Corporate Social Responsibility

M. van den Oever Nurseries is a forerunner when it comes to sustainability. We have a role to play as pioneers and ambassadors in the sustainable cultivation of greenery. We call this approach the ‘cultivation’ of ‘Natural Growing Power™’ for our customers, our company and our people. That is why we present ourselves as ‘Living Environment Enhancers’ and give substance to this by demonstrating our efforts in climatological, economical, socially responsible and environmental areas on the basis of our four ‘Ps’, with corresponding quality and certification systems.

People

People who improve our living environment

Your access to 12,000 varieties

  • More than 200 years of experience in the cultivation of greenery
  • 7 Generations of M. van den Oever, innovative every day
  • With a role to play as pioneers and ambassadors in sustainable cultivation
  • Genuine expertise in the cultivation and use of trees, shrubs and perennials with up to as many as 12,000 varieties
  • Passionate about improving your and our living environment
  • ‘Everyone pitches in’; we work together with three important organisations (Stichting Prisma, ASVZ and WSD) to not only practice our social return but also to fulfil it
  • We work to give energy and to get it; our employees have been with us for an average of 26 years!

Planet

People who at the same time protect mother earth

Environmentally friendly cultivation

M. van den Oever Nurseries attaches great value to the environmentally-friendly cultivation of trees and plants. For this reason, the whole nursery is PlanetProof certified (Dutch environmental quality label). This PlanetProof has strict requirements for the use of fertilisers and pesticides. But as an ambassador of sustainable cultivation, we do more than what is required of us.Trees that have the PlanetProof label satisfy the sustainability criteria that have been drawn up by the government. For further information seewww.planetproof-international.eu.

Biodiversity on the nursery

On the nursery, we encourage biodiversity in order to reduce our dependence on fertilisers and pesticides. For instance, we have hung up nesting boxes for birds. Birds eat harmful insects that would otherwise damage the trees. We also sow wild flower mixtures on empty strips in the nursery. The flowers attract many useful insects, such as hoverflies, bumble bees, ladybirds, bees and butterflies.

Compost tea for stronger trees

The use of compost tea (Fytaforce) instead of pesticides encourages great biodiversity in the nursery. The compost tea is a mixture of organisms that protect the plant against harmful fungi and bacteria, which results in more resilient plants.

Optimal soil conditions

The trees we cultivate grow in optimal soil conditions. The use of natural fertilisers instead of chemical ones, made-to-measure compost with the necessary nutrients and the minimum amount of soil preparation preserves soil organisms and we grow trees with ‘Natural Growing Power™’. This means a better start and less replacements at the tree’s final destination.

CO2 Performance Ladder

We are the first large Dutch nursery to be certified for the CO2 performance ladder. Every tree that is planted is an oxygen factory and annually reduces, for example, the entire CO2 burden of driving an average of 250 kilometres!

Profit

People who create the value of greenery together with you

Green LifeTM Environments

  • We are forerunners when it comes to the improvement of socially relevant green environments!
  • Our unique Green Life ProgrammeTM helps you in the way of Inspiration, Advice, Realisation and Management… after all, the right choices in the assortment of greenery, growing location and furniture define the realisation of the value of greenery and in turn, the value of the Living Environment!
  • These 6 new Green LifeTM Environments are:
    • Living green
    • Recreational green
    • Hospitable green
    • Healing green
    • Productive green
    • Infra green
  • We invest our profit in innovation & knowledge development externally (among others, University of Wageningen, Philips Lighting) and internally (mini projects)
  

Pleasure

Giving people who live & work together pleasure

Working together

  • It pleases us when you receive compliments about your greenery environment
  • We are not happy until you are, and our world is a greener and better place
  • Straightforward logistical call outs and just-in-time deliveries result in calm and not stress
  • Cooperation is the new way of working
  • With every project, we and you contribute to the M. van den Oever Green Life Fund

Our certification systems

We consciously opted for a few certification systems that reinforce one another and that support our role as pioneers and ambassador’s role in the most sustainable cultivation of trees. These are:PlantProofNL-Greenlabel with A statusISO 9001ISO 26000 self-assessmentCO2 performance ladderNaktuinbouw Select Plant

ISO 9001 logoSelect Plant logo

CO2 performance ladder

We obtained the CO2 performance ladder certificate. This certificate is even more proof of the way in which our sustainable and CO2-conscious way of working is used, among other things, in tenders and commercial commissions. Varying from the reduction of the effects on the climate by making the right choices in greenery and how to reduce the emission of CO2 together, to mapping in- and external communication on this and our participation in supply chain initiatives.The ladder is managed and developed by Stichting Klimaatvriendelijke Aanbesteden en Ondernemen (SKAO) (Foundation for Climate-Friendly Tendering & Entrepreneurship). We also participate in this. Our company information can be found on SKAO.

Footprint

M. van den Oever & Sons’ company objective is to reduce the emission of CO2 and to become more and more sustainable. For M. van den Oever Nurseries, the CO2 footprint is an environmental gauge to make it known how much CO2 is emitted each year and this is determined according to the ‘Greenhouse Gas Protocol’ method.The CO2 footprint gives insight into where reduction that can lead to savings is possible. Reduction is possible, for instance, on transport, energy, waste, water and paper. We are aware of this and also communicate it within and outside our organisation. The 2016 CO2 footprint can be found here. De CO2 footprint of 2016 you find here.De CO2  footprint of 2017 you find here.

Documentation

To achieve our objectives, it is important to lay down agreements we have made together in an action plan. In the energy management action plan, the ‘plan-do-check-act’ cycle is described which should ensure a continual improvement of energy efficiency.In addition to this, M. van den Oever is a transparent organisation with an open vision, which has given itself the objective to increase support for the reduction of CO2 by openly communicating with as many internal and external parties as possible. We are not afraid of engaging in a dialogue with employees, customers, suppliers and other supply chain partners to bring to attention the necessity for the reduction of CO2. Below you will find the related documentation.Management announcement of the start of certification CO2 performance ladder2-prestatieladderCommunication plan CO2 performance ladder2-prestatieladderProgress report and energy action planCO2 progress report and energy action plan 2016CO2 progress report and energy action plan 2017-S1CO2 progress report and energy action plan 2017-S2CO2 progress report and energy action plan 2018-S1CO2 Performance Ladder NewslettersCO2 Performance Ladder Newsletter 2017-1CO2 Performance Ladder Newsletter 2017-2CO2 Performance Ladder Newsletter 2018-1CO2 Performance Ladder Newsletter 2018-2

Reduction measures

End of 2016
For 2017, M. van den Oever wants to achieve a CO2 reduction of 4% of the reference year, 2016. To realise this, M. van den Oever will invest, among other things, in electrical equipment, economical and electric vehicles, training of employees and our own buildings.
End of 2017
The stated reduction target for 2017 was amply achieved by M. van den Oever with a reduction of more than 9%. Thereduction target for 2017 was 4%. The measures taken to reduce total CO2 emissions are effective and we expect this trend to continue in 2018. 

Supply chain initiatives

In the framework of the CO2 performance ladder, together with composter Van Iersel and the Municipality of Haaren, M. van den Oever has taken the initiative to research how more CO2 can be buffered in soil for cultivation by increasing organic material in the humus. Exceptional results have already been achieved in Austria using this method. Further information about our supply chain initiative can be found in the document below.Supply chain initiative CO2 humus | Soil- carbon credits