Employee development

We are committed to investing in the professional and personal development of our employees. Through regular discussions and individual development plans, we actively support them in defining and achieving their career goals. Our aim is to provide employees with the necessary resources and guidance, enabling them to reach their full potential within our organisation.

Why is this important to us?

We have ambitious growth objectives at both the national and international levels, operating within a complex and dynamic environment. Key challenges include labour market constraints, talent retention, intergenerational diversity, and rapid technological advancements.

To address these challenges, we prioritise attracting, retaining, and engaging employees who can develop and evolve alongside our organisation.

What are the risks and opportunities?

Impacts and risks

• Labour market shortages may have a negative impact, making it more challenging to fill vacancies. This can lead to an increased workload for existing employees, potentially resulting in reduced job satisfaction.

• Staff turnover can lead to the loss of valuable knowledge and experience, which may hinder Royal A-ware’s growth and ongoing development.

• Rapid technological advancements require continuous adaptation and innovation to remain competitive.

Opportunities

• By fostering a positive work environment and providing opportunities for career advancement, we enhance employee retention, preserving their valuable knowledge, skills, and experience within the organisation.

• Favourable working conditions contribute to increased motivation and overall well-being among employees.

• Our talent development strategy, including the implementation of learning initiatives, positively impacts the growth and professional development of our employees. This approach not only attracts new talent but also ensures that current employees remain motivated and engaged with the organisation.

• By investing in employee development, we cultivate a culture of appreciation and recognition, with a strong emphasis on safety in the workplace.

Approach and policy

Royal A-ware is committed to attracting, retaining, and engaging employees who can grow alongside the organisation. To achieve this, we strive to be a highly attractive employer by differentiating ourselves from competitors, investing in employee development, and fostering a culture of appreciation and recognition.

A key element in this strategy is strong leadership at all levels of the organisation. Managers play a crucial role not only in inspiring, guiding, and supporting employees in their professional growth but also in setting strategic direction and driving results.

Through this approach, we position ourselves as an employer of choice, enhancing our competitiveness in the labour market. This, in turn, establishes a solid foundation for achieving our long-term growth objectives.

This policy applies to all employees and has been formally approved by management.

FIT-conversations

To support our employees in reaching their full potential, we conduct FIT-conversations. In Dutch, FIT stands for Functioning, Employability, and Future. During these interviews, managers and employees engage in structured discussions on performance, personal and professional development, employability, and workload. This process also serves to identify training needs.

By asking the right questions, both parties gain insight into what is working well and what areas can be improved. The employee and manager then take concrete actions to fulfill the agreements made during the discussion, ensuring that everyone contributes to the organisation’s success. FIT-conversations are conducted annually.

The HR Director is responsible for overseeing the implementation of these interviews and ensuring they are periodically evaluated for effectiveness. In practice, these conversation take place between the supervisor and the employee, with the potential involvement of an HR officer for additional support.

For our transport operations, we are introducing annual work meetings starting in 2025. The HR manager and Divisional Director of AB Texel are leading this initiative, in consultation with the Works Council.

Objectives and achievements

Royal A-ware has set the objective that a FIT-conversation will be held annually with all employees (100%), including discussions on development goals. Preparations for this have been made in the past period. From 2025 onwards, we will start reporting on this.

Measures and actions: how we achieve our goals

This chapter has outlined the risks, dependencies and opportunities around employee development. The measures below aim to mitigate material risks and dependencies and monitor their effectiveness. Measures have also been included that will allow material opportunities for the company to be exploited.

Our actions in 2024

Dairy operations

• From January 2025, we will support personal growth and team development with a revamped HR platform: A-Talent. In it, HR processes such as the FIT-conversation, the Check-in and the POP interview are digitalised and brought together in one place. In 2024, A-Talent was developed and announced.

• The HR Guide for Executives details instructions on how executives conduct efficient FIT-conversations. Where necessary, HR business partners support managers in preparing and conducting these conversations. In addition, a format is available in which an employee and supervisor jointly make a record of the FIT-conversations.

• We are working on a cycle where all employees get a FIT-conversation.

• We offer online training courses through GoodHabitz.

• There are group-wide programmes for trainees (specialists and future managers).

• Mandatory training takes place in areas such as food safety. These will be provided by team QSHE.

• The staff magazine i-Ware highlights the importance and added value of FIT-conversations.

• With the A-ware Academy, we invest in the development of our employees, both professionally and personally. A-ware Academy develops and organises training courses and provides advice on training issues and is accessible to every employee.

Transport operations

• In 2024, a proposal was presented to move towards a form of work consultation between employer and employee by 2025, similar to the FIT-conversations.

• We developed the Move on Academy in 2023. Drivers can follow mandatory and voluntary sections tailored to different types of transport - from dairy to feed - and to different types of trailers via a menu. These customised training courses teach drivers exactly what they need. Both online and on-site. Every employee has a training budget.

• Each driver receives one or more driving style coaching sessions during which he or she is coached on sustainable driving behaviour.

HR departments implement these policies and have the financial resources to do so. 

How do we involve our employees?

The Royal A-ware management sets the targets proposed by the Sustainability Steering Group. The Works Council is informed about progress towards achieving the targets. Also, the Works Council can suggest any insights or improvements. Other employees can read about progress in our sustainability report. All employees can communicate insights or improvements to Royal A-ware through various channels, e.g. via their supervisor or Works Council members.

Other information