A healthy world for future generations

Children are growing up in a changing world. Climate change, resource scarcity, and pollution will have an impact on their future. We are therefore working step by step to reduce our ecological footprint. Specifically, we are focusing on the areas in which we can make the greatest impact as a childcare organization: buildings, energy, mobility, food, waste, and biodiversity.

Sustainable buildings and energy

When developing new locations, sustainability is integrated into the design from the start. We also work with landlords to improve the sustainability of existing locations. This includes energy-saving measures, insulation, more efficient installations and renewable energy solutions. Through smart meters and centralized energy monitoring, we gain greater insight into our energy consumption and opportunities for improvement.

86% of our locations used 100% renewable electricity.

Sustainable mobility

Sustainable mobility plays an important role at Kindergarden. Most of our vehicle fleet is electric. We also use electric after-school care buses, electric cargo bikes and electric passenger vans to transport children. In addition, we encourage employees to cycle, walk, or use public transport.

84% of our fleet was fully electric, we are moving to 100%.

Food with a focus on health and sustainability

Food is an important part of our childcare services. Every day, we provide fresh meals and snacks in line with the Dutch Nutrition Centre guidelines. Vegetables, fruit, wholegrain products and plant-based protein sources form the foundation of our menu. Where possible, we use seasonal products and work with suppliers that prioritise sustainability and food safety. Through smart purchasing, careful inventory management and appropriate portion sizes, we aim to minimise food waste.

Waste and circularity

We are working to reduce waste across our locations. By improving waste separation and using resources more consciously, we aim to reduce residual waste step by step. We are also exploring more sustainable ways to process specific waste streams, such as diapers, in the future.

Nature and biodiversity

Playing in a green environment supports children's development while contributing to biodiversity. That is why we continue to make our outdoor spaces greener. We increasingly choose nature-inclusive designs that incorporate natural materials, additional planting and opportunities for exploration and play. Several of our locations now feature nature-inclusive outdoor spaces.

Footprint

To better understand our climate impact, we measure our carbon footprint each year. This includes emissions from our buildings, energy use, mobility, waste streams, and the products and services we purchase.

Discover what we do for healthy nutrition at our Childcare!

Just like you, we place great value on healthy and varied nutrition. We introduce your child to different flavors, which is important for a healthy eating pattern. At most locations, a household staff member prepares a fresh, warm lunch every day. Where cooking is not done, the meal is either delivered or prepared by Kindergarden chefs at a central location and then distributed. And then we sit down at the table – always together, because seeing others eat encourages eating!

People & Society: we promote an open culture

Kindergarden is an open, inclusive and diverse childcare organisation. We want every child to feel welcome and valued. We are equally committed to diversity and inclusion for current and future employees. We value the wellbeing of employees and children and see it as our responsibility to help eliminate child labour from our supply chain.