De Dierenbescherming
culture
strategy
Feb 2026
Finding the shared heartbeat of a 4,400-strong family | Dierenbescherming
When love for animals takes many forms, one shared story can make a movement feel like a family. Together with De Dierenbescherming, we helped unify 400 employees and 4,000 volunteers across sixty locations with a clear cultural heartbeat and a language people could live.
The challenge: thousands of voices, one shared rhythm
Imagine the dedication of a volunteer lifting a frightened animal into an ambulance, and the sharp focus of a lobbyist in The Hague helping to shape better laws. The love for animals is exactly the same, but does everyone feel like part of the same story? After merging many local chapters, De Dierenbescherming (The Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals) faced a fundamental task. For an organization of 400 employees and 4,000 volunteers spread across sixty locations, the challenge was clear: create one beating heart and one shared narrative that everyone — from the shelters to the head office — could embrace as their own.
Our journey together: the power of deep listening
We believe that people are the brand. Resonant stories aren't dreamed up in a boardroom; they are discovered in the daily experiences of those who carry the mission. Together with De Dierenbescherming, we committed to a process of deep, collaborative listening.
Using our science-based and playful methods, including the 23plusone emotive methodology and the BR-ND Kitchen, we brought together voices from every corner of the organization. Employees, volunteers, and partners shared their truths, which we then wove into one coherent and soulful whole. "The sessions with BR-ND People helped us look beyond hierarchy and find the universal driver that connects us all: being the voice for those who cannot speak for themselves," said one of the participants.
The transformation: a language to live by
The result is far more than a brand book; it has become a cultural touchstone for the entire organization. This shared language is designed to be lived, not just read. It serves as a compass for daily choices, ensuring that a volunteer in rural Limburg and a director in The Hague move with the exact same spirit.
When purpose and performance meet in this way, a united force emerges that truly advances animal welfare in the Netherlands. De Dierenbescherming now speaks with one voice, driven by thousands of hearts beating in the same rhythm.