Small businesses are considered friendly workplaces with a family atmosphere. As they grow, maintaining a culture of close relationships can be challenging, although many organizations strive to preserve it. 4 Starlings (4 Szpaki in Polish)—the first company in the NESsT Violet Fund portfolio—believes that inclusivity is the key to maintaining an authentic and close-knit culture in the face of rapid growth.
CSR and ESG are not new concepts, but recently companies have begun to recognize their potential as a strategic approach to doing business. For these companies, it is a process of unlearning and relearning how business can be combined with a positive social or environmental impact.
Photo: Inside the 4 Starlings store
There is also a small group of companies that, from their very inception, have sought to change the world for the better—this is their mission and starting point. One such company is 4 Starlings in Białystok, Poland. This first company in the Violet Fund portfolio proved its sensitivity to both environmental and social issues long before it began working with NESsT.
”We create cosmetics that are friendly to people, animals, and the planet—well-thought-out in composition, effective in action, versatile, and mostly vegan. Their formulas are based on natural ingredients, often of local origin, and their minimalist recipes support daily care without unnecessary compromises. But Szpaki is also about social engagement – we have been supporting charitable activities for years, educating, acting in an environmentally friendly manner, and actively participating in nature conservation initiatives. Our original Fair Friday project shifts the focus from consumption to helping those in need, and the profits from our Bird Calendar support the protection of native species. We collect packaging, provide refill stations, and are constantly working to ensure that our production remains in line with the zero waste concept.” — 4 Starlings
4 Starlings: A Business Rooted in Family
Photo (from L to R): Tomek and Magda Kudaszewicz (founders), Grzegorz Sienkiewicz (co-owner and managing director)
The family nature of the company is embedded in its very name, which refers to the founders' family—a married couple and their two sons. Over a decade ago, unable to find soap on the market with the right ingredients for their child's needs, they began making their own natural soaps, creams, and scrubs from ingredients they had sourced themselves, without the addition of preservatives or unnecessary chemicals. Their concern for the health of their loved ones was combined with their concern for the natural environment. From the very beginning, the company strived to be a friendly family business—the founders' long-time friend became their business partner, and they themselves were responsible for a significant part of the production.
“Our goal is not only to grow the company—it is to raise awareness. We believe that business can be a source of change—as long as it remains consistent and courageous in its actions.”
Thanks to hard work, dedication, and sound business decisions, a family soap factory selling handmade cosmetics online now has its own brick-and-mortar stores, including some outside its home town of Białystok. And the team has grown from a handful of people to several dozen.
"We want to create a brand that grows without losing its soul. One that not only sells products but also changes lifestyles—helping people move away from blind consumption and focus on what is real: experience, quality, simplicity," says Grzegorz Sienkiewicz, President of 4 Starlings.
4 Starlings Joins the NESsT Violet Fund
4 Starlings’ website states: “4 Starlings is a brand with ambition. It wants to make good cosmetics. It wants to operate responsibly. And it wants to be close to people.” Joining the NESsT Violet Fund confirms this ambition. 4 Starlings became the first company in Poland to take advantage of loan financing and mentoring under this project.
The NESsT Violet Fund offers loan financing to small and medium-sized businesses, non-governmental organizations, and social enterprises that create friendly workplaces for underrepresented groups. Importantly, the fund does not offer grants, but rather loans and debt instruments. It is aimed at entities that show growth potential and have a clearly defined development strategy. All companies applying to the Violet Fund undergo a detailed due diligence process. The NESsT team audits the company, assessing not only its financial condition, but also its social and environmental impact, management style, and growth potential.
“We want to grow in Poland and abroad, but—importantly—in a way that deepens our values rather than diluting them. We are counting on space for reflection, but also on specific tools that will help us build a scalable company that remains true to its roots. We want to combine our experience with the knowledge of those who have followed a similar path, combining craftsmanship with business scale. We need tools to measure impact that go beyond standard KPIs, but also tools that will allow us to manage a growing organization. We dream of a dialogue about growth: not rapid, but sustainable,” the 4 Starlings team explained when joining the NESsT Violet Fund.
Mentoring in the NESsT Violet Fund
NESsT’s support also includes assistance in developing methods for measuring an organization’s impact on society and the environment. Another key element is the development of a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) action plan for people from underrepresented groups. This enables companies to effectively monitor their progress in the area of inclusivity.
4 Starlings’ action plan focuses on building an inclusive organizational culture through a series of dedicated training courses and workshops covering various areas of the organization. The HR department, management board, and executives participate in training on inclusive leadership and the creation and implementation of anti-discrimination policies, which forms the foundation for further action. At the same time, the company will develop the competencies of its marketing and HR teams in the area of inclusive recruitment and raising awareness of diversity. The plan also includes a review and development of employee benefits from a DEI perspective, with the aim of ensuring equal access to benefits and building a sense of belonging. All of these activities are part of the company's long-term strategy to create an open, fair, and diversity-supportive work environment.
“On the one hand, our cooperation with NESsT provides us with financial support in achieving our business goals and entering new ones – creating a business line based on a holistic experience, i.e., the unique spa we are currently developing. On the other hand, it is a joint journey towards building a more inclusive and mindful workplace – by raising awareness and creating conditions in our company for people from various groups that are often marginalized in the labor market. Our goal is for every person, regardless of their origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or religion, to be able to thrive in our company.”
Grzegorz Sienkiewicz
“Small and medium-sized enterprises, especially family-owned ones, are not only the backbone of the Polish economy—accounting for nearly half of GDP and employing over 60% of the private sector workforce—but also a space where diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) can truly change the lives of people and local communities.
“Due to their scale and relational nature, SMEs and social enterprises are often the first place of employment for people who have experienced social or professional exclusion. A conscious company that understands the value of diversity not only attracts more committed employees, but also creates a culture where everyone can be themselves and develop their potential. This translates into greater loyalty, lower turnover, and a better atmosphere within the team.
“What’s more, this approach has a broader impact—it strengthens local ties, stimulates social activity, and supports local suppliers. Today, in the face of increasingly frequent crises—social, climatic, economic—it is companies rooted in values and supporting diverse teams that prove to be more resilient, flexible, and ready for change. The greater the awareness of DEI among SME leaders, the stronger not only their companies become, but also the communities in which they operate," explains Nadia Belkessam-Felska, NESsT Violet Fund Portfolio Manager.
“As a fund, we were fortunate that our first client was 4 Starlings, a company that has been sensitive to environmental and social issues from the very beginning. We are convinced that there are more examples of dynamically developing family businesses throughout Poland which, as they grow, want not only to continue their activities for their local communities, but also to build processes that will allow absolutely every employee to continue to feel good in such a workplace. We invite such companies to join us because we believe that what we offer, namely a combination of an external perspective on their HR challenges and patient capital, is an element necessary to achieve lasting and sustainable growth for years to come.”
4 Starlings Team
Learn more about the NESsT Violet Fund and apply for loan financing by 18 November 2025.