This year, the top prize went to Meten=Weten, a citizen collective that conducts its own research into the use of pesticides, especially in flower cultivation. Their findings have led to court cases, new policies and, more importantly, a new form of citizen empowerment. A well-deserved winner that demonstrates which shows that knowledge is power.
The 13 projects from Trouw’s Duurzame 100 of 2025 that we support are equally bold, creative and impactful. Discover how these initiatives are making a difference, with their hands in the soil, their heads full of ideas and their hearts in the right place.
Pioneers at the Table
Caring Doctors brings together physicians and farmers, over 2,000 healthcare professionals, who champion plant-based, locally produced food as a weapon against lifestyle diseases and for a healthier climate. Former orthopaedic surgeon Patrick Deckers is one of the driving forces, inspiring colleagues and hospitals to reconsider what ends up on the plate. The farm dinners are more than just meals; they are learning experiences where medical evidence, agricultural practice and policy questions meet. Thanks to a donation from Triodos Foundation last year, the very first dinners took place. This was a small nudge with big consequences, paving the way for nutrition to become a core part of preventative healthcare and medical education.
Fair Prices, Conscious Choices
Behind every barcode lies a hidden price tag. Like nature depletion, poor soil, or unfair wages. True Price reveals the full costs, including environmental impact, water use and fair pay, so we know what products really cost. With open standards and digital tools, True Price helps supermarkets, policymakers and consumers make conscious choices. Our funding supports their digital transition, the publication of an open standard and the creation of a Social Council. These are steps that increase transparency and pave the way for a fair food system for people and planet.
Biodiversity on Your Plate
Wilder Land shows how nature restoration and entrepreneurship go hand in hand. Farmers sow native herbs along field edges and turn them into organic teas, syrups and other treats. Each cup is a vote for biodiversity. A highlight: their fennel even attracted the rare swallowtail butterfly. With around forty farmers, they are building a landscape where herbs and flowers feed the ecosystem. Thanks to a loan from us, Wilder Land has scaled up, investing in machinery, welcoming more farmers and letting more consumers taste what they call ‘liquid forest’.
Green Growth with Impact
Meer Bomen Nu (meaning More Trees Now) rescues young trees from vulnerable spots and gives them a second chance. In five years, more than 2.5 million orphaned saplings have found new homes via the ‘tree finder’ or ‘tree tinder’—an impressive social-green network of volunteers and municipalities. Trees are stored in Tree Hubs and later planted in food forests, urban gardens and schoolyards. Our donation last year enabled even more saplings to be harvested and distributed, connecting people around circular green management. It feels almost like a national adoption campaign for trees. Everyone joins in, from neighbours to farmers.
Networks for Nature
Hoopheggen (meaning Hopeful Hedges) works with spades, heart and hands, planting kilometres of native hedgerows that act as green highways for bees, birds and small mammals. Each hedge is a link in a larger network of nature restoration. In just three years, Hoopheggen and its enthusiastic volunteers and sponsors organised the planting of over 34 kilometres of new hedges. During planting days, families, pupils and even residents of care farms dig and plant side by side. In 2023, Triodos Foundation supported additional planting days, resulting in hundreds of metres of new hedges and strong local community involvement.
Oases for Pollinators
Bee Foundation transforms pavements and playgrounds into mini nature paradises. Working with municipalities, farmers, schools and volunteers, they create ‘bee oases’. These are spaces full of flowers, nesting sites and sanctuary for bees, bumblebees and butterflies. They manage over 30 hectares of bee oasis and run the School for Bees & Biodiversity, offering field trips, three-day practical courses and digital modules. Our funding in 2024 enabled new lesson modules and training, helping even more people become ambassadors for pollinators.
Sustainability in the Classroom
Leren voor Morgen (meaning Learning for Tomorrow) brings sustainability from the dinner table to the classroom. Not as a separate subject, but as a way of thinking woven into every lesson. They support schools with curricula, festivals, training and strong networks. Teachers and pupils work together on circular projects, from redesigning clothing in vocational education to launching local food initiatives. Duurzame Docent award winner Nawfal Al Jeburi shows how inspiring lessons can truly mobilise young people. With the Manifesto for Future-Oriented Economics Education, supported by Triodos Foundation, regenerative and future-proof thinking is now firmly on the agenda in economics education during Economics Education Week.
Answers to All Climate Questions
Klimaathelpdesk (meaning Climate Helpdesk) is the go-to place for anyone wanting to know the real facts about climate. With a network of over 300 scientists and a passionate group of volunteers, even the most varied climate questions are explained in plain language. From ‘how can I dress sustainably and stylishly?’ to ‘is a paper book or e-reader better for the climate?’ All answers are practical, well-researched and double-checked. Thanks to our support, the website’s usability was improved last year. Now, with over 150 published answers, the helpdesk is rising in search results. It's providing knowledge that calms and guides in turbulent times.
We Are Nature
NatuurCollege (meaning Nature College) has been a place where nature experience meets science and art for over 25 years. Their programmes bring together young people, researchers, teachers and artists to learn, research and be inspired. With our support, NatuurCollege is compiling its practical experience into a Handbook for Nature-Inclusive Education, enabling higher education teachers and others to actively connect people and nature.
Sustainable Farming in Citizen Co-operatives
Herenboeren (stands for Citizen Farmers) shows what happens when citizens roll up their sleeves together. They set up farms that operate on natural principles and supply local food without unnecessary inputs. The Netherlands has 23 such co-operatives, proving that producing food together works. And socially too. Although Stichting Herenboeren Nederland went bankrupt in 2025, local co-operatives continue undaunted. They sow, harvest and share knowledge, and on the farm, not just the land but also social life changes. Its members learn, work and celebrate together. In 2024, we supported the development of the serious game BEET, helping young people in agricultural education gain insight into the food system and encouraging them to help build regenerative agriculture.
A New Perspective on Economics
Our New Economy challenges economic orthodoxy. With teaching materials, workshops and events, Our New Economy helps young people and policymakers rethink the meaning of ‘value’. Beyond growth, towards wellbeing, solidarity and sustainability. Thanks to our funding in 2023, they developed a sustainable economics curriculum for secondary schools, teaching young people early on that economics can mean care and balance.
Fulfilment Through Sustainability
Genoeg om te leven (meaning Enough to live on) asks what really matters in life: what is a rich, meaningful existence within the limits of the planet? Founders Paul Schenderling and Matthias Olthaar show that less is often more. More calm, more connection, more joy. Their 'Circle of Joy' and community projects inspire thousands of families to live with fewer possessions, less work and more attention. With the Dutch product catalogue of Ethical Consumer, developed with our support in 2023, practical doers now have a reliable guide for sustainable choices.
Thinking Ahead for Future Generations
Lab Toekomstige Generaties (meaning Future Generations Lab) puts the future on the agenda with concrete tools: the Future Council, the Future Chair and advocacy for an Ombudsperson for Future Generations. They make long-term thinking tangible and actionable in decision-making. Over the past two years, we have supported the lab in building a broader network, drafting a manifesto and running campaigns to better anchor the interests of future generations in politics and policy.