Being a new generation of developers, we have the ambition to do things differently. We are here to create sustainable environments where people can thrive. Our mission is to create habitats that empower communities, and make the world a happier and healthier place.
We strive for positive impact beyond the here and now. Because we are all part of something bigger.
Being about awakening and contemplation, our name is a metaphor for our inner compass. Being also refers to a state of existing; it suggests that something or someone is alive.
The state of ‘being’ is an expression of the essential common grounds of life itself — we all are. If everything else faded away, we would all still share this one elementary, unifying quality of being.
Luckily, we are not alone in our desire to make a positive impact. Why do we choose to focus on real estate and area development? Because this industry is alarmingly contaminating; remarkable, considering the fact that housing is a primary necessity of life. Who would disagree that building new property should be in harmony with the current needs and desires of the population? However, the reality is that this is an industry traditionally driven by profit.
Moreover, it’s an industry affecting many. This makes it a rewarding area to focus on in terms of sustainability; the benefits of positive change being apparent and immediate.
We believe that real estate development can and should be different. This is why we develop everything, from residential projects, offices, leisure and mixed-use buildings, to inner-city area developments, using a holistic approach. In creating value beyond the here and now, we prioritise hard facts but also soft criteria such as happiness, prosperity, security, health, and comfort. This helps us to make a lasting impact. Because we are all part of something bigger.
In 2016, Being was the first Dutch development company to call itself a certified B Corporation®: a company that is legally required to consider the impact of its decisions on its workers, customers, suppliers, community and the environment. This is a milestone that demands ongoing care, attention, and accountability, and includes a recurring certification procedure every three years, that independently evaluates the impact of our projects. As development companies go, this makes Being a more trustworthy and reliable partner to collaborate with on projects.
You can read more about the standards and requirements here.
We believe that any potential contribution we can make to enhance well-being begins with a healthy and safe work environment at Being. A culture that facilitates collaboration and interaction, and one that embraces awareness and creativity. A non-hierarchical organisational structure that evokes interdisciplinary teamwork and stimulates personal development. We achieve this by:
Every decision starts with intention. Positive intentions generate positive consequences. We are conscious about the choices we make on a business, organisational and personal level.
Embodying a new generation of developers, we are open-minded and creative. Willing to think, act and work in new ways, and to employ new technologies and processes. We embrace innovation as a tool to cultivate positive change.
Success is highly dependent on our capacity to understand others. To create the right solutions together, empathising with people’s needs and behaviour is essential.
In order to work well as a team, being truthful and transparent is essential. We communicate honestly and in an open manner about the significance, processes and outcomes of our projects.
Being was born in mid 2010, in the midst of the economic recession. At first, founders Bas van Dam and Dirk Dekker pioneered with Being Home: sustainable modular housing solutions. This bold concept received much attention for its innovative character, yet never came into being. Back then, the proposal was too far ahead of its time. Van Dam and Dekker then decided to up their game and inspire the sector as a whole, becoming a radically different development company. Using business as a force for good was, and still is, a core value that helps the company navigate towards the future.
Being operates in order to enhance quality of life, endorsing the triple bottom line of: people, planet, and profit.