How a Coworking Space Becomes an Engine for Impact (pt 3)

ESG in Motion in Amsterdam

At EDGE Workspaces, we believe coworking spaces and private offices are more than places to work. They’re platforms for positive change. Our mission is to create environments where sustainability, community, and responsible business practices are woven into everyday life. ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) isn’t just a checklist for us; it’s a living framework that shapes how we operate, who we partner with, and how we support our members.

Across our locations in Amsterdam (EDGE Olympic and EDGE Stadium), we’ve built a network of collaborations with companies, nonprofits, and community groups that share our vision, just like we did in Berlin and Hamburg. From environmental stewardship to social inclusion, from health and wellbeing to circular economy, each partnership brings a unique perspective and real impact. Here’s how we’re making ESG tangible: one collaboration at a time.

Small Steps, Big Impact on Earth Day

Every year, we celebrate Earth Day by inviting tenants who are active in sustainability to present their initiatives. The theme “Sustainability in Business: Small Steps, Big Impact” encourages companies to share practical, low-cost ways to reduce waste and energy consumption. These events spark inspiration and cross-company collaboration, helping our community see how even small actions can drive meaningful change. Networking sessions after the presentations foster new connections and amplify the impact. By hosting Earth Day, we make sustainability a core part of our coworking culture and empower our members to lead by example.

Bridging Worlds with Sister School and MoMo Education

Every Wednesday, our meeting rooms and event spaces are open to MoMo Education’s Sister Schools Foundation. This initiative connects students from West Asia and Africa with peers in the Netherlands, fostering intercultural collaboration and reducing inequality. Through the Digital Educational Exchange Platform, students from diverse backgrounds learn together, share experiences, and build resilience. MoMo Education integrates sustainability into its curriculum and supports community-driven projects that improve environmental access. By providing space for these sessions, we help bridge gaps and create a more inclusive, globally-minded coworking community.

Honoring Roots with De Vergeten Amsterdammer

We hosted a community dinner for “De Vergeten Amsterdammer,” celebrating the original residents of Amsterdam South who often feel overshadowed by gentrification. This event created a space for sharing stories, fostering connection, and giving recognition to longtime community members. It was positioned as an act of resistance against the erasure of authentic neighborhood character, while celebrating solidarity and community spirit. By addressing marginalization and strengthening local social ties, we align with ESG goals, especially social impact. Our coworking spaces become places where everyone’s voice matters.

Saving Biodiversity with BeeLife

BeeLife enables companies to adopt beehives, and we have two on our rooftop terrace. The harvested honey is artisanal and branded with the Edge logo, gifted to employees and guests. We invite tenants to visit the hive during beekeeper events, learning about pollinators and biodiversity. BeeLife’s mission is to save bees and transform urban spaces into green habitats. Partnering with BeeLife demonstrates measurable ESG impact by protecting biodiversity and engaging our community in environmental stewardship. Our coworking spaces literally buzz with life and learning.

Supporting Ukraine with nlmtd

In collaboration with our tenant nlmtd, we organized a collection of goods for Ukraine at the start of the conflict. Members brought durable food and warm clothes, which were delivered directly to those affected. This initiative showed solidarity with people impacted by war and destruction, turning our coworking space into a hub for humanitarian support. By mobilizing our community, we demonstrate that ESG includes standing up for those in need locally and globally.

Building Community with United Nigerian Platform

Every quarter, we share our Grand Stand with the United Nigerian Platform, offering free space for Nigerians who have moved to the Netherlands. This platform helps migrants adapt to Dutch society, share experiences, and build relationships. By providing a welcoming environment, we foster trust, dialogue, and partnership. Our coworking spaces become bridges for cultural exchange and social inclusion, supporting newcomers as they build their lives and networks.

Future Talent with Breda University

We offer internships to students from Breda University of Applied Sciences, supporting their development and career readiness. By opening our doors to Facility Management students, we contribute to future-proof skills and educate the next generation about sustainable buildings and workplace innovation. Tours and presentations show students how we operate, manage facilities, and implement sustainability measures. Collaborating with BUas strengthens ties with the academic community and builds a talent pipeline for our coworking spaces and private offices.

We also participated in the BUas Company Market, talking to first-year Facility Management students about job opportunities. This engagement raises awareness and strengthens our talent pipeline. By connecting with students, we build relationships and inspire the next generation of workplace innovators. Our coworking spaces are gateways to meaningful careers.

Creating Connections with Share Network

Once a month, Share Network uses our spaces for educational gatherings with migrants and refugees. These sessions help people build community, find support, and navigate their transition and integration. By hosting Share Network, we make our coworking spaces places of belonging and empowerment. It’s about creating opportunities for everyone to thrive.

Circular Solutions with The Good Roll

We use Good Roll products for our restrooms and facilities: 100% recycled paper, sustainably packaged. This choice reduces deforestation, lowers our carbon footprint, and promotes circular consumption. By partnering with The Good Roll, we support environmental responsibility while maintaining high-quality standards for guests and employees. Our coworking spaces become models for sustainable operations, showing that every detail matters.

Closing the Loop with NORNORM

NORNORM is a circular furniture rental service, and we offer it as an option to tenants across the Netherlands and Germany. By refurbishing and recirculating furniture, NORNORM reduces CO2 emissions by up to 70% and extends product lifecycles. This partnership helps us create flexible, sustainable workspaces that adapt to changing needs without waste. Circularity is at the heart of our coworking philosophy. Resources are valued, not discarded.

Boosting Wellbeing with Lepelblad Training

Vitality Week is an annual initiative where the focus is on health and wellbeing. Events, classes, freebies, and body scans are available for tenants. Lepelblad trainers offer body scans and massages, while Vitam provides healthy lunches. We also offer free gym memberships for all employees, with group classes fostering teamwork and connection. By investing in wellbeing, we reduce stress, promote healthier lifestyles, and build a stronger community. Our coworking spaces are places where people thrive, physically and mentally.

Sustainable Flowers with Bloom & Wolf

Bloom & Wolf delivers silk flowers quarterly, offering a sustainable alternative to weekly fresh bouquets. No dirty water, no dead flowers, and less pesticide use. This partnership reduces environmental impact and supports responsible sourcing. Our coworking spaces stay vibrant and beautiful, while promoting conscious consumption and sustainability.

Zero Waste with Oscar Circulair

Oscar Circulair is a waste management company using electric vehicles and an area-based system. They separate up to 18 types of waste, raising recycling rates from 40% to 66% and diverting substantial volumes from incineration. By partnering with Oscar Circulair, we reduce transport emissions and support a unified zero waste solution. Our coworking spaces become leaders in responsible waste management, showing that sustainability is achievable at scale.

Empowering Women with Herbox

Herbox supplies menstruation products in dispensers, available for free in our ground floor women’s bathroom. This partnership creates awareness about the environmental impact of fashion and supports responsible consumption. By hosting a vintage clothing market, we further limit waste and promote sustainable choices. Our coworking spaces are inclusive and supportive, making ESG a reality for everyone.

Circular Solutions with Dripdrop

We implemented a shared umbrella service through Dripdrop, enabling guests to borrow umbrellas during rainy conditions. This circular solution minimizes waste, extends product lifecycles, and enhances guest experience. By combining sustainability with service quality, we contribute to a more responsible hospitality model. Our coworking spaces are practical, resilient, and ready for any weather.

Keeping Nature Clean with Peukenzee

Peukenzee is a cigarette butt recycling initiative, with three stations around our building. By collecting butts bi-weekly, Peukenzee keeps our location clean and prevents hazardous waste from polluting nature. This partnership reflects our commitment to environmental stewardship and responsible workplace practices. Our coworking spaces are safer, cleaner, and more sustainable.

Giving Back with Voedselbank

Through The Giving Table initiative by Use/space, we hosted Christmas Lunches supporting De Voedselbank. Companies came together across 16 office buildings, sharing meals and donations for families and children in need. Livestreams connected locations, and entertainment brought joy to the event. Our coworking spaces became places of solidarity and real impact, showing that ESG is about community and compassion.

Conscious Consumption with Trending Tea

Trending Tea is a sustainable and fairtrade tea supplier, and we provide their teas in our pantries. By offering responsibly sourced beverages, we reduce environmental impact and support ethical production. Our coworking spaces promote a culture of conscious consumption, encouraging members to make choices that benefit people and planet.

Crafting Culture with Shakti.ism

We hosted a hand block printing workshop led by Jitna, introducing participants to traditional craftsmanship from Nepal, Bangladesh, and India. The session highlighted fair and sustainable practices, celebrated cultural heritage, and empowered artisan communities. By engaging our community in hands-on experiences, we foster awareness and support social impact. Our coworking spaces are creative hubs where culture and sustainability meet.

Baking for Good with Miro

One of our tenants organized a bake sale to raise money for children suffering due to the war in Ukraine. We promoted the event and participated, turning our coworking space into a platform for community engagement and social responsibility. ESG is about supporting causes that matter and making a difference together.

Fostering Inclusion with Henkel 

Henkel arranged an interactive experience day, allowing participants to use a wheelchair, follow a route, and engage with VR experiences simulating challenges faced by people with disabilities. We promoted the event and participated, raising awareness of accessibility and inclusivity. Our coworking spaces are places where empathy, understanding, and inclusion are fostered. ESG is about creating environments where everyone feels welcome.

Decorating for Change with Mandisa Fund 

We hosted a cake decorating workshop for women, led by a professional baker and food scientist. The event was educational, enjoyable, and supported girls’ education in South Africa. By combining learning with fundraising, we create meaningful shared experiences and support greater causes.

Let’s make ESG something we all take part in!

For us, ESG is not a label or a list of achievements. It is a way of working that anyone can engage with, regardless of company size, role, or resources. It can be as simple as rethinking how we use materials, how we support the people around us, or how we open up our spaces to ideas, conversations, and collaboration. The examples throughout this article are not meant as a showcase, but as a perspective on what is possible when small, practical actions come together over time.

What matters most is that ESG is shared. It grows when more people contribute, question, experiment, and try things out in their own way. That is why we see our coworking spaces, private offices, and community as an open environment where initiatives can start, evolve, and connect with others.

If you are reading this and have an idea, a project, or simply the ambition to make something better, we would like to hear from you. Whether it is a sustainability concept, a social initiative, a wellbeing format, or something entirely new, we are always open to collaboration and to exploring projects together that can create a positive impact.