MO040 dinner 17 June 2019

15th Corporate Social Responsibility 040 Diner: companies and charities at table in Food Bank for Poverty 

Did you know that over 1 million Dutch people live in poverty and that 1 in 9 children grow up in poverty? Long-term poverty in Eindhoven is the greatest of all Brabant's cities and the number is rising. Around five thousand households (4.3% of the total) have an income that is structurally lower than the minimum established by the CBS. Poverty and debt have a major impact at all levels. Money worries go hand in hand with increased demand for care and do not help to build a better future.

Food bank Eindhoven as pop-up restaurant

Poverty is a topical theme in Eindhoven; long-term poverty is the highest of all Brabant cities and the percentage is rising. The 15th edition of the Maatschappelijk Ondernemen 040 diner (MO040 diner) on Monday 17 June 2019 was therefore dedicated to poverty. Eindhoven companies and local social organisations once again entered into a discussion about mutual cooperation (match) with closed exchanges.

Voedselbank Eindhoven was transformed into a pop-up restaurant especially for this event. In the room where the food packages are normally assembled and packed, Rick Bijlsma, chef at the Stories restaurant, prepared a three-course dinner with food that was currently available at the Voedselbank. The food was served from food crates on the conveyor belt, around which the dinner tables were arranged. This not only gave the dinner guests a special view behind the scenes at the Voedselbank, but also a unique experience to see the consequences of the growing poverty problem in Eindhoven up close. No extra purchases were made for the dinner, but neither were there any fewer parcels distributed as a result of this event.

André Nieweg, Voedselbank Eindhoven:
"Voedselbank Eindhoven works with 140 volunteers and distributes around 100 parcels every day. This year, it handed out parcels to around 1,400 families and 2,457 individuals (38% of whom were children) in the Eindhoven region.

Making a difference: 50 new collaborations

No less than 50 new collaborations came about during this edition of the MO040 dinner. Banning Advocaten will support Stichting Speelcadeau with their AVG questions and the processing of their data and personal data. Bijenkorf Eindhoven will provide a visual merchandise workshop at the second-hand shop of Stichting Welzijn New Beginning. And Holland Casino Eindhoven is going to support De Stadsakkers, which grows vegetables for the Voedselbank, in securing their premises. Read the article in the Eindhovens Dagblad about the beautiful match between Rabobank and Vrijwillige Hulpdienst Eindhoven.

Most striking match

The special new collaboration between engineering consultancy Royal HaskoningDHV and the Ervaring die Staat foundation received the 'compliment of the evening'. The Ervaring die Staat foundation supports homeless people in the field of personal development and talents. But besides this mission, Ervaring die Staat is also working on sustainability. Royal HaskoningDHV will use their expertise to make the new building of Ervaring die Staat more sustainable.

Sign up for next MO040 dinner

The MO040 diner takes place twice a year. At each MO040 dinner there is room for only 20 non-profit organisations and 20 companies who work together on a theme. Is your (non-)profit organisation aiming to do socially responsible business in the Eindhoven region? Then during the Social Entrepreneurship 040 dinner get to know entrepreneurs from Eindhoven who, with closed purses and their knowledge, expertise and skills, want to make a social contribution. The contact during the dinner provides both the social field and the business community with new insights, collaborations and concrete matches.

You can already sign up with Esther Hofstede from Samen voor Eindhoven. The next dinner will be in the autumn of 2019. There are no costs associated with the MO040dinner or the workshop. Look here for more information about the previous MO040diner.

Any questions? Call Esther Hofstede (06 - 4603 1010).

What do we expect from participating foundations in the MO040 dinner? 

As a participating non-profit organisation in the MO040 dinner, you formulate a question and a quid pro quo. If you participate in the dinner, we expect you to also take part in the preparatory workshop. During the workshop you will receive an introduction to the dinner theme, inspiration from practice and help in formulating an attractive question and quid pro quo. You will also receive tips for the MO040 dinner. Two people from your organisation can participate in the workshop; there is room for one delegate at the dinner.

The corporate social responsibility 040 dinner

DLL, NXP and the Municipality of Eindhoven and Holland Casino offer the MO040 Diner in cooperation with Samen voor Eindhoven (Together for Eindhoven). The MO040 Diner is for companies and social organisations that want to make a difference in the Eindhoven region.

Photography: Beeldbaas