Developing insight
Our approach to managing and developing people is based on our company-wide and operating companies core values. These are the principles we all share. Our values express our commitment to the customer and to creating a work environment where people who share a passion for the food business are able to grow and develop, and find ever better ways of serving the people who shop in our stores. They highlight the importance of principles such as open communication, working as a team and acting with integrity.
Though many of our human resource policies are set at a local level, our core values guide the overall approach, decisionmaking processes, and the way we handle challenges - across Ahold.
As food retailers, all of our companies face certain challenges. We operate in a labor-intensive, low-margin business, where controlling labor costs is crucial to being competitive. These characteristics make it even more important for us to provide an attractive working experience, to attract and retain great people who will serve our customers well.
At the same time, our businesses operate in different countries and labor markets, all of which have their own attributes and challenges, and different legal and tax structures. Local knowledge plays a significant role in developing our Human Resources objectives.
Our ultimate responsibility is to the customers in our stores. We therefore strive to attract, retain, develop and motivate the best people at all levels.
Each of our operating companies has local programs in place to train, develop and motivate employees, promote employee health and well-being, and to encourage them to actively engage with our communities. They are committed to consistent and open communications with employees, through intranets and newsletters, two-way dialogue, and opportunities to interact with management.
Employee information
| Average number of employees in full-time equivalents1 | 2007 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|
| Stop & Shop/Giant-Landover | 58,275 | 60,313 |
| Giant-Carlisle | 15,578 | 14,750 |
| Albert Heijn | 23,437 | 22,076 |
| Albert/Hypernova2 | 14,272 | 15,023 |
| Schuitema | 5,022 | 4,975 |
| Corporate Center | 483 | 590 |
| Discontinued operations | 24,813 | 46,148 |
| Ahold Group | 141,880 | 163,875 |
| Ahold Group total employee benefit expenses (EUR millions) 3 | 3,742 | 3,870 |
- Consolidated, excluding joint ventures and associates, including discontinued operations
- Including our operations in Slovakia
- Source: Annual Report 2007. Excluding discontinued operations.