Design and tech as a force for good at Nextview

"The most exciting moment was when you realize it has to be different." Huub Waterval, CEO of the new company Nextview, wants international. 'New' is relative, by the way, 8 years ago he started the company The Next View, which did SAP implementations for all kinds of Dutch organizations. The company grew fast, made acquisitions and launched a number of its own IT products. In 2017, the adventure that started with a few people had grown into a holding company (We Accelerate People Group) with three companies underneath and over a hundred employees. Ready to grow significantly further in and outside the Netherlands. "Growth for growth's sake doesn't inspire us. As an organization, we have a responsibility to the planet and society. That's why we became B Corp." B Corps are companies that maintain the highest standards for their transparency and responsibility in terms of society and environment.

Nextview? Belgium's laughingstock

"If you have to export your services with three brands, that obviously doesn't work." The planned expansion to Belgium needed a strategic reorientation. "Otherwise we'll become Belgium's laughingstock. That can't be justified with any good story." That's why Huub wrote a memo to rebrand all business units into one company and one brand. All employees will be employed by one organization and the shareholder structure will also be overhauled; all shareholders will become owners of the larger whole.

After a number of exploratory conversations, Huub and Jeroen Schaling, the marketing chief, decided to work with BR-ND. The connection was immediate and everyone could find themselves in the proposed approach. Characteristic in the collaboration? Both parties work according to the design thinking approach, where empathy is the starting point and work is iterative; we explore the options and prototype the possibilities. Together we make choices and move forward. Converging and diverging. And always in co-creation. A social process.

Purpose driven

An important part of the connection was the desire to let 'purpose driven working' penetrate the fibers of the organization. The leadership was certainly convinced of the social role that a technology consultancy could take. How you treat each other, your customers and your partners, what you contribute to a better world, to the local community, how you inspire others to take their responsibility too. Since their B Corp certification, the organization has become a partner of Plastic Whale, Design Week @ School and has supported specific sustainability projects with their expertise and skills. But ultimately such an ambition only really has a chance of success if the people doing the work also believe in it. Their behavior is decisive. This desire fitted perfectly with BR-ND's ambition: to make the world more beautiful by moving people in organizations to meaningfully deploy their talents. The meeting with We Accelerate People confirmed the idea to also become B Corp ourselves.

"It felt like a sign we didn't want to ignore." Kim Cramer and Alexander Koene from BR-ND had been to B Corp events several times in recent years. "The story appealed to us and we wanted to surround ourselves with people who believe the same as what we do. Namely that it can be different, more human, more honest and better for our living environment. But we kept postponing the definitive decision to get certified because we were too busy with other things. A bit weak actually, but that's how it goes. We are happy and proud that after a strict assessment we may also call ourselves B Corp since February 2018."

"January 12 is the party!"

With most clients we have to adjust ambitions and the deadline needs a reality check. This has everything to do with agendas, bureaucracy and decision-making processes. Not so with the people of We Accelerate People. "Boy, did they accelerate! 'The launch party is scheduled for January 12, can you make it?' was the question. On the condition that it would only work if both project coordination and decision-making on the client side would be super efficient, we took on the challenge. Incredible how easily the process then went. That had everything to do with great trust in each other's skills, talents and professionalism." Not long after the first introductory meeting, the trajectory started under the heading 'Feel IT 2025'.

All employees were invited by Huub during a kick-off session to participate in shaping the brand for the new organization: Nextview. The name was determined, but the story and design had to be discovered together. That same week, all employees filled in the BR-ND Insider, an online brand experience where everyone could share opinions and ideas about the current brands and the future brand. A treasure trove of insights that were taken into the creative phase. During the BR-ND Kitchen, a representation of the organization built the foundations of the brand story using the 23plusone method. Work was also done together on the design of the new brand. The stay-behinds could follow every step in the process live via Yammer. During the Kitchen, but also before with the results of the Insider, everyone could comment. Even with the design scenarios that were sketched later in the process, everyone was asked online to post questions and comments. This created a collectively shared drive and curiosity about every next step. Kim: "Could we fulfill everyone's wishes? No. Take into account all tastes? Certainly not. But we could enthuse everyone for the open and inviting process where everyone's input was equal and taken seriously."

Doing together

And then it was January 12. At the Kookfabriek in Amsterdam, Nextview was presented to all employees and their partners. And then everyone went cooking. This time not with insights and emotional drivers, but with real, edible ingredients. Time for connection in the kitchen and at the table. And then onto the dance floor. With a beautiful new brand and a much simpler brand portfolio, Huub can make the start abroad with full energy. How does he look back on the rebranding? "There were things I thought had to stay that way. You discover that it's a process to let go and no longer hold on to the past. We involved everyone in as many ways as possible. If you have the right people around you and you let everyone free in what they can contribute, then it can only go well."

Ask your question to the people of Nextview or BR-ND People.