OSP

OSP is Vermaat’s sustainability testing ground. We strive to make the world of food and beverages sustainable wherever we can, and then to share our insights and successes with others. As a provider of catering services to the business sector, OSP is committed to preparing healthy, nutritious lunches using the most sustainable ingredients possible, at a competitive price. We do all of this with one clear goal in mind: to have the greatest possible impact.

We are OSP. We are dedicated to a sustainable world of food and beverages, and that’s what keeps us moving forwards. It is our firm conviction that we’ll get there, together with you, our guests, business partners, producers, suppliers, kindred spirits and yes, those who disagree with us too. As a single movement, we’re committed to making progress and accelerating the transition to sustainable food. #foodforward

See below an example of how we put this into practice in our partnership with Triodos Bank on 'De Reehorst':

OSP intends to take deliberate steps towards making a difference in the world of food and beverages, by making the extraordinary ordinary. We believe that sustainability has to become a normal part of everyday life; the new normal, in fact. It should be so normal that people no longer have to think about it, but simply adopt it automatically as part of their lifestyle. OSP has created ‘The Positive Formula’ for this, so named because the outcome is always positive.

The Positive Formula deconstructed:

Multiply impact

If we want to ‘normalise’ the process of choosing sustainable products, it’s important for prices to be competitive. If we exclusively purchase products with a sustainability label according to the PIANOo (Public Procurement in the Netherlands) guidelines, it has the effect of increasing costs. The formula devised by OSP offers a solution to this, because it allows us to purchase in bulk at a better price. In addition to this, we focus extra effort on processing waste streams. Because we prepare our food on a 100% fresh basis, we can provide those of our employees who work on preparing our range with tips and strategies for assimilating the waste streams into our products, because we know exactly what is in them. And that means no unnecessary E numbers, minimal salt and sugar, and the maximum amount of good fats and fibre!

Breaking away from meat and fish

Meat and fish production have an enormous impact on our environment in terms of CO₂ emissions, water use and other aspects. In addition, deciding to eat less meat and fish is a very healthy choice, with plant-based alternatives not only providing the body with vitamins, micronutrients and minerals, but also reducing the risk of disease. That’s why OSP is breaking away from meat and fish and highlighting plant-based products instead. We will be blending meat and fish with plant-based products as standard procedure, or serving it as the topping to a dish. This will bring us closer to a plant-based diet, step by step.

Zero waste

Discarding raw materials is destruction of capital. For that reason, OSP is actively committed to battling waste. We are adapting our working methods in such a way as to minimise the production of waste, both in our own practices and as part of the chain. We cook ‘from scratch’, which means we can use products in their entirety. By preparing part of our range centrally, we’re able to incorporate large national waste streams into our dishes. We avoid using plastics in the restaurant, and we’re investing in the development of biodegradable plastics and bioplastics. Any remaining waste streams are collected and sorted into pure streams and we then make agreements with suppliers to use these pure flows as raw materials. This encourages the formation of unique partnerships that stimulate circularity in the chain.

Everyone counts
Inclusivity is an essential part of the OSP hospitality formula. In collaboration with Ctalents, we employ deaf baristas at our espresso bars. We also participate in the WoW project with ROC Amsterdam and the Municipality of Amsterdam to provide holders of residence permits with training to become a chef. In addition, we employ people who receive the ‘WAJONG benefit’ (a benefit for young people with a disability or a chronic illness), and provide them with support and guidance from our own job coaches. In short: we believe everyone counts, and thanks to this open attitude, we’ve been proud to welcome extremely valuable, well-trained and motivated people onto our team.

The added value of zero

We measure and monitor the CO₂ impact of our range at every OSP location, with the intention of reducing the impact as much as we possibly can. We do this by consulting with all involved to determine where and how we can limit our CO₂emissions. We also make agreements about how to compensate the CO₂ impact that we’re not yet able to prevent. Our ultimate goal is to achieve that all-important zero value at each OSP location.