With 17,220 international employees, OTTO Work Force is the largest employment agency in the Netherlands specializing in international labor. In 2025, the organization published its first sustainability report, prepared in accordance with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive
More than a response to legislation
The report is more than a response to new European legislation. OTTO Work Force consciously chooses to take an open and transparent look at the impact of labor migration. “We are proud of what we have achieved and honest about the challenges we still face,” said CEO Raymond Puts in the foreword. “This report offers an open look at our decisions, challenges and ambitions. We don’t always have all the answers, but we are committed to asking the right questions and taking action.”
This openness is reflected throughout the report. OTTO Work Force not only describes the positive aspects of labor migration – such as economic growth and personal development for workers – but also addresses societal concerns about housing and pressure on local communities.
Sustainability as an integral part of strategy
What sets OTTO Work Force apart is that sustainability is not treated as a separate little project. The three strategic pillars – Employer of Choice, Leading Company and Positive Impact – form the foundation of both the corporate strategy and the sustainability approach. Management is integrally responsible for these objectives, and progress is structurally monitored.
People at the center
Given the nature of the organization, people are central to the sustainability report. OTTO Work Force reports impressive numbers:
- International employees earn an average of 8.4% above the legal minimum wage
- 52% have a permanent contract
- All contracts offer guaranteed hours
- Paid an average of 35.7 hours per week: this is 32.3% above the national average
- Gender pay gap among support staff reduced to 3.26%
Transparent and mindful of growth
The report also shows that OTTO Work Force was able to decouple growth from CO₂ emissions. While the Dutch organization more than doubled in size, emissions fell 9%: from 32,652 tons of CO₂ in 2018 to 29,682 tons of CO₂ in 2024.
Although the report shows impressive results, OTTO Work Force emphasizes that this is a “learning year. The organization is preparing for full CSRD reporting in 2028 on the year 2027. We find it admirable that the organization leaves room for further development and that transparency is more important than perfection.
Collaboration with Empact
To produce the report, OTTO Work Force collaborated with Empact. Anne Rademaker and Martin de Jong, both Empact consultants, guided the organization in structuring the sustainability agenda and drafting the report according to CSRD standards.
Want to read more about this collaboration? Check out the extensive client story on this page.
CSRD-day: from theory to practice
On November 27, 2025 Freek Heurkens (Manager ESG and Risks at OTTO Work Force) and Martin de Jong of Empact will share their experiences with this process during the CSRD-day in Zwolle. Be there, because this offers a unique opportunity to hear how an organization deals with sustainability reporting in practice. And how to move from compliance to real impact.
Want to read more? The report is available for free download on the Otto Work Force website.