Intospace receives prestigious B Corp-Certification, strengthening its position as a sustainable leader in Logistics Real Estate

‘s-Hertogenbosch, 26th of June 2024 – Intospace, a leading logistics real estate developer in the Netherlands, proudly announces that it has obtained the prestigious B Corp-Certification. This recognition places Intospace among the world’s most sustainable and impactful companies, joining a global community of businesses demonstrating that logistics real estate can have a significant valuable impact on the environment and society.

The B Corp-Certification is awarded to companies that meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. By achieving this certification, Intospace reaffirms its commitment to creating a positive impact on employees, communities, and the environment.

Understanding B Corp-Certification

The B Corp-certification is awarded to companies that meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. To achieve certification, companies must score highly across five impact areas: governance, workers, community, environment, and customers. B Corps are for-profit companies that use the power of business to build a more inclusive and sustainable economy. Famous B Corp-certified companies include Patagonia, Ben & Jerry’s, and Danone, a rank of companies that Intospace is proud to join.

Pioneering Sustainability in Logistic Real Estate

Intospace is honoured to be the first logistic real estate developer in the Netherlands to receive B Corp-certification. This milestone underscores our commitment to sustainability and our role as a market leader in the logistics real estate sector.

High Scores in Environment and Workers

In the B Corp framework, the Environment category evaluates how a company’s operations affect the air, climate, water, land, and biodiversity. Intospace’s use of renewable energy, green building practices, and promotion of circular economy principles contributed significantly to our high score.

Initiatives such as the AMS05 project at Schiphol Trade Park provides a great example. This off-grid distribution centre is a prime example of our dedication to sustainability. It features approximately 22,000 solar panels, making the building self-sufficient in energy production and contributing to the broader energy transition. In addition to this, we were the instigator of setting up a so called “energy collective” on Schiphol Trade Park. Working together in a so-called virtual grid, multiple companies/buildings on the business park mutually exchange energy when needed, making full use of the available sustainable power and at the same time requiring almost no power from the national grid.

Next to project specific, unique solutions like AMS05, we always strive to the highest levels of sustainability within our portfolio. All intospace buildings are at least BREEAM Excellent rated and are upgraded overtime with new features to keep up our high standards.

The Workers category examines the company’s relationship with its employees, focusing on compensation, benefits, training, health, and safety practices. At Intospace, we believe our employees are our greatest asset. We invest in their development, ensure their well-being, and foster an inclusive and dynamic workplace culture.

Commitment to Sustainable Leadership

Receiving the B Corp-certification was a critical objective for Intospace. It not only validates our efforts to develop sustainable real estate but also sets a benchmark for the industry. The intensive certification process of questions, steps and verifications on its own is already very valuable. It requires the whole team to diligently take a look internally at how we are actually performing on the subjects that we discuss and value each and every day.

An important part of the reason to pursue this certification was to independently verify our commitment to high environmental and social standards. Our goal is to demonstrate that real estate can be both profitable and sustainable, leading by example in the industry.

Future Opportunities for Sustainability

Looking ahead, Intospace sees numerous opportunities to enhance our sustainability efforts further. We are dedicated to continuous improvement and innovation, aiming to create logistics centres that contribute positively to the environment and society.