A national monument making an impact: the Beurs van Berlage achieves B Corp™ Certification and Green Globe™ Gold status
At first glance, sustainability and a listed building may seem like a complicated combination. Yet the Beurs van Berlage has been working on sustainability and social impact for many years, with success. This year, the Amsterdam event venue achieved Green Globe Gold status and became a Certified B Corporation™ (B Corp™). While Green Globe focuses primarily on sustainable operations, B Corp takes a broader look at the impact of the organisation as a whole. Together, the two certifications reflect the Beurs van Berlage’s ambition to operate responsibly for its historic building, its people, its partners, society and the environment.
Willemijn de Vet, Marketing Director at the Beurs van Berlage: “At the Beurs, we naturally want to treat our listed building with care and organise increasingly sustainable events. But we consider it just as important how we treat people, which organisations we collaborate with, and what role we play as an organisation within the city and society. The two certifications therefore complement each other incredibly well.”
‘In this way, the Beurs van Berlage is working towards a future in which sustainable events, social impact and the preservation of the monument reinforce one another.’
The certifications are not an end in themselves, but an important milestone. The Beurs van Berlage continues to work towards becoming more sustainable, with the aim of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. To get there, specific targets have been set in the areas of gas, water, food waste and general waste. Achieving these targets is a shared responsibility across the organisation.
“What I really appreciate about the Beurs van Berlage is that it not only successfully implements a wide range of sustainability actions but that it also shares its progress, best practices, lessons learned and future action points via its website and other channels. They have recently appointed a dedicated sustainability manager which is a great next step and have put out a really informative sustainability impact report which can inspire others active in the events industry as well as wider community. There is so much to learn from them.” Emilie Hagedoorn – Sustainable Tourism Consultant & Auditor.
To give further momentum to these sustainability ambitions, Marieke Dijkman was appointed Sustainability Manager this year. She has since overseen the Green Globe certification process and launched various new initiatives, such as the partnership with Orbisk, whose AI-driven technology provides insight into food waste. This enables the Beurs van Berlage to make more targeted decisions on procurement, planning and food preparation.
Social impact is equally important. For example, the Beurs van Berlage offers employment opportunities to people who face barriers to the labour market and supports various charities and social initiatives. Moreover, ensuring the future viability, sustainability and preservation of the Beurs van Berlage, one of the Netherlands’ most iconic national monuments, is central to the organisation’s purpose.
In this way, the Beurs van Berlage is working towards a future in which sustainable events, social impact and the preservation of the monument reinforce one another.