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Contact: Maarten Pekelharing Job title: CEO Company: Winclove Probiotics Contact: winclove@winclove.nl Visit us: www.wincloveprobiotics.com
1What does ‘sustainability’ mean to your company, and how do you bring that to life?
By nature, Winclove Probiotics, pursues a strong socially oriented policy aimed at helping people. Not only in making probiotic formulations, but also in our behavior; ensuring internal diversity, establishing social initiatives in North Amsterdam, investing in foreign projects where help is needed, and striving to minimize ecological footprint. For us at Winclove we see this all as aspects of sustainability and since these aspects are very important for us we wanted to bring this even more to life by becoming a B Corp Certified company in 2020. ‘B Corp’ stands for Benefit Corporation, and only companies that are visibly and consistently committed to social causes and the protection of our planet are eligible for the B Corp label. Based on their core beliefs, Winclove as a B Corp company strives for a healthy society, a healthy economy, and a healthy planet. With the ultimate objective; “Using business as a force for good.
2What is unique about your company’s sustainability story?
As a B Corp company, we are part of a business community that stands for balancing profit with people and planet, which is of high importance to us. By harnessing the power of business, B Corp uses profit and growth as a means to larger goals, such as a sustainable economy and enhanced inclusiveness. Maarten: “B Corp calls us out to turn our good intentions into concrete actions. What really matters is behavior. I believe that companies must aspire to serve as an example in this and to motivate and inspire others.”
3Could you offer an example of how your company aligns with the concept of the three pillars of sustainability: economic, environmental and social?
B Corp-certified companies voluntarily pursue the highest standards in terms of social and ecological impact, act responsibly, and operate transparently. They are aware of how their actions affect society and use their business power to do right by the world. With every decision they make, they take into account the impact on their employees, customers, suppliers, society, and the environment. Being B Corp means way more than just recycling plastics. Although obvious things like using plastic-free tea bags mean a lot for our planet, B Corp makes you think a step further. For instance, we are aware that our own product packaging is a burden on the environment. Therefore, we are intensifying the partnership with our suppliers about more environmentally friendly packaging. We aim to be completely CO2 neutral by 2030. This didn’t only make us switch from energy supplier, but also involves taking a critical look at transport.
4Why should brands choose to do business with suppliers that are committed to sustainability?
Our B Corp certificate assures our business partners that we, as a company, are an ethical stakeholder. Achieving the B Corp certification fits the spirit of the times. Maarten: “I believe that consumers, end users, and society are more often forming an opinion on the ethics and the purposes of products. How can we as an industry take our ultimate responsibility in this? It’s very easy; after all, there are enough companies making tens of billions in profits. If these companies don’t just think in terms of profit, but they take their responsibility, then the world can start to look very different. We at Winclove Probiotics are making our contribution in this, and with our behavior we hope to inspire our own stakeholders so that ultimately we create an economic system where we all think about the world around us.”