Sustainability central

For Royal Berry, growth ambitions always go hand in hand with making the greatest possible contribution to the region, according to CEO Jan van Genderen. “We have always been prepared to do things differently, and not just act in our own interests. It must all contribute to our local community.”
The company generates the energy it needs itself through a combined heat and power system and solar panels. “We feed surplus energy back into the region. We even return our used potting compost to the suppliers, so that other businesses can reuse it. In addition, we use LED lighting in the greenhouses, which saves around 50 per cent in energy compared to traditional lighting.”
“For the strawberries, we use natural pesticides to combat diseases and pests. We control harmful insects using beneficial insects, and we use UV light to combat fungi.”

Investing in people

According to Van Genderen, satisfied customers and employees are key. "We believe everyone wants to be part of the winning team. If you have happy employees, that also benefits the product. So you end up in a positive spiral, because it gives energy to excel in what you do. The higher you climb the mountain, the more beautiful the view becomes."

Royal Berry is currently investing in a residential park near its greenhouses for international employees. "This allows us to provide housing for international employees without putting additional pressure on the regional housing market. Sustainability is also important in this project. Employees can cycle to work, which saves emissions. Moreover, we plant new nature in the residential park and lay footpaths. So we are trying to give back to the environment in many ways."

Twenty-first time

This is the twenty-first time that The Economic Board has presented the Pearl award. The award goes to companies and organisations that, according to The Economic Board, stand out because of interesting innovations or, on the contrary, because of their proven business processes.