Our roots
Family owned and mission driven for six generations.
Family owned and mission driven for six generations.
Since 1995, Porticus has coordinated the philanthropic endeavours founded by the Brenninkmeijer family, continuing a tradition of social engagement stretching back as far as 1841.
Founded by the Brenninkmeijer family business owners, we build on six generations of entrepreneurship and philanthropy and work alongside a wider network of philanthropic organisations.
A force for good.
Clemens and August Brenninkmeijer were textile merchants who covered great distances on foot, going back and forth between Mettingen in Germany and Sneek in the Netherlands. In 1841, they opened their first C&A store in Sneek.
Inspired by their Catholic faith, they nurtured a spirit of brotherhood, partnership, and dialogue, actively partaking in and contributing to the communities in which they lived and worked. Their ledger shows that they gave a share to local communities from their first profits.
Global challenges require coordinated efforts.
By the beginning of the 1960s, the family owners felt their efforts should meet the standards of the steadily growing and globalising charitable sector. In 1963, they appointed a full-time co-ordinator in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Like the C&A business, the charitable foundations were still organised nationally. The boards of these entities, on which members of the family were always represented, started to meet regularly to exchange knowledge and experience. They invited experts to discuss key societal needs and opportunities for action. A broader strategy emerged.
From local charity to global philanthropy.
In 1995, regional charitable activities were brought together and Porticus was born. Named to represent an open gateway to a brighter future, it became the global adviser to the charitable funds the family members had established decades earlier.
Since then, the professionalisation of both the organisation and the charitable sector has picked up speed. Today, over 150 Porticus colleagues work out of 14 locations worldwide with partners in over 100 countries. This effort is united by a strong culture based on humility, personal relationships, and a deep respect for the people we work with. Porticus is still a personal philanthropic organisation to the family business owners, reflecting their commitment as stewards for future generations.
