Whistling at work, but not at the girls

In the Schilderswijk, Grandpa Nelis stood high on his ladder – scrubbing windows while singing opera classics. He also had a heart for the neighbourhood, where he started training disadvantaged youth in the window-cleaning business founded by his father in 1918.

His dream lives on: over the years, Nelis Company has given hundreds of young people a second (and sometimes third) chance – and a future.

Daan Krijger, Relationship Manager at Nelis Company and one of the two 2025 Haagse Parels winners, explains: “The young people who join us are often seventeen or eighteen. Most have no diploma, no job, and often lack a social safety net. Over two to three years, we train them, provide what they need, and offer opportunities like learning to drive. If all goes well, they are far better prepared to enter the labour market and may secure a regular job – as a window cleaner or in another field.”

Expert trainers

Training is led by seasoned mentors. “They’ve been around the block,” says Krijger. “They’ve worked at Nelis for many years and have extensive experience guiding young people who had a rough start.”

Nelis Company follows the motto: a shoulder to cry on, and a kick up the backside. Before the young trainees set off as fully qualified window cleaners, they learn what’s expected of them. Krijger laughs: “Occasionally, the mentors have to be strict. We don’t want our boys standing on ladders shirtless with a cigarette at the corner of their mouth, whistling at the girls. But yes, that has to be explained. Luckily, everyone at Nelis has a good sense of humour.”

Dreams

Companies that collaborate with Nelis Company are guaranteed sparkling windows. “We make it clear that sometimes a second chance is needed,” says Krijger. “If necessary, we send our trainees – or someone else – back, ensuring the quality we promise.”

Krijger finds it heartening that businesses understand the challenges these young people face. “We have more than 140 clients, and maybe one drops out each year. It shows that companies are becoming more socially aware.”

He loves seeing the youth thrive, how positivity takes hold in their lives. “I see how happy they are returning from jobs. Partly because the workday is done, of course, but for some, it may be the first time in their lives that things are going well. They suddenly have a driving licence, money, and future opportunities. Our dream is to expand. We want to offer opportunities to more young people. We started as a window-cleaning business, but we can broaden our focus. Our goal is more important than the means.”

From core to opportunity: Yespers makes the most out of apples

It’s a strange thought: someone else leading the same life as you, in another house. Stefan Baecke and Joost Castenmiller, the owners of Yespers, the other 2025 Haagse Parel winner, discovered their parallel lives in each other. They lived in the same district in The Hague without knowing each other. Both have multiple sons, were born in Zeeland, and worked in banking, yet both felt: there’s more, I want to make a social impact. Once they met, it didn’t take long before they joined forces.

Castenmiller pushes open the doors of the factory they opened in October 2024; in the spacious hall, gleaming machines operate amid a cheerful mix of languages, laughter, and work. Yespers produces healthy and sustainable breakfast products.

Sustainability

“Stefan started Yespers in 2014,” says Castenmiller. “I joined in 2017. Together, we aim to make the food chain more sustainable. In our first office, we worked through a list of ingredients to see where improvements could be made. For example, we made granola roasted with leftover fruit, which included cashews sourced from Africa but processed in Asia – unnecessary and polluting logistics. We chose to process the cashews in Africa instead, reducing CO2 emissions, creating local jobs, and paying farmers a fairer price. These principles underpin Yespers.”

Baecke and Castenmiller also wanted to shorten the supply chain locally. Yespers products contain Dutch ingredients such as apples. Their thought experiment: what if everything could come from the same apple?

Castenmiller points to a machine. “Here, the cores are removed, which are usually discarded. Not with us. The seeds are toxic, but the rest of the core is used.” He gestures to a huge pan where a syrupy liquid is thickening. “We turn it into apple syrup, for example.”

Rolling apples

Two women start laughing – one accidentally activated a machine while cleaning it. Castenmiller laughs broadly. “The people who work at Yespers, we jokingly call them our apple eyes. But seriously, I’m proud we can give them a chance, make healthy products together, and waste almost nothing.”

As Haagse Parel winners, what will they do with the €5,000 prize? “Invest in our future plans. We want to make an impact with Yespers. Price competition isn’t our strength – impact is greatest when more people choose healthy, sustainable, and socially responsible products. We’re still fighting low-cost, less sustainable products, but more people are joining us. As we expand and scale up, Yespers may one day be the best choice even on price. That’s when the apple really starts rolling.”

www.neliscompany.nl

www.yespers.com

Who will win the Haagse Parel in 2026? Nominate your favourite business at:

www.denhaag.nl/haagseparel