Cookies
Van Hall Larenstein treats its customers' information with the utmost care and will never make this information available to third parties. Read more about us Privacy and Cookie Policy
Erik van Erk
Manager Masterplanning & Sales RBK Groep Erik van Erk
International Business
Erik van Erk
Sustainability as a broader concept
Erik van Erk is Manager Masterplanning & Sales at RBK Groep, where students of VHL University of Applied Sciences (VHL) do their work placements. ‘In the future we will certainly deploy more VHL students. That’s not only very useful, but it’s also a way for us to recruit the aces!’
Sustainability as a broader concept
‘RKB Groep is a Food Technology Consultancy with about 50 employees. We develop and build production and logistics companies in the food industry. At the moment we have three VHL students doing their work placement with us, researching the sustainability of the company. Of course we already do a lot concerning sustainability but, being technicians, we mainly focused on energy-saving measures. ‘Sustainability’ as a broader concept, with aspects such as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and sustainability in our operational management and philosophy, is a field in which we can still grow a lot. How can we make sustainability into something more than a commercial and short-term aspect? ‘Help us find an answer to that question’, was the assignment we gave the students – and they’ve been very inspiring! They’ve brought some fresh perspectives to the case.’
Corporate Social Responsibility
‘The subject ‘sustainability’ is also important to us with respect to our international activities, because the mix of energy aspects and social aspects is different in every country. How do you implement Corporate Social Responsibility regarding human rights in Bangladesh? Or what do we do about the `waste of food’ phenomenon? It’s poignant here in the Netherlands, but what about India, where the waste percentage is 70% and someone is dying of starvation just one block away. Or Pakistan: can you even send your employees over there? These are all subjects that we are exploring at the moment, together with the students. They’ve been working on it for two months now, they’ve spoken to some of our specialists and are thinking along with us. I have to say that it has been surprisingly productive. In the future we will certainly cooperate more with VHL. That’s only very useful, but it’s also a way for us to recruit the aces!’
