March 2023
Connecting People is one of three core threads in JDE Peet’s Common Grounds sustainability programme and underpins our commitment to engaging with and supporting the people and communities around the world that we live and work alongside. This article illustrates how our mission to bring people together is brought to life in the Netherlands.
Connecting People
For many, coffee and tea are an integral part of everyday life, providing warmth and connection for moments big and small. In the Netherlands, this is celebrated every year with Burendag, a Douwe Egberts initiative that brings people together through the joy of coffee and tea.
Douwe Egberts is a leading coffee brand and has been a staple in households across the Netherlands, bringing people together since 1753. Many people have grown up with Douwe Egberts coffee and the brand is embedded in the fabric of everyday life of Dutch people.
Central to the role of Douwe Egberts is connecting people and as a result, the brand has become part of Dutch culture, is a member of the National Coalition to Beat Loneliness and runs a number of initiatives to bring people together.
In 2006, Douwe Egberts started Burendag. In 2007 the brand partnered with NGO, Orange Fonds, whose aim is to create a socially connected Netherlands Burendag, known in English as ‘Neighbours Day’. It has since been celebrated every year on the 4th Saturday of September, connecting people with their communities. Research shows that communities in which neighbours are connected, become nicer, safer places to live.
Douwe Egberts promotes this day via advertising and provides people who sign up to Burendag with activity packs, including coffee, decorations, games and more, for them to organise local activities with their neighbours. Neighbourhoods can also request a grant from Oranje Fonds for their activity. Activities are diverse and range from developing a community garden, to neigbourhood BBQ’s and activities for children. Over the past 18 years more than 66,000 activities have taken place.
The number of neighbourhoods who participate has been steadily growing every year. With a record breaking 8,200 neighbourhoods and around 1 million people participating in 2022.
Burendag is a great way to demonstrate that you can have a significant positive impact as a company by facilitating initiatives and supporting local communities.
‘It’s hard to go into neighbourhoods, where social cohesion is low, as an outsider. Community building needs to come from the people within neighbourhoods. That is why Burendag has been so successful. We are delighted to facilitate neighbourhood activities, and to help bring people together through simple and delicious cups of Douwe Egberts coffee.’ Say’s Kim Vogten, Corporate Affairs Manager.
Jetske Bouma, marketing Director JDE Netherlands
At JDE Peet’s we are always inspired by and learning from our colleagues spanning different countries and cultures, and will continue to implement initiatives that have a positive impact on communities everywhere, to deliver our goal of connecting people on Common Grounds.