Moving forward together: how NS Zakelijk works for Tony’s Chocolonely

Moving forward together: how NS Zakelijk works for Tony's Chocolonely

Mobility is a challenging issue for many organizations. On the one hand, you want to offer employees flexibility and convenience. But sustainability and cost savings also play an important role. Fortunately, NS Zakelijk helps you do just that! In the series 'Moving forward together' our mobility experts talk to their customers about their cooperation, challenges and wishes for the future. This time, Chantal van der Wees talks to Maybritt van Engeland, Sr. Reward & People Operations Specialist at Tony's Chocolonely.

About Tony’s Chocolonely

Tony's Chocolonely has been working since 2005 to end exploitation in cocoa caused by the systematic underpayment of cocoa farmers. The name of the brand is a nod to its Dutch founder, Teun van der Keuken. Teun, “Tony,” adopted the nickname “Chocolonely” as a “lone fighter” against inequality in the cocoa industry. It employs more than 300 people worldwide, including about 150 at its headquarters in Amsterdam.

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Tony's Chocolonely is much more than a chocolate brand. The company has a clear mission: to end exploitation in cocoa. Sustainability is a high priority at Tony's. Even internally, the company is actively working on its sustainability ambitions, including when it comes to mobility.

What makes this company so special?

Tony's Chocolonely is an impact company that makes chocolate, not the other way around. Structurally underpaying cocoa farmers prevents them from hiring paid labor and forces them to employ children on the plantations. This is heavy exploitation and drives them into extreme poverty. Together, we are ending exploitation in cocoa through our 5 principles of cooperation:

We work with 100% traceable beans.
We pay a higher price so that cocoa farmers can earn a livable income.
We support farmers to work together in cooperatives because it allows them to professionalize.
We work with them for the long term.
We train farmers to increase their productivity and improve the quality of their cocoa.

This approach has had a positive impact on more than 17,000 farmers in 9 partner cooperatives.

“We want to show that a company can be both profitable and do good for the world.”

Maybritt van Engeland, Sr. Specialist Reward & People Operations

Tony's Chocoloneley

What impact are you creating with this?

We want to show that a company can be both profitable and do good for the world. To inspire other companies and set a new standard in cocoa, in 2019 we set up Tony's Open Chain, a collaborative initiative through which we invite other chocolate companies to join our fight against exploitation in cocoa. Big names like Ben & Jerry's, Albert Heijn, Hema and Jumbo have already joined, and we hope more will follow.

What role does sustainability play within your organization?

We not only have sustainability as an external mission, but also pay a lot of attention to it internally. One example is our mobility policy. We want to encourage our employees to travel sustainably. This is not just about offering an NS Business Card or a bicycle plan, but also about making employees aware of their impact on the environment. Traveling by train or bicycle may feel like a small step, but it contributes to a bigger change for the environment. After all, a better environment goes hand in hand with the survival of cocoa.

How does that work in practice?

Our mobility policy focuses on reducing dependence on cars and encouraging the use of public transportation and bicycles. Employees who live outside a 10-kilometer radius of the office are eligible for an NS Business card or a travel reimbursement. The main difference is that with an NS Business card, we reimburse the full cost from door to door. With a travel expense reimbursement, the employee contributes some more to the trip themselves. This makes traveling by train or bus financially attractive and practical!

What else do you do in terms of mobility?

A large chunk of our employees live in Amsterdam, which makes it much easier to get to the office by bike. This is why we offer several bicycle initiatives, working together with Swapfiets and Lease a Bike. Through Swapfiets, we easily lease a bike for the employee. With Lease a Bike, employees can lease a bike themselves through a gross-net arrangement, which is tax advantageous and after the lease contract, they own a beautiful bike. We recently introduced this initiative and it has already been very well received.

“Our mobility policy focuses on reducing dependence on cars and encouraging the use of public transportation and bicycles.”

Maybritt van Engeland, Sr. Specialist Reward & People Operations

Tony's Chocoloneley

Do you still use lease cars?

We have a small number of lease cars, mainly for our sales staff. This is a conscious choice, because some colleagues simply cannot do their work without a car. However, it is important that sustainability is also #1 here. So we only offer electric lease cars and we also provide a shared car. The goal is to make travel behavior even smarter and greener, without sacrificing flexibility. That is a challenge, but also an opportunity to make a real impact.

What are your challenges and future plans?

The world of cocoa faces enormous challenges. Climate change is threatening the farmland on which cocoa is grown. If no action is taken, a large part of current cocoa cultivation could disappear by 2050. That is why we are investing in sustainable initiatives such as reforestation and water collection systems. We want justice not only for farmers, but also for the climate. These two themes are inextricably linked. That makes our mission not only relevant today but also in the future.

And for your HR and employee benefits policies?

We are constantly reviewing our HR policy to better align it with our sustainable mission. This includes, for example, looking at the sustainability aspect in our employee benefits. We are looking for the right balance between what our employees need, market conformity and sustainability. We are also considering how we can make an impact on vulnerable groups in society and help them move forward in our society. At this stage of the company we are really professionalizing in all areas, from production, transport to packaging. This gives us the opportunity to incorporate our sustainable DNA in all facets of our business.

“Within NS Zakelijk, I help (large) business SMEs become more sustainable by offering innovative mobility solutions”

Chantal van der Wees, Accountmanager

NS Zakelijk

Contact Chantal

What makes Tony's such an attractive employer?

More and more people are recognizing how important it is that companies are also good for our world and that it is not just about money. You see this more and more with the younger generation! I think that traditional, purely commercial companies will eventually struggle to attract and retain talent. Working at Tony's has also changed my own behavior. I have become much more conscious of my choices. Things that weren't always obvious before, such as separating waste or choosing sustainable products, have now become second nature to me. It feels good to work for a company that really makes a difference.

Finally, what improvements do you see for mobility in the future?

One of the biggest challenges is to maintain flexibility and market-based terms of employment while at the same time becoming more sustainable. For some employees, the car remains a practical necessity in certain roles. Not everyone always qualifies for a lease car, but do regularly use our shared car A possible future plan could be to set up an electric fleet that can be shared by employees. This would be a nice next step.