12 Feb 2010 --- FrieslandCampina’s new Central Office on the Stationsplein in Amersfoort (the Netherlands) is now officially up and running. Approximately 700 employees are based there, and in 2011 they’ll be joined by over 300 more. On 9 February, staff handed out samples of FrieslandCampina dairy products (Mona, Milner, Chocomel, Optimel, Vifit, Appelsientje) to passers-by in and around the Stationsplein to raise public awareness of the headquarters.

The Central Office is designed to be the inspiring and dynamic hub of FrieslandCampina’s international activities: one in which teamwork is key. So far, the Cheese & Butter business group, the Corporate Centre and part of the Consumer Products International (CPI) and Ingredients business groups have made it their home. In 2011, they’ll be joined by over 300 employees from the Consumer Products Europe (CPE) and Ingredients business groups. The staff who are now based in Amersfoort have relocated from 13 offices throughout the Netherlands.

Working method and layout tie in with FrieslandCampina’s goals

The move to the Central Office marks a new phase for FrieslandCampina. This shared space will enable colleagues to work together to achieve an optimum exchange of knowledge and to further develop the company.

The new Central Office symbolises the way in which FrieslandCampina employees want to work together: in an open and transparent way with scope for discussion and in a spirit of mutual yet respectful challenge. This calls for a working method and organisational layout that ties in with our goal to further develop FrieslandCampina as a dairy multinational. Together, we are all responsible for creating the right corporate culture and working atmosphere. We will do so through a new way of working, based on three pillars:

Embrace Challenge – FrieslandCampina faces enormous challenges. But we won’t be steering clear of them: quite the opposite! Only by meeting these challenges can we pave the way towards greater innovation and sustainability.

Grow Together – We can be justly proud of our new dairy multinational. On the other hand, it’s only by working together and helping each other that we can continue to grow. We’ll be doing so literally, by organising ourselves into teams.

Feel Accountable – The result we’re aiming for will be central to our operations. At the same time, we’ll also be fostering in-house talent. The way our new Central Office is designed and organised will encourage this.