In 2018, we developed a new strategy for Heijmans. At that time, we felt a strong need to put more emphasis on the added value of our three business areas. Infra, Building & Technology and Property Development all had lots of different ideas and initiatives, but we needed to focus more on the connection between them. When we were developing the new strategy, our aim was to bring together the mission, vision and core values of our three business areas under a single heading. We looked closely at the synergies between our activities and looked for what they shared. The outcome was a refined mission statement: we are creators of the healthy living environment.
That mission still stands today. This is partly thanks to the solid foundation on which Heijmans is built. The core of our success is the acquisition and successful execution of high-quality construction and infrastructure projects and a strong property development business. Moreover, we have a predictable profile based on a healthy balance between risk acceptance and earning potential. We guard this foundation robustly through sound risk management. In recent years, we have firmly embedded this in our operations.
We are surrounded by a multitude of complex, societal issues. Society and the market demand long-term solutions. At Heijmans, we can only offer those really effectively if we carefully combine the knowledge, strengths and skills of our business areas. For example, an issue is not just about building houses or laying a road. It is about living in a nice neighbourhood where everyone feels at home and safe. Or about a road that gets you from A to B quickly and safely, that contributes to reducing CO₂ emissions and takes nature and biodiversity into account. That is why we look at things in their context and full complexity, then translate this into pragmatic solutions. In everything we do, we put end users first. We have opportunities, such as in assignments where clients explicitly ask for a high-quality, creative approach. We see that these aspects are increasingly rewarded and that our extra effort in this area is paying off.
Bold statements and risk appetite
When formulating our strategic plans for the period 2018 - 2023, we deliberately chose to take an integrated view. Using that approach, we wanted to have a positive impact and bring focus and acceleration. Three strategic anchor points determined our direction: Better, Smarter, More sustainable. We expressed our ambition by linking so-called ‘bold statements’ to the anchor points. These statements range from absolute safety in the workplace to the most attractive employer in the sector. From an emphasis on conceptual construction with standardised processes and products to the full exploitation of digital possibilities in the physical construction process.
There can be no half measures in the pursuit of our ambitions. What is more, lessons from the past have changed our attitude to risk. When assessing new projects, we dare to say ‘no’ if we see unacceptable risks. We say ‘yes’ if there is a balance between risk acceptance and earning potential, and we see opportunities to take responsibility. In doing so, we communicate transparently about our risk appetite. This attitude helps keep us healthy as a company.
Long term
In pushing our strategic boundaries, we focus on sustainable long-term value creation. This is in line with our aim to remain involved in projects well into the usage phase, so we can add the most value. We want to be relevant and continue to differentiate ourselves in the market as a professional, inventive and reliable partner and employer. Recurring revenue from long-term customer relationships also makes us attractive to investors. We achieve this by working integrally on our strategic ambitions while sticking to our core values. We are and will remain result-focused, we take ownership and attach great importance to collaboration. We are proud of our yellow heart, which is characterised by passion for our profession combined with common sense. That commitment is typical of Heijmans and keeps our vision alive: end users are our main priority. It was so, it is so, and it will remain so. We are creators of the healthy living environment.
When we formulated our bold statements in 2018, we knew it would be challenging to realise them in full. That did not stop us from publicly naming them. After all, we had set ourselves the goal of generating the maximum amount of change on the bold statements and thus to be a driver within our industry. We set up indicators to monitor our progress and gather evidence. We accurately track these via dashboards and reports. We have made progress on all of our bold statements and got things moving. We are proud that we have actually achieved 69% of our ambitions.
Looking ahead to 2030
We believe it is important that we are constantly learning, evaluating and making any required adjustments on the way to our goals. What matters most is that we keep moving forward. This is how we will achieve even more tangible results. Even more practical solutions for living, working and connecting. With a focus on safety and sustainability, on smart digital services and products, and on innovative ways of working. We can achieve more by leveraging the full cohesion of our business activities. We are continuing to hone choices made earlier and we are pushing for new choices where necessary.
Our goals from 2018 are still almost entirely intact. However, we have decided to reassess our strategy for the period to 2030 on a number of points and create a new outlook with adjusted ambitions and goals. We worked on this with colleagues and partners in 2023. The many and rapid changes in the world around us call for a sharpening of our ambitions and an updating of the related indicators. Above all, as a robust and agile company, we will continue to work towards a healthy and sustainable environment. We cannot and will not do otherwise.