Our beloved partners

Heilige Boontjes – coffee with character

Heilige Boontjes offers young people with a challenging start training and work, but also the trust and confidence to grow. In a warm environment, they learn to reflect, bring structure to their days and – in true Rotterdam style – roll up their sleeves and work as baristas, chefs, or hosts.

We drink their coffee at our office and take clients to this inspiring place, where stories of guts, humour, and resilience truly resonate.

Founded by Marco (police officer and educator) and Rodney (reintegration expert and expert by experience), they work from an old police station in Rotterdam to build a better future with and for young people. Here, impact begins with a good conversation and a truly great cup of coffee.

Amref – our social partner in the field
Amref, Africa’s leading health NGO, works towards lasting healthcare by investing in local leaders, knowledge, and resilience. No ready-made solutions, but change from within.

During our expeditions, we connect clients with Amref projects and changemakers. This leads to genuine encounters, mutual understanding, and fresh perspectives on leadership and impact.

Amref shows that health isn’t just about hospitals and medication, but about safety, opportunity, and having a voice in your own future. And that aligns perfectly with our mission: building a better world, one person, one step at a time.

RRA Works – bridging the street and the future
At Better Future, we believe leadership starts with seeing potential where others overlook it. That’s why we work with RRA Works – a social enterprise in Rotterdam connecting street youth with jobs and new perspectives.

RRA Works is not your typical reintegration agency. They go into the neighbourhoods, speak the language of the street, and build trust with young people who are often invisible to institutions. Through an intensive two-week bootcamp, they prepare them for the labour market, focusing on talent, motivation, and personal growth. Even after placement, their coaches stay involved.

During our expeditions, our clients meet these young people and the team behind RRA Works. These encounters are raw, honest, and deeply human. They show what’s possible when you believe in potential.

The Present – entrepreneurship for social value
The Present is a collective of passionate impact entrepreneurs who inspire each other. Here, social entrepreneurship is not the exception but the new norm.

For Better Future, The Present is a place of recognition and exchange – where we learn, share, and work towards a better world together. Real change happens in connection with others who share the same passion.

Listen to Annemarie in the ‘Idealenpodcast’ from The Present here.

Theatre Mooi Weer – theatre that moves and connects
Theatre Mooi Weer is a repertoire theatre rooted in today’s world, with a strong social message and a focus on young talent. It invites you to think, feel, and connect. You step into another world for a while and, upon return, reflect on your own.

Before the show, you share a meal at long communal tables, sparking unexpected conversations and new connections. It’s welcoming, down-to-earth, and anything but elitist—no red velvet or barriers— just accessible, engaging, human theatre. Annemarie is on the Supervisory Board, and we’re proud of this connection.

Interface – the most ‘unsexy’ product with the most sexy story
Interface is a global leader in sustainable business, known for producing carpet tiles. Their goal? To produce CO₂-negative carpet tiles. Their Mission Zero serves as their ambitious compass for every decision they make.

As a publicly listed company in a traditional industry, Interface dared to radically change, a powerful example of systemic transformation from within. We take our clients to visit Interface to show that creating impact isn’t just for start-ups or idealists – it can happen right at the heart of big industry.

Better Meetings – where good people meet
Better Meetings, located in the forests of Austerlitz, was home to Better Future from 2010 to 2021. Today, it is an inspiring meeting venue and office. Another thing that makes this place special is that young people from special education schools intern in the kitchen and service, guided by experienced chefs; this is a first step towards the job market.

For us, Better Meetings really feels like a home base. We love using this location for our programmes. Its homely atmosphere and natural surroundings invite openness and connection. Where good people meet, good things happen.

Sounds of Change – music as a driver for change
Sounds of Change uses music to heal, connect, and empower – especially in places where people have become disconnected from themselves and each other. They train aid workers, teachers, and musicians to use music with (traumatised) groups, creating safe spaces to improvise, listen, and reconnect. With a mission to create safe spaces in unsafe places.

For Better Future, Sounds of Change is an inspiring partner. They show that real change starts from within – with music as the universal language that breaks down barriers and builds communities.

WaterStarters – from leadership journey to social enterprise
WaterStarters is a collaboration between water company MegaGroup, health NGO Amref, and local communities. Together, they create sustainable access to clean water, built on ownership, entrepreneurship, and health.

It began in 2017, when Better Future took MegaGroup’s leadership team on a journey to Kenya, where they met Amref’s local WASH team – a powerful connection that led to the creation of WaterStarters. MegaGroup brought innovation and scalability, Amref its public mandate and network, and local communities their knowledge and entrepreneurship.

For us, WaterStarters shows how a leadership journey can spark systemic change – and how collaboration can inspire companies to see their mission with fresh eyes and turn it into real, lasting impact.

B Lab – using business as a force for good
B Lab is the organisation behind the global B Corp movement: a network of companies that combine profit with positive impact on people, society, and the planet.

As a certified B Corp, Better Future is part of this movement. It provides us with a strong compass and a network of pioneers and changemakers – a constant invitation to stay sharp, honest, and ambitious in what we do and why we do it.

Better Future Alumni – once part of the journey, always part of the story
What happens when people don’t just work at an organization, but help shape it? You get a community that lasts – even as people move on to new adventures. Since 2001, dozens of people have worked at Better Future, each bringing their own spark, energy, and impact.

These alumni are more than former colleagues: they remain partners, associates, and friends, united by shared values, courage, and the desire to make the world a better place. When you’ve built a movement together, you will always be part of the story.

Voor Goed – the bridge between city and impact
Voor Goed is Rotterdam’s impact agency, connecting companies, initiatives, and people to build a fairer city. They bring together worlds that might never otherwise meet – from social enterprises to corporates, from neighbourhood initiatives to policymakers.

Their strength lies in smart, human connections that lead to real change. Together with Voor Goed, we work on meaningful leadership, bridging head and heart, and creating a city where everyone can take part.

How can we help you?