Gispen Blog || Lisanne Huizing: 'Corporate responsibility means looking at the positive and negative impact throughout your supply chain.'

Gispen government project interior view of National Government BZ73 in The Hagure MB10

Lisanne Huizing, Sustainability Manager Gispen

Take bigger steps

'I wanted to do something for the planet on a larger scale and did a master's degree
Sustainable Development in Milan. After that, I couldn't wait to get started. As a sustainability manager, I focus on sustainability strategies and goals. Gispen has been doing business responsibly and sustainably for years and uses figures to show the impact of its activities on, for example, CO₂ emissions.'

Royal Ahrend sustainable red and blue fabric selection with hands front top view

Verantwoord entrepreneurship throughout the chain

'Do you really want to do business responsibly? Then don't just look at your own activities, but at the positive and negative impact throughout your supply chain. An example: for our furniture, we buy steel from a supplier. Steel often comes from mines. Do we know what the working conditions are like there? A risk analysis provides insight into this. You walk through the entire chain, back to the origin and identify impact, risks and opportunities. In terms of society and the environment.'

Pilot Social and Economic Council

'Legislation is driving companies to become more sustainable in their business operations, for which we have carried out a double materiality analysis in 2023. Making such a materiality analysis can be challenging. You have to involve a variety of internal and external stakeholders and weigh opinions, priorities and interests. Because Gispen is already well advanced in sustainable and social entrepreneurship, the Social and Economic Council (SER) approached us in 2023 for a pilot. How do you approach such an analysis? How do you do good research and have a meaningful dialogue with all stakeholders?'

Gispen education project interior view of Fontys in Eindhoven DZK1618

Gispen event interior view of Expedition Circular in Veghel U8A0147

Helping other companies op get started

'The SER guided us. We looked at responsible use of materials, social justice, climate and product quality, among other things. We talked about this with stakeholders. A client, wood supplier, shareholder, bank, our factories, but also, for example, with UNICEF and WWF. An instructive and intensive process that will help us to formulate better sustainability goals in the coming years. Moreover, the report also helps other companies on their way, because from 2024 many large organizations will be required to report on this.'

VISIT THE CIRCULAR EXPERTISE CENTRE

We are happy to receive relations in the Circular Hub. During an interactive session, visitors get a behind-the-scenes look at circular design in practice, including explanations of sustainable client case studies and concrete examples of revitalization. And, of course, a guided tour of the Circular Hub. Our circular consultants provide on-site advice on revitalizing your own furniture and reducing CO2 emissions.