The two-day session of the Members’ Council of Royal FloraHolland on September 4 and 5, 2019 was characterized by the quality of the discussions with the Management Board and the Supervisory Board, and their role as sparring partner.
What are the most important issues that the Members' Council needs to consider with the Management Board? How will they reach the heart of the matter in discussions with the company? And what questions will they use to achieve that? The two-day session of the Members' Council on September 4 and 5, 2019 was characterized by the quality of the discussions with the Management Board and the Supervisory Board, and their role as sparring partner. They also entered into lengthy discussions with the Management Team and the Supervisory Board of Royal FloraHolland with regard to what is necessary to achieve a healthy cooperative and made their recommendations.
Becoming constructively involved
Member of the Members' Council, Lydia Klaver, explains: "During the two-day session, as members of the Members' Council we were able to learn from one another and raise the group to an equal level. This time, we addressed listening and asking questions. Why is that important? It is a waste of time for the Members' Council and the Management Board to spend time on things that aren't relevant at moments when we're sitting around the table together, which is why it is important to consider more carefully what we want to achieve from our conversations with the company and maintain our focus on the matters that are important to us. By practicing this, I already noticed the difference in the discussions with the Management Team straight away. Thanks to the right preparation, we were able to make the most out of our conversations and gain a high-level discussion partner." Chair of the Members' Council, Marcel van Tol, summarized it as follows: "If we want to have an influence on the cooperative, it is important that we are able to deliver added value. The basic principle behind becoming constructively involved at Royal FloraHolland is asking the right questions, because this will enable us to work together to enable the cooperative to progress in the right direction."
Recommendations made to the Management Board
In addition to working on development, plenty of time was scheduled for discussions with the Management Team and the Supervisory Board. Group discussions took place regarding progress on the themes of strategy and digitization, growers' services, logistics, and commerce and finance. They also made a number of recommendations to the Management Board. "The most important signal that we sent was that the dot on Royal FloraHolland's horizon needs to be clearer", explains Marcel van Tol. "Make the mission and vision concrete and alive. It's also important to consider the added value for buyers, to ensure their loyalty to the marketplace. We also want to be more involved in the development of the cooperative and the company. And how can we be a partner of the Management Board, as this will enable us to take turns in playing our role and involving and consulting you - the members - more effectively."
CEO Steven van Schilfgaarde: "I found the discussions during the two-day session to be worthwhile and of a high level. I am witnessing the Members' Council develop in its role. The recommendations made by the Members' Council are clear, and that's one challenge we will be tackling."
Source: Royal FloraHolland