Innovation

Orakel's innovation consists of using waste as a raw material for their tokens, R-PET lanyards, medals, and wristbands. In this way, they reduce other people's waste and do not mine new raw materials from our planet. The tokens only consist of recycled and bio-based materials such as recycled plastic, fishing nets, potato peels, bubble gum, and wood. They are constantly looking for more sustainable and innovative alternatives to produce all their products. Moreover, their products are shipped in boxes made of recycled materials, and the samples are in envelopes to avoid plastic as much as possible. This business solution, using waste as raw materials, increases the economic prosperity of the company while contributing to a healthy environment. In other words, Oracle has a net-positive impact on the planet.

For example, they are seeking a circular production process where waste from their production process is directly reused. This aligns with SDG 9 industry, innovation, and infrastructure. They are also trying to think environmentally and consciously; therefore, they have taken the following steps: they aim to have a sustainable building by installing solar panels and heating/cooling buildings with geothermal energy. In addition, they had set the goal of being carbon neutral by 2025, which they already achieved in 2022. For this, they monitor their carbon footprint, and they share a project with the Bosgroep Kempen Noord to increase carbon storage in local forests to offset their remaining emissions. Finally, they are trying very hard to create biodiversity in different ways. Some examples are the installation of a beehive and the sowing of two acres of a flower meadow. In this way, they are actively working on the SDGs 3 climate action and 15 life on land.

Inspiration

In 1996, Dirk Spooren and his sister-in-law decided to create a company, Orakel, based in Retie, focusing on the events sector. They saw an opportunity to develop wristbands for access control (unknown in Belgium then) and realized that events generate a lot of new single-use waste. Spooren felt that this sector needed to move toward a more sustainable future.

"I think that companies that are not working on sustainability will not be around in a few years!"

Thus, he soon saw ecology as a niche to be filled in the economy. As the years passed and they consolidated their position in the industry, they expanded their product range to meet the different demands of the industry. They make tokens, badges, wristbands, and the like at concerts, competitions, exhibitions, conventions, and festivals.

"Thinking about the environment first and profit second - that's a model that works."

Orakel goes further than just making a profit; their inspiration is to create a better world. That is why they do not patent their inventions so that their competitors can also use them and they too can contribute to a more sustainable world.

Overall impact

Orakel is a company that tries to include sustainability in every step. They want to convey this way of thinking to their stakeholders. In the first instance, Orakel hopes to pass on the company's sustainable mindset to its employees, who will consciously or unconsciously pass it on to their social circles. But it doesn't stop there. They also include surrounding businesses in their sustainable story. In 2017, for example, Retie officially received the title of FairTrade Municipality, which is in line with SDG 11 sustainable cities and communities.

Furthermore, Orakel even involves children in their sustainable story. For example, the local youth movement is allowed to hold meetings there, and every year, a class of elementary school children from the neighborhood comes to do a project with their parents. Orakel finds that years later, these children come to do vacation work with them because their visit to the company inspired them, and it goes even further. Erasmus Students who came to do internships with them have expanded Orakel globally over the past 20 years by opening a company branch in their home countries. This proves that their business solution can be used worldwide on a bigger scale. This is also in line with SDG 17 partnerships for the goals.

"Every step in the right direction counts."

All these efforts to make the world more sustainable are therefore rewarded. In 2021, they won the Sustainable Business Award from Voka Mechelen-Kempen. Also, their environmental objectives that were gradually integrated into their processes were rewarded with a successful ISO 14001 audit. These audits and awards won show that they are not just a company of words but one of the deeds.

Business benefit

Orakel has progressed enormously as a company in 25 years. This is how Dirk Spooren created a company that employs 48 people in Belgium today. They have also expanded globally with establishments all over the world. The company has up to 90 employees and exports to as many as 100 different countries. The Orakel Group had a consolidated turnover of nearly 5.5 million euros in 2021.

During the corona period, Spooren blossomed into a true quantum leader, responding to changing circumstances. Because despite operating mainly in the events sector, which was completely shut down during this period, they managed to stay afloat. They did so by entering new markets to keep their staff employed. For example, printing vaccination cards and supplying hospital bands shows that their business model is scalable because, with the knowledge they have, they can develop new product ranges to meet the market's needs. To adapt to the needs of the market. In addition, they even made four acquisitions during that period. Thus, Spooren says that, despite the temporary loss of revenue, Corona made them more robust by having to think harder and more innovatively. It may not be a radical innovation, but it provides a counterpoint in the industry by making these products available in a more sustainable way. In terms of types of creation, it would fall into the category of disruptive innovation, as it involves incorporating new technologies or processes into an existing market.

They are also an example for many companies regarding human resource management. For instance, Orakel is a gender-neutral company with a very diverse workforce. Of the 48 employees, 33 are women, 15 are men, 4 of the six board members are women, six are of non-Belgian origin, and 5 have an occupational disability. "We want to create that employment in the long term." With women in both production and politics, they are breaking the male stereotype, which is in line with SDG 5 on gender equality. In this way, Orakel increases the well-being of their employees towards a full-spectrum flourishing world.

Social and environmental benefit

In addition to the economic benefits, there are also environmental and social benefits. Orakel strives for continuous improvement and innovation in the search for the most sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions. For example, it is transforming waste into usable raw materials, reducing its energy consumption, properly separating waste streams, and systematically reducing its production waste. They have the ambition to create a circular production process in which sustainable natural materials are reused continues to grow.

Orakel, in turn, results in a net positive impact, leading to economic prosperity with its innovation while contributing to a healthy environment, as mentioned above, and improving human well-being by offering job opportunities to everyone regardless of race, age, or orientation.

Finally, Orakel is a UN Global Compact Network member, which means it agrees to align its strategy, values, and activities with the ten sustainability and corporate social responsibility principles. External bodies constantly monitor their compliance with social legislation. In this way, Orakel aims to demonstrate that it effectively impacts society.

Interview

An Dries, HR & CSR manager