When Thijs Lindhout and Nick van Moerkerk separately started as entrepreneurs ten years ago, giving seminars and advice about sustainability and corporate responsibility, these were not the hot topics they are today. They joined forces in De Duurzame Adviseurs, (‘the Sustainable Advisors’) and had grown so fast, that the next step became unavoidable. In Censo, they found the ideal partner to increase their impact on the energy transition.

Calling them forerunners in the sustainability industry is no exaggeration, dealmaker Jeffrey Scholtens believes. Together with Lars de Ruiter and Simone Kriekaart, he guided the duo through the sale process, but they had known each other for some time. “Every year, we discussed the company’s current position and opportunities. Their approach was distinctive and refreshing: sharing knowledge by means of new types of marketing, instead of keeping knowledge to themselves. They managed to fill a gap in the market and De Duurzame Adviseurs became a renowned name in this area.”

Fresh ways of doing business

It did not go unnoticed in the industry, potential buyers came knocking at the door repeatedly, which confirmed the entrepreneurs that they were doing the right things. Jeffrey: “Of course, the level of interest had a lot to do with how hot this topic currently is, but De Duurzame Adviseurs is unique in several ways. Their approach is very much focused on taking action – they actually make sustainability fun, and it shows in their events, seminars and blogs in which they share a great deal of knowledge. The team is very young and all members have an intrinsic drive to engage in sustainability.”

In addition to the candidates that had presented themselves, the dealteam brought several other parties to the table. The decisive factor in choosing Censo, an initiative of passionate entrepreneurs and sustainability experts, was its full focus on anything energy transition-related. It is Censo’s mission to make sure that the Dutch business world is carbon neutral by 2030. A hefty statement, carrying great responsibility, in which De Duurzame Adviseurs will be an important linking pin. “Mere paper will make no company any more sustainable. We are really happy to be able to carry out our action-driven consultancy model even better, without running into the limits of our ambition”, Nick van Moerkerk responds. Like Thijs Lindhout, he will remain actively involved after the transaction.

Sustainability trend

More and more companies are making a step towards sustainability out of conviction and ideology, whereas previously, laws and regulations were the primary drivers. “That is a real turning point”, Jeffrey Scholtens states. “You’ll see ever more individual initiatives to put sustainability on a company’s agenda. Businesses in the sustainability industry will have an increasing role to play, as this topic will be high on the agenda for years to come. As a consequence, they have a strong appeal to buyers in the market, aiming to realise their growth ambitions.”