Sustainability in practice – with the help of Impact Nation

The programme introduces business owners to a range of innovative sustainability solutions from across the globe. Next, they receive support for 100 days in setting up an impactful pilot with a partner. Afterwards, the companies present the results. Yesterday's group consisted of Ajax Foundation, Total Packaging, VDM Industries, Faber Group, and Hollarts.

Accelerating the innovation process

Julia van Boven and Jeljer Haarsma are jointly leading the Impact Nation programme at ABN AMRO. Jeljer Haarsma explains how the programme works. "In addition to bundling knowledge and networks, Impact Nation helps participants accelerate their sustainable innovation process. Obstacles can be overcome more easily when working together with partners."

Reuse more, transport less

Hollarts and Faber Group kicked off the presentation round with a solution for recyclable packaging boxes in the fish trade: from 'design for waste', with disposable packaging, to 'design for circularity' where a box can be used over and over again. Together with Faber Group and Hollarts, two major players active in the fish supply chain will be using the pilot as a springboard to take the recyclable concept to the next level.

Meanwhile, VDM Industries explored the question of how to reduce the environmental impact of ready-to-use items such as cleaning products. They found their answer in the cooperation with Zo Schoon, a cleaning products start-up that lets consumers simply buy the concentrated product and add tap water at home. Since traditionally 95% of the product consists of water, this innovation yields a considerable reduction in transport and plastic bottle use.

Measurable impact and innovative packaging

Through numerous initiatives, the Ajax Foundation aims to promote a healthy lifestyle for children. How do you measure the impact of this and how do you make it transparent to your stakeholders? Together with partner Panton and the children, a quiz app was concepted in which the children can indicate the impact the foundation's activities have had on them. The method has since been tested in a pilot and will now be used for all the foundation’s programmes.

Last but not least, Total Packaging presented an initiative to develop environmentally friendly and recyclable packaging materials. They have teamed up with Celwise, a Swedish partner, whose innovative production processes provide the scalability and affordability to make it happen.

More information

Would you like to know more about the companies in the spotlight and their inspiring sustainability ideas? Then take a look at the CIRCL website. If you are interested in signing your company up for Impact Nation, please get in touch with us at impactnation@abnamro.nl.