we implement sustainability throughout the procurement process, from beginning to end.’

‘Perhaps the automotive industry is not as green as we think it is’

30

‘I noticed that it quickly became a moral question: “You drive a big car yourself, so there’s probably not much to it” - that kind of reaction. But of course it has nothing to do with my personal opinion. Although I do see it as a moral obligation, I want to approach the issue in a business-like way. There’s room for a great deal of improvement in this energy-guzzling business we work in. That’s why we analysed precisely what we use and came to the conclusion that we emit on average 60 kilos of CO2 per repair car. That’s the equivalent of a drive from here to Paris in an average car. As we repair 120,000 damaged vehicles each year –155,000 if we include Belgium – we’re talking about an enormous amount. It’s the same as hundreds of cars driving to Paris every day.’

95 short

colofon

Agri-food sector sustainability scan offers useful methodology

14

The Sustainability Scan holds up a mirror in front of entrepreneurs: what are they already doing about sustainability? Which aspects remain underexposed? And where do the opportunities lie to make the organisation more sustainable? Furthermore, the scan systematically examines all facets of People, Planet and Profit. Industry-specific issues, such as food safety and crop protection, are addressed. In addition, the scan also highlights general sustainability themes, including employment conditions, chain alignment and waste management. And finally, the scan also comprises a number of good management practices that contribute to sustainable business practice, such as codes of conduct, quality marks and certificates.

ARN is the Dutch centre of expertise for recycling in the mobility sector. It has managed the recycling chains in this sector for fifteen years. ARN has grown into a centre of expertise in the field of recycling, chain management and knowledge exchange. ARN uses its expertise to advise companies and public authorities – in the Netherlands and abroad – on a variety of issues relating to sustainability.

95 is a magazine for business relations of ARN and appears twice a year, with a circulation of 9,250 (8,750 Dutch and 500 English).

Publisher ARN P. O. Box 12252 1100 AG Amsterdam de Entree 258 1101 EE Amsterdam telephone +31 (0)20 66 131 81 info@arn.nl www.arn.nl Design and production Móbile Rembrandtlaan 24 3723 BJ Bilthoven Telefoon +31 (0)88 227 22 80 info@mobile-pr.nl www.mobile-pr.nl Editorial board ARN Arie de Jong, Janet Kes, Aarnout van Duuren, Femke Jacobs, Rob van der Linden Editors Rob de Boer, Jeroen Booij, Jan Jonker, Robbert Jan Sabel, Lisa Schoonenberg, Laura Vening, Remco Verhezen, Femke Welvaart Projectmanagement Viona Nieuwenhuis Art direction Michel Giezen (Sabel Design, Bilthoven)

Will the most sustainable manufacturer please stand up?

34

Conspicuously absent in the latest edition of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index is Toyota, which was invariably highly placed in this study up until 2010. Although the Dow Jones researchers have never explained their decision, the step probably has to do with the relatively large number of recall actions Toyota was confronted with at that time.

This quality aspect is apparently less important for other research institutes. According to research bureau Interbrand, Toyota is in fact the greenest make in the world, even ahead of companies such as 3M and Siemens. Interbrand calls Toyota ’an example of a brand that has elevated the environment to a core priority, and consciously seeks dialogue with target groups all over the world.’

Photographs, infographics and illustrations Maarten Corbijn (Corb!no), Michel van den Boogaard (Sabel Design), Marco Peters (fotograaf.nl), Thijs Unger (vof Unger-Kisman), Dreamstime, Getty Images, Hollandse Hoogte, beeldmateriaal betrokken organisaties Printing Klomp Grafische Communicatie, Amersfoort Translation English issue sbv anderetaal, Noordeloos © Móbile, Bilthoven 2012 No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form without the prior written consent of the publisher and editors. All the information in this magazine has been compiled with the greatest possible care.

The parties concerned are not responsible for any inaccuracies or omissions, of any nature whatever, that may nevertheless appear. The user cannot derive any rights from the information provided in this magazine.

95 autumn 2012 - p43

Netherlands on tokens In this era of electronic banking and automatic direct debits, it is almost impossible for us to imagine it, but towards the end of the 19th century, practically all Dutch households paid in cash for the energy they consumed. For years, three coins with a denomination of just 2½ cents were sufficient for 1 m3 of gas. The standard coins were subsequently replaced by tokens for both gas and electricity. The people of the Netherlands purchased these tokens and then used them at home in their gas or electricity meter. The purpose of this move was not so much to measure or restrict the consumption of energy, but to prevent big arrears in payments to the gas and electricity suppliers. Today, in 2012, an energy token could be just what is needed to make consumers aware of their energy consumption, by literally converting sustainability into money. And in that light, perhaps gas and electricity tokens were not such a bad idea.