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Sustainability has been a central theme for BTE for many years. “Over the last ten years, we have divided our efforts into three pillars: sustainable processes, sustainable products and a sustainable company,” says Klaas Huijgen, manager QSHE at BTE Netherlands. “I focus on the latter and am responsible for safety, certifications and environmental themes.”
BTE is the second largest concrete producer in the Netherlands, operating at ten locations in product groups such as residential construction, civil engineering, sewerage and foundations. “The CSC certificate fits our ambition perfectly,” Huijgen explains. “We see it as a way to independently test whether we are doing what we promise. For us, CSC is not a checkmark on a list, but a means to make our sustainable choices measurable.”
In 2018, all BTE sites achieved their first CSC certification. “The great thing was that we didn't have to do any double work: we could directly translate our existing policy to the sites,” Huijgen says. One location achieved silver, the rest gold. In the second round, in 2021, all companies achieved gold. “We were not the first with gold, but we were the first with multiple sites at the same time. For us, that felt like a confirmation of our intrinsic drive to do sustainable business.”
That motivation, according to Huijgen, comes from the heart of the organization. “Of course the CSC certificate also helps with tenders because we can demonstrate our environmental performance with an independent benchmark. But that's not why we do this. We believe that the concrete industry plays a key role in a sustainable future, and we want to take responsibility for that.”
For BTE, sustainability is woven into its daily work. “We have been working for years to reduce CO2 emissions, including by reusing raw materials and developing more sustainable concrete. The CSC certificate helps us with this, but our ambitions go further. For us, this is not a project, but a way of working,” says Huijgen.
BTE also looks beyond its own organization. “With the CSC certificate, we not only test our processes, but look at the entire chain, including suppliers and partners. Together we want to reduce the impact of the concrete industry.”
According to Huijgen, the certificate also provides a sense of pride and responsibility. “You get a report grade publicly for the first time. That motivates us to continuously improve. Moreover, we participate with 65 percent of the concrete industry in the Monitoring Tool, which is linked to CSC. This allows us to map the industry together, set goals and measure industry-wide progress.” Huijgen concludes, “The CSC certificate is a fantastic tool, but ultimately it's about our intrinsic motivation. We don't just want to meet requirements, but above all we want to contribute to a more sustainable world. For ourselves, our customers and the generations to come.”
