The Netherlands

‘Community Challenge 2007 has been a great success! More than 900 families will have a happy Sinterklaas celebration thanks to all the hard work by the Amsterdam office. Both the Stichting Sinterklaas Bestaat and Sinterklaas himself have expressed their great gratitude.’
Dirk-Jan Smit, partner responsible for CSR in Amsterdam

‘Thanks to all your efforts it has been a great success. It was heart-warming the way Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer helped us. Many, many thanks.’
Kiki Hirschfeld, founder of Sinterklaas Bestaat

Throughout 2007, efforts have concentrated on organising a team challenge involving as many people from the Amsterdam office as possible. A project was chosen that would appeal to all and would have a Dutch theme. The team challenge was a huge success in the Amsterdam office – involving 72 members of staff over a week. Building on this success and to keep the momentum going, we have started working on a corporate social responsibility project that will run in 2008 and beyond.

Volunteers supported the organisation Sinterklaas bestaat (Santa Claus exists). The celebration of Sinterklaas is a typical Dutch tradition with lots of candy, presents, songs and poems. Unfortunately, not all parents are able to buy presents for their children, which is where Sinterklaas bestaat comes into play, providing poor families with the means to have a wonderful Sinterklaas celebration. Companies and individuals donate presents that are collected, put into large Sinterklaas bags and handed out to the families. Our volunteers helped by putting together over 900 present bags.

The Amsterdam office also donated funds to the organisation that would have otherwise been used for the firm’s Christmas cards this year. Further donations came from people throughout the office.