Social and environmental responsibility

Both ENDS is working towards a sustainable future for our planet. To achieve our goals, we have set up results-based operational processes that are as sustainable as possible and which we continually aim to improve. Therefore, all our staff must be able to work in a way that has the minimum possible impact on the environment but without compromising the organisation’s effectiveness.


SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE HUMAN RESOURCES POLICY

Both ENDS staff determine the success of the organisation. Our human resources policy focuses on flexibility, diversity, security and motivational supervision. Some key points:

  • Both ENDS staff members can influence their own activities and achieve their ambitions through their personal annual plan.
  • Both ENDS has an updated integrity policy and a code of conduct that fits the Partos 9001 norms. 
  • Both ENDS has a diversity policy, which is taken into account during the recruitment and selection of staff.
  • Both ENDS employs people who have been inactive on the labour market for an extended period of time. These staff members, seconded to the organisation by Reïntegratiebedrijf Amsterdam, receive extra coaching.
  • Both ENDS has an active volunteer policy.
  • Both ENDS guarantees safety on the work floor by ensuring that there are at least three qualified emergency response officers (EROs) who follow a refresher course every year. There is an Automated External Defibrillator in the building. The EROs are trained to use it and give annual instruction to staff.


DIVERSITY

Since 2018, we have been paying extra attention to cultural diversity in the organisation. We started a collaboration with ECHO, an expert organisation on diversity and inclusion. In 2019 we implemented the recommendations given by ECHO on how to appeal to a broader group of people when recruiting paid staff as well as volunteers. This mainly consisted of adjusting the job vacancy texts, diversifying the selection teams during the job vacancy procedure and instructing the selection teams to pay more attention to what type of requirements we find valuable.

One of our aims is to have a diverse team, one that is a reflection of our diverse society. In 2019 we also collaborated with WSP Groot-Amsterdam in order to reach refugees who have obtained an asylum residence permit, and we continue to do so in the future. Of the five people we hired in 2019 three new colleagues have a culturally diverse background. We acknowledge that this is the beginning and we still have a long way to go in order to have a proper representation of our society. For 2020 we are scheduling one or multiple training(s) with ECHO and/or other institutions to take us to the next level. 


SAFETY AND SECURITY POLICY DURING TRAVELS

Both ENDS has a safety and security policy for travelling employees. In addition, there is a Crisis Management Team trained to respond during emergencies. Colleagues who travel to higher-risk areas have all received a three-day safety and security training. The organisation holds regular evaluation and reflection moments to increase staff awareness of precautionary security measures to take when travelling.


ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Both ENDS banks at Triodos Bank, which only does business with organisations that support a healthy natural environment and promote a social economy.
  • Both ENDS offers its staff and visitors an organic and vegetarian lunch menu.
  • Our cleaning company uses biodegradable cleaning agents and has an ISO environmental certificate.
  • Our paper is FSC-certified and we print everything double-sided.
  • Both ENDS has 21 solar panels. We use energy-saving lighting and thin client workstations, which use much less energy than conventional computers.
  • We recycle our used plastic, paper, glass and batteries. Used printer toners and cartridges are picked up and recycled by Eeko, which donates the proceeds to Stichting AAP, a shelter for non-indigenous animals.


MEANS OF TRANSPORT

  • As much of Both ENDS’s work involves working with partners in other continents, we cannot avoid air travel. Since 2019, we work with Key Travel (formerly RAPTIM) as our regular travel agent. Key Travel has an extensive CSR policy.
  • Most of our staff come to work by bicycle; the rest use public transport. We mainly use public transport for work visits in the Netherlands. Travel by car is rare.