Campaign for corporate social responsibility within Essent

Essent has launched 'Binnengoed' - or in English: 'Goodinside': an extensive campaign concerning corporate social responsibility within Essent. The months of September, October and November will be marked by sustainable initiatives in which everyone can play a role. Binnengoed will begin by offering you an honest cup of fair-trade coffee.

Biomass, green power, ways to help others to save energy; Essent is showing its sustainable side to the outside world at every opportunity. But does not a better world begin with oneself? For this reason we think it important to bring Corporate Social Responsibility into practice within the walls of our own organisation, Marga Edens (CSR manager) states. 'With Binnengoed, we want to show as concretely as possible what individual employees can do to make Essent a more sustainable organisation. We are also taking this opportunity to implement a number of measures that will help us to keep our office in the most responsible manner possible.'

'Binnengoed': Essent's sustainable household
Various phases of the Binnengoed project will be launched over the next three months. Each month will have its own theme, Marga explains. 'The certificate month will begin on Monday next. The first activity is the change of coffee in all our coffee machines. Paper use will also be addressed. October will be the month of reuse. We aim to show our employees that many things we throw away at Essent are good enough to have a second life. The theme for November will be vitality. Together with HSE we will endeavour to bring to attention the importance of a healthy diet and sufficient exercise.'

The energy consumption in our office buildings will also be discussed over the next three months. 'We will make an inventory of possible improvements and will be taking measures to reduce energy consumption.'

'Binnengoed' launches with fair trade coffee
From Monday the 3rd of September, all coffee in the machines in Essent offices will be replaced with fair-trade coffee. The machines will only serve Max Havelaar (Fair Trade Original) coffee and Utz Kapeh (Douwe Egberts). These trade marks stand for sustainable production and a fair treatment of the farmers that produce the coffee: Fair Trade. As a test, Max Havelaar coffee already secretly replaced the other coffee brand at three locations. No one has noticed this.

Published: 03 September 2007