KPN achieves aspirant status on the Social Entrepreneurship Performance Ladder

KPN has achieved Aspirant status on the Social Entrepreneurship Performance Ladder (PSO). Joëlla van der Windt, VP People Experience, and Ronald Nieuwenhuis, Lead Great Place for All, were handed the corresponding certificate by Jan Theo Hoefakker, director of PSO Nederland at De Link, in Rotterdam on Thursday the seventh of September. The independent audit reveals that KPN has demonstrably started doing business in a more socially responsible way and that, within two years, it will move up to ‘a Step accreditation’ on the PSO Performance ladder. The Social Entrepreneurship Performance Ladder (PSO) is TNO’s benchmarking and quality mark, which objectively measures and makes visible the extent of socially responsible business.

Important step
KPN had its 2022 business audited, which resulted in the aspirant status. Joëlla van der Windt: “We want to be a diverse and inclusive company. PSO certification is great recognition of our efforts. I am proud to have achieved aspirant status and see that there is still plenty of work to be done to achieve the next rung on the ladder.’’ Within two years, we want to grow towards the next step’’.

Social Entrepreneurship 
KPN attaches great importance to creating (more) employment opportunities for people who are at a distance from the labor market. Since 2015, for instance, KPN Customer Service has been recognized as a work-training company and, every year, 20 people with a vulnerable position in the labor market are trained under the Social Entrepreneurship program.

More is needed to reach the next rung on the ladder
That’s why, in the coming period, KPN will further investigate which jobs we can place people from this target group in. This will include looking at making workplaces suitable and setting up supervision for these colleagues.  

Photo from left to right: Stefan Twigt, Ronald Nieuwenhuis, Joella van der Wind and Jan Theo Hoefakker are happy to receive the PSO certificate.