Jan De Nul gets recognition for sustainable entrepreneurship

This evening, Envisan, environmental subsidiary of Jan De Nul Group, received the Charter Sustainable Entrepreneurship from the Flanders’ Chamber of Commerce (Voka) as a recognition for its sustainability programme. This programme includes various action points, including the investment in two brand new physicochemical installations for the soil and sediment treatment centres in Belgium and France. In this way, Envisan contributes to the Sustainability Development Goals of the United Nations (UN SDG).

Today’s award ceremony is the 21^st edition of this Flemish recognition and laurels companies that pursue an active policy of sustainability. Envisan is one of 41 companies that return home with this prestigious VCDO award. Corporate social responsibility, ensuring short chains and endorsing the circular economy, it is in the genes of this environmental company. Annick Van Hyfte, Strategy and Business Development Manager at Envisan, received the award: "We are proud to be recognized for our efforts with respect to sustainability and circular economy. This award not only motivates us to continue in this way, we hope to inspire other companies as well."

Focus on reuse

Envisan remedies soil and groundwater, executes environmental dredging (to remove contaminated dredging sediments and to treat them afterwards), creates landfill sites, valorises waste and operates its own treatment centres for contaminated soils and/or sediments. Each activity aims at the remediation of contaminated sites (industrial sites, port areas, etc.) in order to offer them a second life. In addition, the contaminated soils are treated in the centres after which they can be reused as secondary raw materials. These centres are at the disposal of all core activities of Jan De Nul Group, but also third parties can supply contaminated materials and/or purchase secondary raw materials for their infrastructure or construction works.

Precisely for the reason of strengthening the strategy towards reuse and circular economy, Envisan invested in two semi-mobile physicochemical installations for its centres, which will enable the company to treat heavily polluted soils. Residual streams such as sand, rubble, etc. are valorised: they are given a second life as secondary raw materials in building activities. As a result, the use of new raw materials can be avoided. With both installations, Envisan is fully committed to the circular economy.

Sustainable entrepreneurship at Jan De Nul Group

Not only Envisan, but also its parent company Jan De Nul Group stands for sustainable entrepreneurship. "As a global player we are fully aware of our impact on the wider world,” says Julie De Nul, Board Member of Jan De Nul Group. “That’s exactly why we endeavour constantly to detach our footprint from our growth. This is a delicate exercise which we complete successfully every day in our projects and through the use of technology.

Jan De Nul looks for ways of doing more with fewer resources. More innovation, fewer traditional solutions. More renewable energy and equipment, fewer fossil fuels. “We are transparent, innovative and sustainable. We stand out because we create valuable and sustainable solutions to keep our impact on the planet to an absolute minimum,” concludes De Nul.

This is why the Group strives to prevent pollution and reduce waste, to reduce energy consumption by researching alternatives such as green energy, and by protecting biodiversity. The Group also introduces these circular ideas in other projects. In Taiwan, for example, the company uses dredged material from the port of Linkou for the port expansion in Taipei. In southern France, the contaminated sediments from Monaco, dredged by the Groups dredging division, are transported to Envisans treatment centre in Toulon.