Jos Scholman becomes the third company in the Netherlands certified for Kleurkeur Blue |
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'This standard offers major benefits, both for nature and for contractors'
At Jos Scholman, the company recently celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. Now another milestone follows: the presentation of the Groenkeur certificate by Groenkeur. The company is one of the first to obtain Kleurkeur Blue, introduced on 1 September 2023 as the standard for ecological management of waterways. From Stad+Groen, we attended to learn why this certificate is so important to Scholman.
| Jos Scholman Jr. (left) receives the Groenkeur certificate from Dick Oosthoek |
"Groenkeur regularly visits companies to present certificates. Today we are visiting Jos Scholman, the third company in the Netherlands to achieve Kleurkeur Blue," says Dick Oosthoek. "Contractors and green companies can be certified for both Kleurkeur Green (verges, green strips, dikes) and Kleurkeur Blue (ditches, waterways and canals). Clients, such as municipalities and water boards, will soon require this certification in tenders. Both standards were developed together with The Butterfly Foundation and many other sector partners. We aim for a broadly supported standard. In total, nine companies have now obtained Kleurkeur Blue." There are 46 companies certified for Kleurkeur Green, providing sufficient national coverage to include the standard in tenders.
For the entire green-blue network
To obtain the certificate, companies must meet the new standard in designated 'blue projects'. What does this involve? With Kleurkeur Blue, a company shows it has prepared ecological waterway management properly. A management plan describes how different parts of the waterway—such as banks, shelves and wet profiles—are managed under adapted rules. This includes phased mowing, leaving sections of vegetation standing and fauna-friendly mowing.
Oosthoek: "Waterways make up a large part of the landscape, but biodiversity is often under pressure. This standard offers significant gains for plants and animals."
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"Where mass once meant profit, it's now specialisation that makes the difference."
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Specialisation
Kleurkeur Blue benefits not only biodiversity but also companies such as Jos Scholman. "We obtained Kleurkeur Green in 2024, and with this certificate we show our commitment to sustainability. At the same time, we position ourselves in a market where specialisation is becoming increasingly important," says Scholman. "The market has shifted: where it once focused on quantity, specialisation is now key. If you keep competing on the lowest price, you will eventually fall behind. We have invested heavily in sustainability, both in equipment and certification. This supports healthy growth and solid returns."
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"The value of Kleurkeur must be reflected in tenders."
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Quality pays off
Oosthoek responds: "We are currently visiting many clients. Some show a degree of scepticism towards certification. They wonder whether certification sufficiently guarantees sustainable management. That surprises me, as strict requirements must be met to earn the certificates, and repeated audits ensure they are maintained."
Scholman believes this scepticism is linked to cost. "The value of Kleurkeur must be embedded in tender procedures so that clients start recognising it. Quality always pays off in the long term. That's also why we invested in our own hydrogen station. We are taking the lead, and although it is still experimental, it benefits everyone."
Scholman currently has two projects underway: ecological mowing in the municipality of Amstelveen and ecological maintenance in the municipality of Amsterdam.
No feeling of 'obligation'
Scholman continues: "Employees authorised to work with Kleurkeur feel strengthened by the status the certificate gives them. Their work is not only appreciated but also measured in quality. That builds confidence. I don't experience an audit as a burden but as an opportunity to show how we work and to analyse and evaluate this together with the auditor. Sometimes you perform a task slightly differently in practice than described in the handbook. That doesn't mean it's wrong—translating procedures to fieldwork can be challenging. This offers insight, and then you adjust your handbook. On the one hand, you work with measurable requirements; on the other, with practical experience and feasibility. You need to feel comfortable with it, without it becoming an obligation."
Both Oosthoek and Scholman would like to see improvements in how employees learn the required knowledge—for example, through instructional videos, practical tests and more visual materials.
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"An audit is not a burden but a valuable moment to show how we work and to analyse and evaluate it."
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This article was previously published on 17 November 2025 on the Stad + Groen website.
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