Corporate Social Responsibility

By applying the core values ​​that characterize De Haan as an internationally certified, recognized removal company and relocation specialist, we relieve and relocate our customers in such a way that they feel at home again as soon as possible.

De Haan: a sustainable mover

As a family moving company since 1777, we do business based on the continuity of our organization, our employees, our customers and our environment! De Haan's CSR policy is transparent and has 2 pillars: Planet & People, which we call the “Groene Haan” and the “Sociale Haan”.

Why De Haan relocation acts socially responsible

International moving company De Haan wants to be at the forefront of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) because: 

1. CSR is correct

We believe that business has a major social role and every company should help to leave the world a better place for generations to come! This is natural in a family business with “Protestant Alblasserwaardse” genes

2. CSR is profitable

We believe that CSR is good for Planet, People and Profit. Or CSR is profitable. For many corporate acccounts  CSR is a point in their considerations. A clear CSR policy shows our professionalism. 

3. CSR improves and optimises

As far as we are concerned, responsible and sustainable business is never finished, but a process of improvement and optimization that grows with advancing insights. We believe in transparency, whereby we are always consciously looking for improvements from a vulnerable position.

4. CSR inspires

De Haan has the ambition to be the best. That automatically also means a leading position in the field of CSR. With this we hope to inspire others: suppliers, clients, partners and employees.

De Haan Relocation has responsibility in its DNA

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is actually normal for us. In all our business processes and decisions, we take into account, within our means, the effects of our activities on people and the environment.

We see the significance of sustainability in the supply chain. Since July 2023, De Haan has earned a silver medal from EcoVadis. Silver medals are exclusively awarded to the top 15% of companies evaluated by EcoVadis.  

In order to guarantee responsible market conduct, we wholeheartedly endorse the broad Code of Responsible Market Conduct and act accordingly with regard to a removal order.

Michiel de Haan, 8th generation De Haan and 100% shareholder of our family moving company, is a member of the Partners Council of Corporate Social Responsibility Netherlands (= MVO Nederland): a network organization of entrepreneurs who strive for an economy that is climate neutral, circular and inclusive. and works with fair chains. Michiel de Haan is also a regular speaker on sustainability and leadership of companies such as "Force for Good" and a former member of the Advisory Council of the Fair Climate Fund.

De Haan partner of MVO Nederland

As a partner of MVO Nederland since April 2013, De Haan and MVO Nederland are committed to promoting sustainability, environmental friendliness and improving working conditions. De Haan wholeheartedly endorses the principles of MVO Nederland, which we integrate and anchor within our organization.

Efforts & actual results of our integrated vision of circular entrepreneurship

For us, circularity means on the one hand minimizing the downtime and waste of raw materials, materials and services and on the other hand maximizing their value. Both in our role as buyer and supplier. We implement this by using materials efficiently, extending the lifespan of products and parts, as well as making and using products smarter. In an overview:

A) Welfare, safety and health of our employees and third parties

• Re-usable, refillable DOPPER waterbottles gift: https://www.dehaan.nl/en/blog/news/gepersonaliseerde-doppers-voor-alle-de-haan-medewerkers/
• Fresh fruit for everybody: https://www.dehaan.nl/nl/blog/nieuws/vers-fruit-voor-iedereen/
• Plants in the office and as a gift for home
• Special care: https://verhuisbranche.mantelzorgtools.nl/praktijkverhalen/wouter-hijzen-directeur-verhuisbedrijf-de-haan/
• Sustainable employability and vitality promotion: De Haan opts for working from home and bicycling
• We continuously invest in the training of our employees in order to keep the training level of the team as high as possible and thus to be able to provide our customers with the best possible service, now and in the future. De Haan makes intensive use of the best training courses of the FIDI Academy, the one-group training program and the relocation courses of the Organization for Recognized Movers.
• International ISO 14001 certification since May 2014. De Haan tries to take maximum account of the impact of its activities on the environment in its business operations. With our international ISO 14001 certification since May 2014, we have implemented an environmental management system that controls the environmental risks of our business operations. This is all checked by an external independent party. At the same time, we continue to develop our environmental policy, putting sustainability at the heart of the process and reducing risks where possible.
• Limiting danger and nuisance: safety clothing, high-quality materials, such as dogs with rubber wheels. Our employees use the LMRA (Last Minute Risk Analysis) checklist before starting work
• Diversity and inclusivity in our workforce, including 'BBL-leertraject' possibilities, space for interns and people with a disadvantage to develop with us.

B) Social local initiatives

• Regional partner of Unesco Worldheritage site Kinderdijk (windmills): https://www.kinderdijk.com/support/sponsors/
• Doing better together: member of the worldwide Global Mobility initiative Relocate the Profit.
  This global network of suppliers in Global Mobility has two focuspoints: sharing knowledge with each other in an open, helpful manner and jointly offering support to a good cause in the field of education and emancipation.
  
• Sponsorship library Alblasserdam. With the help of the sponsor money that De Haan Removals made available, an educational corner with many new books, games and other tools has been created for children who could use some extra practice.
• Care we do together: Samen voor Syndion
• Together against the waste of food: the 'Food Bank box' of De Haan
• From her vision on life De Haan has committed herself to the Waterpas Foundation. Clean drinking water is the first basic need of every person, but unfortunately not available to everyone. With clean drinking water, the children can grow up healthily and learn optimally, so that they have maximum opportunities to build a good future. The Waterpas Foundation aims to generate sponsor money to provide as many schools, orphanages and hospitals in and around Mombassa in Africa as possible with free clean drinking water.
• De Haan is proud of Alblasserdam! Through sponsorship we support various sports associations and events for and by Alblasserdammers.

C) Improvements in the field of sustainability and circularity

We choose to bundle the purchasing of our materials as much as possible in order to minimize the logistics flows. In this we prefer to opt for regional partners, where the transport burden on the environment is lower. This stimulates the regional economy and saves logistics flows and thus CO2 emissions.

 Sustainable raw materials and materials

• Where possible, our internal and external communication is almost completely digital to reduce paper use. A.o. internally by installing screens in our warehouse plus canteen and an integrated KAM system. Externally by reducing folder material and the implementation of Ipads.

• Our cardboard moving boxes are made exclusively from FSC certified cardboard which consists of a combination of material from FSC-certified forests, FSC Controlled Wood and/or recycled material..

• Use of reusable moving blankets to protect removal goods where possible. Where not possible, we use protective film that is made up of 1 type of recyclable plastic.
  
  
• In our new, own waste presses, we separate paper, cardboard and residual waste for maximum reuse. These devices also compress the content to the maximum. As a result, fewer transport movements are required and therefore less CO2 emissions. Our aim remains to reduce residual waste where possible.

• With the help of the purchased four new roll containers, we collect our own protective film. Plus, our own developped protective film consists per April 2021 entirely of one type of recyclable PE instead of built-up layers from different origins. So 100% recyclable!

• Product for product: effective medio 2021 we buy our own materials from our collected paper, cardboard and PE. Think of office supplies, envelopes, writing pads, pens etc.

• By reusing our pallets, we reduce relatively 70% on CO2 footprint compared to new pallets. By handing in pallets, we also contribute to saving energy and land use. 

• Waste separation in our canteen used by employees and visitors as well as reusable drinking cups.
  
  
• For our specialized Project Relocations department, we try to work as much as possible with aids such as roll containers and meter bins instead of boxes. In addition, we facilitate the removal of reusable material for our customers to a second destination at a good cause.

Transportmanagement 

• The largest part of our fleet is Euro 6. This Euro standard specifies the emission class of vehicles that drive in countries within the European Union. In our case, little air pollution. This allows us to also carry out removals located in city center environmental zones.

• We set high standards for our moving vans, tire pressure, speed limit, economical driving and training of our drivers in order to contribute to a reduction in CO2 emissions. The rear axle, for example, goes up and steers with it, which is aerodynamic and therefore causes less wear on the road surface. The side of our moving vans also consists of one plate: safer, aerodynamic and therefore less fuel consumption.

• Through effective route planning and collaboration with our international partners we increase our range with fewer kilometers driven.

• We make an extra contribution to our chain partner CTR Logistics BV to realize CO2 neutral container transport within the Netherlands for our overseas customers by planting trees. 
  
  
• We keep looking at alternative fuels and sustainable mixes:            2020:https://www.dehaan.nl/nl/blog/nieuws/nieuwste-de-haan-verhuiswagen-ook-op-biodiesel/
  2021:https://www.dehaan.nl/en/blog/news/new-year-off-to-a-good-start-driving-on-vegetable-oil-/
  HVO100 reduces CO² emissions by 90%. The remaining 10% is lost in the process of making and transporting it.
  2022: newest moving truck for European relocations De Haan, Netherlands
  
  
• New fully electric moving lift with trailer coupling ensures the safe transport of moving goods up to 250 kg up to 21 meters high in a sustainable way per November 2020.
  https://www.dehaan.nl/en/blog/news/electric-trailer-moving-lift-in-use/
  
  

• Where possible our leased company cars will be driven fully electric. We have installed charging points at our parking spaces on our site fueled by the 490 solarpanels on our own roof. In February 2021, a third electric car was added for the field service. In 2023 we will have eight electric cars within our fleet.

• In May 2021, a new forklift truck that can reach over 7 meters high was taken into use. This makes it possible to raise the storage boxes so that we can use floor space and m3 space more effectively.

• Inventory by survey of the move can, if desired, take place completely digitally: easy, convenient, saves you time and is environmentally friendly.

At our location

• Generating energy through our roof: https://www.dehaan.nl/en/blog/news/sustainable-entrepreneurship-is-installing-nearly-500-solar-panels-on-the-roof/. The generated electricity is more than enough for our own electricity consumption and we therefore also supply back to the grid. This surplus may well be used for electric vehicles in the future.
  
  
• Savings on energy use by using motion sensors and LED lights: https://www.leddesignholland.nl/projecten/de-haan-verhuizingen-alblasserdam/

De Haan will also continue its improvement program in the future to minimize the impact of its services on the environment and will continue to invest in the development of the talents of its own employees.

A strategy of sustainable, social and innovative entrepreneurship is what we continue to believe in. Together we continue to look ahead! Would you like to ask a question about sustainability topics? Please contact us and we will gladly tell you about it.