As a sustainable pioneer, how do you professionalize your ESG approach even further? Ducky Dons had been a forerunner in the field of circularity and sustainability for years, but wanted to take their approach to an even higher level. We spoke with Nick van Nieuwenhuizen, co-owner of Ducky Dons, about their collaboration with Empact. The story shows how a practical approach leads to measurable results and even stronger foundations for the future.
“The result is that we can get started right away. Empact’s consultants are really practical and connect to the needs of companies.”
The circular pioneer from Ermelo
Ducky Dons has been active in the down and feather industry for three generations. What began as a feather laundry for slaughterhouse by-products, grew under the leadership of the third generation into the Netherlands’ circular pioneer in the field of comforters and pillows. The Ermelo-based company is the only one in the Netherlands to fully recycle comforters and pillows containing down through their Donsretour program. The results are impressive: “By now, 41% of all the down and feathers we process are recycled material,” says Nick.
“The quality should not be in doubt, and then it is very nice that it is also recycled. That appeals to people extra.”
They owe their success as sustainability pioneers to transparency and the will to really make a difference. As a market leader, they can use their strong reputation to get partners and customers on board. “We also really do it in the Netherlands,” Nick emphasizes. “Everyone is welcome to watch how we collect, process and deliver new products.” That combination of transparency and undiminished product quality made the difference. “The quality should not be in doubt, and then it is very nice that it is also recycled. That appeals extra to people.”
From intrinsic motivation to strategic deepening
So although Ducky Dons was already well underway with their sustainability initiatives, Nick wanted to take the next step. The company had their circular business model, certifications, traceability and comprehensive supplier policies, but Nick saw opportunities to professionalize this. “We already had a strong foundation, beyond others in the industry,” he reflects. “But we wanted to continue to grow.”
Despite Ducky Dons not being CSRD-obligated as a company with 60 employees, Nick deliberately chose to be a frontrunner. “We are not CSRD obligated, but we do want to be at the forefront. If our clients – who do have CSRD obligations – have questions, we want to be able to provide solid answers.”
A thorough approach: from analysis to implementation
The collaboration with Empact covered the full spectrum of sustainability management. The process began with a dual materiality analysis in which Nick worked with colleagues from different departments to identify the most relevant ESG themes. “We involved people from finance, procurement, operations and commerce,” Nick explains. “Different departments were guided through the process by Empact.”
Nick liked this approach: “It’s still complex at first, but by engaging in conversation you quickly get to the material themes.” Although scoring the themes was challenging, he appreciated the guidance from Empact.
The sessions yielded interesting insights. In addition to expected themes such as circularity and energy use, “equal treatment and equal opportunities for all” emerged as a material theme. “We were a little surprised,” Nick admits. “You always think of inclusiveness first when you think of this theme, but equal treatment goes much further. It’s also about education, about men and women, that everyone can develop.”
The realization of the breadth of this topic was enlightening: “We are already doing a lot of conscious work on that and want to pay even more attention to it,” Nick acknowledged.
CO2 insight with practical tools
A key component was full mapping of CO2 emissions for scope 1, 2 and 3. “It makes you extra aware of where your emissions are,” Nick says of the process. “That brought clarity.”
The results were logical but enlightening: “For scope 3, the emissions are mainly in the procurement of raw materials. We are a manufacturing company, so that was not surprising.” But new insights also came: “It also showed other emission sources, for example in purchased services such as IT. There are also significant emissions there.”
Providing all the necessary data was a big job, Nick acknowledges, “It’s a lot of information to provide, that shouldn’t be underestimated.” For example, they had to modify their ERP system to get units right.
But the effort paid off: Empact developed a practical tool that allows Ducky Dons to perform the CO2 calculations largely independently the following year. “Once you have mastered the method, you can easily reproduce it,” Nick explains. “Next year we’ll manage to do it almost independently, with a check from Empact.”
From ambitions to concrete goals
Through the OGSM method, Ducky Dons’ sustainability strategy was developed from broad ambitions to concrete, measurable goals. This not only gave the company more focus, but also the ability to monitor and report on progress.
The CSR policy was updated with specific attention to sustainability and animal welfare in the chain. In conclusion, Empact prepared an impact annual report according to the VSME standard, with which Ducky Dons can now communicate transparently about their sustainability performance.
Communicating more persuasively to stakeholders
One of the key results is that Ducky Dons can now communicate much more transparently and convincingly about their sustainability approach. “You can communicate more clearly about sustainability within your operations,” Nick summarizes. “That’s the biggest gain.”
This credibility has concrete benefits: “You can give stakeholders clearer insight into what you are doing in the sustainability field, which makes them more aware of your efforts.”
Internally, Nick also notices a difference: “It is clear what we are working on together. It’s more alive.” Although day-to-day operations did not change drastically, objectives are now more sharply defined. “We’re still doing the same thing, because it’s how we do business,” he explains. “But our strategy and goals have become sharper.”
“You can give stakeholders clearer insight into what you are doing in the sustainability area, which makes them more aware of your efforts.”
Collaboration that matches the reality of SMEs
Nick is especially positive about the Empact team’s practical approach. “With consultants, you’re always a little worried whether it won’t become too theoretical,” he admits honestly. “That they work out something great on paper, but you don’t do much with it and it stays in the closet.”
Those concerns proved unfounded: “With Martin, Derk Jan and Jeroen, it was mostly a hands-on approach. The sessions and discussions were substantive and applied in nature.”
The process completely convinced Nick: “The result is that we can get started right away. Empact’s consultants are really practical and connect to the needs of companies.”
As co-owner, Nick implements the ESG strategy himself, which he says works very well. “I’m the one who developed the ESG strategy as well as giving the implementation with the team,” he explains. “It’s more effective because you can put it directly into practice.”
Advice for doubting entrepreneurs
For entrepreneurs who are still hesitant about investing in sustainability, Nick has a clear message: “Sustainability does not immediately give everyone a positive association. People think it costs money, is difficult and takes time. But it’s a broad concept that deals with employees, energy, materials and circularity.”
His advice is specific: “Every company should make the effort to look at all sustainability issues with a team: which ones are relevant and have social concerns or financial impact. If you are not working on sustainability, you are much less able to attract employees and there is less demand for your products because customers demand that they meet sustainability standards.”
Nick emphasizes, “Investing wisely offers opportunities to get ahead. For any company, sustainability is therefore essential for business continuity.”