About us We drive sustainability for all organisations, products and services

Sustenuto was founded with the goal of strategically integrating sustainability into business. We became involved in one of the first European-funded research projects on sustainability, called 'Response', which included partners like Insead (France), SDA Bocconi (Italy), Copenhagen Business School (Denmark), and Kozminski University (Poland). This period also saw the Kyoto Protocol come into effect, setting global carbon reduction targets.

The Social-Economic Council of Flanders (SERV) commissioned a comprehensive report on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). We developed a detailed international CSR timeline and our findings formed the basis for a Congress. This event gathered 500 representatives from social partners, businesses, and government to discuss how CSR can be mainstreamed effectively.

Dirk Le Roy, Sustenuto's founder, met with Cradle to Cradle design pioneers Prof. Dr. Michael Braungart and William McDonough during the Nutec Congress in Frankfurt. The event featured Cradle to Cradle products and discussions on redeveloping Petroleum South. This work contributed to the creation of Blue Gate Antwerp, Belgium’s first eco-effective business park.

The EU's climate and energy package set ambitious targets, including 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, 20% increase of renewable energy use, and improve 20% in energy efficiency. The European Environment Agency (EEA) assessed that the EU achieved this in 2020. In response, we established the C2C Platform to promote circular economy practices. This platform would soon be integrated into Sustenuto’s services to enhance our comprehensive sustainability solutions.

The ISO26000 guidance on social responsibility was launched. We began a sustainability partnership with Spadel, a European mineral water and drinks company. Over the past decade, we have collaborated on their sustainability strategies and, in partnership with the Catholic University of Leuven and the Wuppertal Institute, developed a study on Sustainable Materials Management for presentation at the Belgian EU Presidency.

The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights were endorsed to define key duties and responsibilities regarding business-related human rights. In the same period, we conducted site visits in Dubai and Abu Dhabi to investigate working conditions in the Middle East, which was part of a strategic mission for a leading international contractor.

The UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio, known as Rio+20, resulted in a clear agenda for sustainable development. At the World Chambers Congress in Porto Alegre, Brazil, we presented Quadrant, a CSR Learning Network organised with Belgian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, involving over 450 participating companies.

The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute launched the C2C Certified® Products Program. Sustenuto became one of the first globally accredited bodies for this program, which sets a global standard for safe and circular materials and products. Currently, around 1000 C2C certificates are issued for products including built materials, textiles, cosmetics, and cleaning products.

A milestone was the launch of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This year, we also began our partnership with Vandemoortele, a leading European food company, developing sustainability strategies, stakeholder engagement, sustainability reporting, and interim management.

The EU enacted the Conflict Minerals Regulation and the EU Timber Regulation, requiring due diligence for responsible sourcing. We developed and implemented a comprehensive sustainability strategy for Lidl Belgium-Luxembourg, supporting its transition to a smart retailer with stakeholder dialogue, sustainability reporting, and supplier engagement. Lidl won CSR awards in 2020 for both Best Impact Sustainability Report and CSR Professional Award.

The EU High-Level Expert Group on Sustainable Finance (HLEG) developed a strategy that formed the basis for the EU’s Action Plan on Sustainable Finance and the EU Green Deal. We began a materiality and strategy exercise for Euroclear, a global provider of financial market infrastructure for securities and funds transactions.

The C2C Products Innovation Institute launched Version 3.1 of the C2C Certified® Product Standard, which remained the reference until the arrival of Version 4.0. We also started an ambitious project with Guardian Europe to achieve C2C Certified® certification for glass products from 8 factories across Europe.

The European Green Deal, launched to make Europe climate-neutral by 2050, has led to various regulations. Including the Batteries Regulation that came into effect in 2023, which aims on ensuring the sustainability of batteries. We developed a sustainability strategy for Umicore’s battery value chain, a key player in circular materials technology.

The European Climate Law established a goal for climate neutrality by 2050 and a 55% reduction in emissions by 2030. The SBTi launched the world’s first net zero standard. We developed a sustainability strategy for Vyncke, a fourth generation family business providing clean energy technology solutions using various biomass streams. Biomass boilers are designed and built on site for customers in Europe, China, Malaysia, Thailand and Brazil.

Driven by the EU Green Deal, many companies, including Sustenuto clients, focused on Double Materiality Assessments (DMAs), CSRD reporting, and C2C certifications. Sustenuto also expanded its European presence, with Ana Quintas joining as Portugal Country Lead and hosting a CSRD workshop in Porto.