ArtEZ is committed to our society

ArtEZ has lent colour to the city of Arnhem for many years with its open days and graduation presentations. You can see our flags flying proudly all over the city. Of course those flags regularly need replacing, and the old ones end up in boxes in our storeroom. It would fall short of our sustainable ambitions to simply throw them away, but what are a load of old flags good for? Well, we found a sustainable answer to that question at Fraenck, the wonderful social enterprise founded by ArtEZ alumnus Ratna Ho. What was that answer? Fraenck has turned all the old flags into gorgeous, unique bags and purses.  
 
Not only does this project make a sustainable contribution, but we are also proud to be working with a partner who places the same high value on social goals as we do. We are sure this collaboration will inspire our own students and staff, and other organisations too.

As an organisation, we are privileged to be able to make a real difference with our purchasing choices. We don’t just consider the financial side: the products we buy must also be good for the planet and for society. Our choices help create a better world and protect the environment. Before we even think about buying something new, we reuse materials instead of throwing them away. And that’s not all: we seek out collaborations with companies that value Social Return on Investment (SROI). These businesses are committed to giving back to society, for example by employing people who would otherwise have difficulty finding work. And we take diversity and inclusion just as seriously: we work with people from all walks of life and from all demographic groups.

We take every opportunity to promote these values, not least in selecting the companies that work for us. We don’t just go for the cheapest option. We reward suppliers who have clear diversity and inclusion policies, and we set the bar high for our clients when it comes to SROI and the environment. We award contracts to applicants who go the extra mile, because we believe that responsible procurement is more than just a box-ticking exercise. It’s a powerful way to do good in society.  

More than 3,000 students and nearly 1,000 staff members learn and work at our locations in Zwolle, Arnhem and Enschede every day. They are building an inspiring future, and our buildings need to contribute to that inspiration. By making smart choices, we can create a better future. We believe that these places should be inspirational whilst also being sustainable and accessible. Because we manage multiple large buildings, our choices really matter.

In the coming years, we will work with the nationwide Ongehinderd (‘Unhindered’) platform to make our buildings more accessible. Although we’re not there yet, we are making steady progress towards our goal. We also have the ambition to make our education buildings fully climate neutral by 2050. Once we achieve that ambition, those buildings will no longer have any negative impact on the climate. Whenever we invest in construction and maintenance, those activities must also promote our sustainability goals. We are proud to meet the standards of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) through our focus on conserving energy and reusing materials.

For example, right now we are renovating older buildings at Oude Kraan 72 and 74 in Arnhem that were in need of a little updating. The renovations have been carefully planned with our goals for the future in mind. ArtEZ is partnering with external companies to create the best and most practical teaching spaces possible, whilst also strengthening the connections between the various elements of our organisation.  

Our commitment to tackling climate change means that we promote travel options that are kinder to the environment. We encourage our people to travel by bike or train, and we are actively working to reduce journeys by means of transport that involve significant CO2 emissions, such as flying.

All employees who live more than 10 kilometres from their workplace are eligible for a travel allowance – but those who choose public transport get a higher amount than someone who comes by car. We have also improved our bicycle scheme for employees who live less than 10 km away. If a staff member buys a bike, they can include it as part of their gross salary. And that’s handy, since they won’t have to pay tax on the purchase price. They can also choose between paying all in one go or in instalments over 12 months, making cycling to work an even more attractive option.  

We aim to keep any damage to the environment to an absolute minimum. We encourage our people to make conscious choices about how they get to work, offering a higher travel allowance to employees who travel green.  

We are doing our bit for the nationwide campaign to eliminate plastic litter. We have been giving students and staff their own reusable cups since early 2024 to replace disposable ones. This policy aligns with European rules about single-use plastics (SUP Directive) and is part of our commitment to reducing the amount of plastic that makes its way into the environment.

The new cups are made of recycled polypropylene and can be cleaned easily, even in cold water. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own cup, or they can buy their own stylish and attractively priced ArtEZ-branded cup in the cafeteria. Together, we are making a conscious choice to create a world with less waste and a cleaner environment.