On a journey of discovery

Social responsibility

TBI is a construction and engineering group comprising nineteen companies. Each has its own respective culture and specialist expertise in the fields of technology, construction and development or infrastructure. To explain the underlying reasons for the partnership with the Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bart tells us about TBI’s long tradition of giving social responsibility high priority. “It’s in our DNA. Our single shareholder is a foundation which requires, above all, a long term perspective. Our social involvement, that expresses itself in a manifold of different ways, largely stems from that focus.

“For example, the foundation manages a fund for the preservation of listed monuments in the Netherlands. TBI also has a study fund for the children of its permanent employees and supports social institutions, such as Blijdorp in Rotterdam, and a weekend school for children from deprived areas.”

This sense of social responsibility resonates strongly with Dominik. He can identify with it as well: “With our orchestra, for example, this expresses itself in education and accessibility. We feel a great responsibility to reach more than just a small target group – the so-called elite – with classical music; we are here for everyone. The ambition to really make this happen is enormous.”

Craftsmanship

Why did TBI choose to join forces with the Concertgebouw Orchestra in particular? Bart: “This orchestra is one of the most valuable Dutch cultural treasures and also represents top-tier quality and craftsmanship.  Craftsmanship, specifically, is an important and relatable concept for us, it forms the foundation of our company. And whether it’s to be found in the work of an electrician, a violinist or one of our engineers – their craftsmanship forms the basis from which something of value is created.”

Boldness

Dominik is pleased to gain inspiration from TBI’s sustainability ambitions. “For us as an international Orchestra, this is an important topic. At TBI it is given the highest priority, we can learn from that!”

Bart adds: “Our sector has a large negative impact on the climate. Whether it’s CO2 emissions, concrete or waste: there is a lot of room for improvement. That’s where our responsibility as a company lies. The pursuit of sustainability is motivating and inspiring for our people, and naturally it also means business for our technology companies active in electrical engineering and mechanical engineering.” 

“You need to be bold and set ambitious goals. This gives your employees confidence. You might not make it all the way – but you still will have achieved a lot.”
- Bart van Breukelen

For a long time, sustainability goals meant “we are working on it”. But now things have become more urgent, and we need to act fast. Therefore we are setting ambitious goals that we’re not sure we’ll achieve, but that force us to work differently. For example: in three years we will produce half the waste we do now, and in six years it must be down to zero. You have to be bold. This gives your employees confidence. You might not make it all the way – but you still will have achieved a lot.”

“That’s how we work too,” Dominik says. “Being bold is one of our core values. We have to set the bar high because this is so important. If we want to reach a wider audience, we have to think differently, in a new way. We’ve started giving concerts that offer a different listening experience, for example, where the audience sits among the Orchestra musicians. We never did that before, so it’s quite exciting. We have also been giving a grand open-air concert each season for the past two years – with all the risks that brings. But we have to take these risks if we want to reach new audiences with our music.”

Enrich and inspire

What can the Orchestra and the music do for TBI? Bart sees an invitation to a concert as a great gift for relations and employees. “I myself am a great fan of classical music and attending a concert at The Concertgebouw always feels very special and stylish. Within our company, our supervisory directors and many board members are very enthusiastic. But it is a journey of discovery: we feel it’s very special to be involved with the Orchestra and to support it. We will now see how that develops, and whether our relations appreciate it in the same way we do.” 

Dominik sees great opportunities for collaboration. “Yes, a journey of discovery, that’s what a partnership really is. Looking for the best match, for ways to inspire each other. We are on a mission is to enrich people’s lives with the power of classical symphonic music. Enrich and inspire. Together we will now discover the best ways to do that.”