Practical and innovative people management
Our people management practices will support the company's core values, including the attainment of near time results through capacity building and long-term strategic results through the creation of an innovative mindset.
Leadership and diversity
One of our most important challenges for the future will be to attract, retain and energize retail talent. In order to continue to improve the way we leverage the talent in our organization and our knowledge base across both continents, and meet the challenges of a changing industry, we are putting a focus on leadership and diversity across Ahold.
We are working to build a strong team of leaders, who share a common understanding of the business and a leadership style aligned with Ahold's core values. In 2007, we improved our performance management and talent management processes to help build the talent pools for the future. We are also providing formal opportunities for management across Ahold to interact, get to know each other better and learn to value the diversity of culture, knowledge and thought across our company. As the markets we serve become increasingly diverse, fostering an open attitude to differing perspectives will strengthen our business.
Talent and knowledge exchange
We seek business-driven opportunities to exchange employees in and across our operations and Corporate Center. This supports the exchange of business knowledge and builds a pipeline of candidates with international experience suitable to fill top executive positions over the long term. For example, we look for opportunities to bring people from our Corporate Center to the operating companies on temporary assignments to work on projects in their functional areas.
We have made knowledge sharing an integral part of how we do business. In addition, we have several formal programs in place that bring people together from all over the business.
At the executive level, top managment from around the company meets twice each year for a two-day Global Leadership Conference. Our 2007 conference focused on aligning executive management towards our strategic challenges, and the implementation of Ahold's strategy for sustainable profitable growth.
The Ahold Retail Academy provides a group of approximately 30 talented director-level employees the opportunity to come together with peers from around Ahold for an intensive oneweek course of study, in cooperation with Cornell University in the United States. The program's aim is to increase understanding of the strategic issues and industry trends facing Ahold and promote knowledge sharing.
The Ahold Management Program is designed, in cooperation with Nyenrode Business University, to prepare Dutch Ahold employees in the early managerial phase for the next steps in their careers. The focus is on developing personal leadership and broadening retail knowledge, in four three-day modules that use a variety of working methods including business simulations, project assignment, intervision and coaching. The Gerrit-Jan Heijn fellowship provides an annual exchange opportunity for employees at the store and distribution center management level.
Local diversity programs
Ahold strives to have a workforce that reflects the customers and communities we serve. In 2007, Albert Heijn was named the best multicultural employer in the Netherlands. Our companies also actively participate in local diversity initiatives.
Ahold strives to have a workforce that reflects the customers and communities we serve.
Giant-Carlisle Diversity Representative Deborah Vereen, received a Woman of Excellence Award from the YWCA of Greater Harrisburg in March of 2007 for her leadership in supporting inclusion in the workplace and ensuring that Giant is engaged with its diverse customer base.