CREM started in 1989 as a research agency, when ‘sustainability’ was still in its infancy. Little was known about the ecological and socio-economic aspects of production and production processes, or the most efficient and effective way to address these multiple challenges. CREM’s research provided the basis for many government sustainability policies, sustainability standards, codes of conduct, procurement processes, impact assessment methods and CSR-based management systems. We still do this kind of research, including market research, both nationally and internationally, alone or in collaboration with our extensive (inter)national network.

However, a lot has changed since then. Not only has new knowledge been piling up in the last few decades, it is also now widely available on the internet. The challenge for those looking for data or solutions these days is to make the right choices from this mountain of information. Through our years of experience, we can quickly separate the wheat from the chaff, and advise clients on the basis of our own knowledge. Moving from theory to practice is paramount. Our (research) projects are practical and goal-oriented, and usually are done via co-creation in a multi-stakeholder setting. In short, research and advice 2.0!

Examples:

1. Natural Capital Inventory by RWS
2. Everything That You Always Wanted to Know About Raw Materials and Biodiversity…
3. Sustainable Banking
4. Decent Work in International Supply Chains
5. Green washing or honest advertising?
6. South African Certified Biomass Challenge
7. The Power of Nudging
8. How Sustainable is Biomass Production, Actually?
9. Can Small Producers Also Supply Green Energy from Bioproducts?