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Past
"In 1992, we started collecting residual water. From afar, we could see that rules were changing. At VDE plant, we prefer to spring into action immediately, instead of waiting to see what comes next. Thus, we saved on nutrients and water. So with water collection, we got there early. And we have had stave drip plates on the greenhouses since the 1970s, which means we burn less."
Present
"For us, sustainability is embedded in our staff. This is even more important now than it was years ago. Anyone who wants to can think with us and is given the space to do so. For example, a young employee went to a meeting of Biobest this week. Because he found it interesting AND to see what the possibilities are for us. Taking good care of staff is different now to how it used to be. The company is much bigger. As a result, we need to look and listen even more closely to what is needed."
Future
"At VDE plant, we invest in sustainability every year. But what our plan will be in two years is hard to say because laws and regulations change at lightning speed. We define and adapt our strategy all year round. We only invest if something is well-founded, the investment is manageable and, above all, recoverable. That requires a lot of research and time."
