Hoogendoorn Projectbeplanting
A partner for the rainforest
Since 2020 Hoogendoorn Projectbeplanting is a trusted partner of Stichting Adopteer Regenwoud. It is a partnership that feels natural: a company that works with greenery on a daily basis in the form of interior landscaping, and a foundation dedicated to protecting pristine rainforest. At the helm of the family business are Hidde and Jelle Hoogendoorn. In this interview, Jelle Hoogendoorn (43) talks about the partnership between Adopteer Regenwoud and Hoogendoorn Projectbeplanting.
Hoogendoorn Projectbeplanting began over forty years ago at the kitchen table in Jelle and Hidde’s parents’ home. After a phase of winding down the business by their parents, Jelle and later Hidde joined the company. What followed was a period of rapid growth. Hoogendoorn Projectbeplanting now employs around thirty staff. They provide interior planting throughout the Netherlands, ranging from a few plants at the entrance to large, mature trees in central areas of businesses, schools or care institutions. Hoogendoorn also regularly delivers guest lectures at schools to show young people what entrepreneurship in the green sector entails and what opportunities exist in a sector that is becoming increasingly important in an urbanising world.
Why Adopteer Regenwoud?
Jelle was advised by neighbouring company Duurzaamheidscertificering.nl to collaborate with the Adopteer Regenwoud Foundation. What began as a recommendation grew into a structural part of the business operations, which meant the partnership felt much deeper. Jelle: “Preserving and protecting the rainforest is hugely important. Many plants suitable as houseplants originate from the rainforest. Our plants naturally come from nurseries, but thanks to the healthy ecosystem in a rainforest, we in the Netherlands can enjoy all these species.” That is why it makes so much sense to work together and protect the rainforest through Adopteer Regenwoud. Jelle sees the world changing. In his view, climate change, loss of biodiversity and social unrest call for a clear counter-narrative from the business community. Supporting Adopteer Regenwoud is not the only thing Hoogendoorn Projectbeplanting does. They use the materials they handle as sustainably as possible and invest in electric transport.
Sustainability as inspiration
The number of square metres of rainforest protected depends on the value of the quote provided to a customer. The customer then receives a certificate stating how many square metres of rainforest have been donated on their behalf. In this way, sustainability ceases to be an abstract concept and becomes a tangible part of the project.
Last autumn, Hoogendoorn Projectbeplanting went one step further. All customers received a corporate gift in the form of a donation to Adopteer Regenwoud. Jelle: “We felt we could make a bigger impact with our promotional gift. So we chose not to leave our customers with a chocolate letter, Christmas cake or Christmas present, but an information leaflet about Adopteer Regenwoud and, of course, an extra donation on behalf of our customers. We decided to double our 2025 donation as an alternative to a traditional business gift.” In this way, we not only make a financial contribution but also raise awareness among other businesses.
The partnership is alive not only externally, but also internally. Employees enjoy explaining what they are contributing to and are happy to share this with customers and their network. It strengthens their pride in their work and the feeling of being part of something that extends beyond their own organisation
Hoogendoorn Projectbeplanting demonstrates that growth and social engagement are not opposites. On the contrary: by structurally integrating sustainability into business operations, added value is created for customers, employees