Friesland Campina innovates in future talents

Friesland Campina faces a major challenge: how can the company connect with a new generation of talent as the aging population approaches? With an outflow of experienced employees on the horizon, it is essential to anticipate the future.

Ron Veldhuizen, Global Operations Technology Director stresses the importance of broadening the target group for new employees. “We cannot sit still. There will simply be many colleagues retiring in the coming years, he says. “For that reason, we want to standardize processes and build bridges. We are creating a new layer of people who are more broadly employable and have mastered different areas of knowledge. In this way, we are building a structure that makes us stronger for the future.”

‘’Diversity makes a team stronger – be it gender, cultural background or age.’’ 

Working with international talent

Bert Nijbroek, Global OT Service Delivery Manager did not doubt for a moment the value of this approach, especially when working with Motopp. “You can see thresholds everywhere, but for us there just aren’t any. Three-quarters of our meetings are already in English, so the fact that Motoppers Chazel, Amir and Armin are not fluent in Dutch doesn’t matter,” says Bert.

Ron adds, “This is precisely why we partnered with Motopp. We wanted to go off the beaten path and discover new talents. Here at FrieslandCampina you see a mix of international colleagues. For us Motopp is not a temporary solution, but the cooperation can grow even further, especially for large-scale global projects.

Bert nods in agreement: “I see Motopp as an important partner that helps us with immediately deployable people. The great thing is that we have a year and a half to see if it really works before we make a final decision. That flexibility is worth its weight in gold.” Ron emphasizes that Motopp’s people often have that little bit extra. “They have overcome obstacles that others have never faced. These people have been through so much. Some of them have gone through deep valleys and have picked themselves up again and again.

‘’Motoppers are hungry for success, determined to prove themselves“ 

We are making great strides with Motopp

When you are forced to leave your homeland and start over in a new country, it brings a unique strength. It really is different from when your career is handed to you on a silver platter. Bert concludes with a smile, “We went into it with full conviction, not knowing exactly what to expect, but it feels like a good decision”. Ron is pleased with the progress. “Since April of this year, we have made good strides.

We’re not there yet, but thanks to Motopp we can move forward faster. Take the document management project that Chazel is working on, without this cooperation that project could never have started.” Of course, cooperation with Motopp also plays a social role – we have a social responsibility. In addition, it is also an economic necessity. It is more financially advantageous for us than using expensive consultants.” We need people, and we are looking broadly where we can find them.”

Ron adds enthusiastically: “That’s exactly why we started this partnership. We have to look outside the box for talent. At FrieslandCampina you see a diverse group of international professionals at work. That’s why I see Motopp as an important partner, especially for large, global projects where many people are working.”

Directly employable talent

Bert emphasizes the value of the cooperation: ”Motopp is the source of directly employable talent for us. Although we are still in the early stages of the project and the Motoppers have only been active for two to four months, the confidence is already there.”

Ron looks ahead to the collaboration with Motopp: “I think we can do much more within FrieslandCampina to promote Motopp internally. Now the concept has only been implemented within OT, but I think there are good opportunities to use it more widely, as ServiceNow is used throughout the organization. This offers significant growth potential.”

About FrieslandCampina

FrieslandCampina, one of the world’s largest dairy cooperatives, is known for its commitment to quality, sustainability and innovation. With more than 150 years of experience, the company brings high-quality dairy products to millions of consumers worldwide every day. Want to know more about FrieslandCampina? Visit their official website for the latest news and inspiration.