2012-03 roel peerenboom

In 2010 Roel Peerenboom started supporting Bike4School projects of CooP-Africa through his Profile Bicycle shop in Wageningen. People who buy a bicycle in his shop get the opportunity to contribute to a bicycle for students in Africa. Roel Peerenboom explains with enthusiasm his initiative and corporate responsibility.

What did you make to start supporting CooP-Africa?

I have lived in Africa, Cameroon, for 10 years. As a child I went to school in Africa, my father worked in the medical sector. This is how I came in contact with Africa. Eight years ago I started this bicycle shop and at one point I wanted to do something with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The benefits of CSR are twofold. Firstly to actually help someone and secondly, to show as an organization that it is not only about making profit. Customers appreciate this and it gives additional confidence.

How does it work?

In the beginning I decided to donate 1 euro per bike to Coop-Africa. Then I wanted the customer to choose and decide for a donation themselves, 5, 10 or 20 euro. In the invoice form, I had a standard rule set. Now the system is automated and I leave it to the customer which amount he or she wants to donate. Sometimes it’s a rounding factor, other times 20 euro and sometimes one asks “How much do these bikes in Africa cost?”, and when I say “100 euro” they reply “Okay, go ahead!”.

Why do you support the Bike4School project?

It is important to link a project to the action. I think the Bike4Work and Bike4Care projects are  important projects as well, and that’s what I tell customers. It is all about transport and access, which is important for sick people, entrepreneurs and students. People sometimes ask whether the money is not only spent on overhead costs of CooP-Africa, but of course, every organization needs money, you cannot work with volunteers only!

What does the action mean for the customers?

Customers appreciate it enormously. It definitely creates goodwill. Customers automatically think that you’re more confident. There is less reason to distrust you. The reactions are generally very good, but about twice a year I get a customer who sincerely dislikes me mentioning a charity. I explain that we started this action ourselves and that contributing is voluntary.

How do you promote CooP-Africa and the Bike4School project in your shop?

There is a Black Mamba bike in my shop as an example of a bike that is used in the projects of Coop-Africa. I have a poster and flyers and will now immediately adjust my computer’s desktop background with a picture of the Bike4School project!

 

Click here if you want to support CooP-Africa as Corporate Social Responsibility as well.