Sustainable entrepreneurship
Constant re-evaluation of
processes and flows
Under sustainability legislation, RAFF Plastics doesn’t have to comply with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive until 2026. This European legislation requires all companies of a certain size to publish a report in which they accurately list their impact on people, the environment and society, and to undergo an external audit. However, we’ve opted to publish our first sustainability report right now, as this is an integral part of our identity. Caroline Van der Perre talks about the efforts being made at RAFF Plastics to ensure sustainability:
‘RAFF Plastics is a pioneer in reducing waste mountains and achieving a circular economy,’ says CEO Caroline Van der Perre. ‘This 2024 sustainability report very much reflects that approach: we were working on sustainability long before there was any question of reporting on it.’
‘As well as providing an overview of our initiatives, this report therefore also represents a starting point for the sustainable direction we want to take along with our customers, suppliers, employees, partners and stakeholders. Sustainable entrepreneurship and reporting has a major impact. You reexamine your processes, your flows, what you do and how you do it. In short, you start doing business differently.’
To prepare our sustainability report, we were able to rely on expert guidance from sustainability expert Philip Dooms at Baker Tilly. Communications agency Cantilis, which has specific expertise in sustainability reporting, was responsible for developing the content and the creative aspects. ‘Thank you to everyone who contributed to this! It was an intense but exciting process, with a result that we’re proud of,’ says Caroline Van der Perre.
‘I’m convinced that investing in sustainability pays off in the long term. Economy and ecology aren’t opposites: they reinforce each other.’
Sustainable business operations
Positive impact on
people and society
Sustainable business operations are regularly called into question, says Caroline. ‘We often get questions about them: what’s their added value? And doesn’t the whole thing cost loads of money? Our electric truck is more expensive than a diesel version – that’s true. But I’m firmly convinced that investing in sustainability pays off in the long term. And that economy and ecology aren’t opposites: they reinforce each other.’
‘Personally, I want to have a positive impact on people and society with everything we do. Sustainability is also reflected, for example, in our strong focus on the well-being of our 70 employees and the friendly atmosphere that we encourage. Or in our efforts to support the Belgian Centre for Guide Dogs by collecting plastic bottle caps, and to organise a collective North Sea beach clean-up.’
