Healthy and engaged staff

'When we exercise, we stimulate and motivate each other'

'In the spring of 2019, a small club of sports enthusiasts started the Vreugdenhil Bootcamp Club. Weekly, after working hours, we train with a group of colleagues led by a professional trainer outside in the car park. After an internal call in our organisation, more and more colleagues joined. Participation is easy and possible for everyone: your exercise at your own pace. Colleagues from our other sites, who regularly work at our office in Nijkerk, are also enthusiastic and regularly take part in our bootcamps. We stimulate and motivate each other and, moreover, exercising together is fun. You also get to know a different side of your colleagues, which deepens the relationships. You notice that you have different conversations while exercising, which has a positive effect on the working relationship. Colleagues you did not speak much to before now contact you more easily. Another benefit: after a long, busy day at work, sometimes your head is brimming over with information. That is a perfect time to hit the gym. After an hour of bootcamp, you have cleared your head and feel a lot fitter and more energetic. Being together, exercising in the open air, encouraging each other: it instils a certain sense of togetherness and it works!' 

The Vreugdenhil Bootcamp Club is one of the sports activities within the organisation. In addition to bootcamp, employees also regularly see each other at running events, cycling and speed cycling tours, and motorcycle tours.

Vreugdenhil wants to be a place where people enjoy working in good health, helping to create a successful company. In 2019, we introduced a number of programmes to promote the vitality and health of our staff. 

Through GoodHabitz, all employees were given access to online training on professionalisation, health and personal development. The BRAVO programme was also rolled out at every site. BRAVO stands for Bewegen (Exercise), Roken (Smoking), Alcohol, Voeding (Nutrition) and Ontspanning (Relaxation). Various activities have been organised at various sites, such as training courses on undesirable behaviour, a boot camp in Nijkerk and lunch walks to get to know new colleagues in an informal way. In combination with the Stop Smoking programmes, there is a general smoking ban at all Vreugdenhil sites. In 2019, we also introduced leadership training to strengthen personal leadership. In the past year, 20 employees participated. The collaboration with GoodHabitz ended in late 2019; the other activities were continued. 

In 2019, we updated our code of conduct following the SMETA audit. As we find it important that our employees learn these rules of conduct, additional attention will be paid to this in the future, for example in the form of an interactive training course or workshop. SpeakUp functionality has also been added to our website so that individuals, anonymously if they wish, can report matters that may be regarded as undesirable or potentially suspicious. 

In 2020, we will examine how we can offer more specific training via a digital training platform – for example, about personal safety, food safety, dairy processes or behaviour. We are introducing a Sustainable Employability Budget for employees covered by the Dairy Collective Agreement. Staff can use the Tip-Track tool to test their sustainable employability and they can use their personal budget to purchase interventions. With this we want to stimulate awareness and personal responsibility. Closer attention is also being paid to on-boarding new colleagues, in-house emergency response and general knowledge of dairy.

Great Place To Work: Vreugdenhil Dairy Foods

Quality and safety are priorities at Vreugdenhil Dairy Foods. It is important to us that all employees are able to do their work in good health. This prompted the decision to make our factories and offices smoke-free.

Johannes Vogelzang, all-round operator, Gorinchem

'I decided overnight to quit smoking'

'Smoking is an addiction I sustained for 47 years. Bearing Vreugdenhil's anti-smoking measures in mind, I decided to stop overnight. Cold turkey's what they call it. Without aids, just on your own. Fair is fair: sometimes I miss it. However crazy it may sound, smoking is a sociable thing and a ritual. That sometimes felt uncomfortable in the beginning when I had quit. I think a major advantage of quitting is that it saves time. Time that I now put into exercise. Since I quit smoking, I've gained a few pounds. I always cycled to work, which I still do. In addition, I have purchased an exercise bicycle for even extra mileage. That is going well. I feel fitter than ever. Quitting smoking requires perseverance, and yes, that can be difficult. But if you want to stop, you just have to go for it. My perseverance has been absolutely worth it to me.'

Diran Knopper, planner Milk Supply, Nijkerk

'An important event has a positive effect on kicking habits'

'An important event in your life has a positive effect on kicking habits. I joined Vreugdenhil Dairy Foods in February 2019. A new job at a fine, smoke-free company. I'd smoked since I was sixteen and I tried to quit several times in recent years. These attempts failed: each time I started smoking again after a few months. My new job at a smoke-free Vreugdenhil gave me a push to quit for good. On my own, without aids, I changed tack. And I did it! The habit of lighting a cigarette made way for running. Step by step I built up my fitness and started enjoying running. Those well-known endorphins that are released during running and make you feel happy: they also took possession of me. Running helps me relax and clear my head. Now I exercise regularly and I feel fitter than ever before.'

Vreugdenhil Dairy Foods has been smoke-free since 1 May 2019. The company offers employees help with a vitality coach at each site. Employees can also enrol on 'quit smoking' programmes.

Safety is top priority for Vreugdenhil. At all sites, we make all employees aware of the importance of safety on a daily basis. We also devote a great deal of attention to this via the internal communication channels. In addition, we continuously examine on the shop floor whether and how safer machines can be used and we hold evacuation drills. We provide training and hand out toolboxes to emphasise safe working. In order to increase awareness of safety among staff, management enters into discussions with employees about safety in the workplace. 

Our objective is that the management systems for health and safety in the workplace at all Vreugdenhil sites are certified in accordance with the international ISO 45001 standard. In 2019, we started preparations for this certification at our sites in Scharsterbrug and Nijkerk. The first audits of these sites will be conducted in 2020. In 2020, we will also start preparations for ISO 45001 certification at the Gorinchem and Barneveld sites, so that they can be certified in 2021.

SMETA audit

Quality and safety are very important to Vreugdenhil. At least equally important is how we achieve this safety and quality. Put differently: how does Vreugdenhil deal with working conditions, environmental issues and business integrity? These components are tested in the SMETA audit. This internationally recognised, independent test was held at Vreugdenhil in 2019. It is important and instructive, and for Vreugdenhil's stakeholders it is proof of our commitment to these ethical aspects.

Ellen de Rooij-de Vries, Manager QESH (Quality, Environment, Safety and Health) supervised the SMETA audit that was conducted last year at our production site in Scharsterbrug. During the audit, several colleagues were questioned about the working and environmental conditions in the factory. 'There was a lot of praise for the implementation of the norms and values and the way in which they contribute positively to our corporate culture. Employees are satisfied, feel appreciated and interact with each other is open. Moreover, we have shown concrete improvement plans that further increase safety and hygiene within our factory. We have also shown that respect for our norms and values is paramount. For example, by making clear arrangements with third parties and checking that the arrangements made are actually complied with. We have set up a management system for working conditions and people can report undesirable situations via our website. A good example of cooperation is that the most important results and points for improvement of the audit were shared with our colleagues at the Gorinchem factory. We also exchanged knowledge about the action and improvement plans,' says Ellen. The SMETA audit is conducted every three years by an external party that focuses on inspection, control, analysis and certification. The Vreugdenhil sites are certified for the next three years.

Vreugdenhil's activities span the entire production chain. For the purchase of dairy products, non-dairy products and the sale of our products, we comply with various conditions. We do this, for example, by way of our supplier code. This code helps us implement our business principles by setting standards for corporate social responsibility and integrity. The Vreugdenhil Dairy Foods Code of Conduct describes what we consider important in terms of good behaviour, with the law and our norms and values serving as our guiding principle.

Sickness absence increased last year compared to 2018, from 4.6% to 5.6%. This increase can be explained by the relatively high sickness absence in Gorinchem in the past year as a result of long-term illness among staff due to mostly non-work-related causes. At the Scharsterbrug and Nijkerk sites, the target for sickness absence below 4.0% has already been achieved this year. In order to pay more attention to sickness absence, a sickness absence training course will be organised for managers. In 2020, we will also introduce tooling to improve the registration and monitoring of sickness absence. 

The number of lost-time accidents fell from 16 in 2018 to 14 in 2019. This important KPI and the number of days without accidents is shared on a daily basis at each site via the available screens. In order to further reduce the number of accidents, we are actively focusing on prevention. We do this by providing information, stimulating the reporting of dangerous situations, giving behavioural training and sharing images of hazardous situations. The target for 2022 remains unchanged at 0 accidents involving absence from work.