We need a new, effective approach to tackle the complex challenges of today and tomorrow. At Heijmans, we are happy to take the lead on this front. We create strong networks and involve surprising new parties. We stand shoulder to shoulder with our clients in the creation of groundbreaking solutions. Together, we identify the dilemmas and put our heads together to determine how we can tackle them in an integrated manner. This is only possible if we enter into long-term relationships, with our clients of course, but also with suppliers and other partners. By joining forces, we can continue to learn from each other and take great strides forward together.
Alongside our clients
We want to position ourselves as a thought leader by proactively taking steps forward as a collaborative partner, with a keen eye for both current and future developments. This requires an integrated approach to a client's entire assignment, in which we actively contribute ideas and take joint responsibility so we can achieve the greatest possible progress as a team.
The strength of a strong client relationship lies in mutual trust and long-term cooperation. This helps to explain the continued growth of the share of revenue from recurring business in our portfolio. It is also clear evidence that we not only know our clients, but also truly understand them.
Types of contract
Our goal is to use our broad expertise – from infrastructure and energy to property development, construction and management – to make the greatest possible contribution to a sustainable future for the Netherlands. That is why we prefer to choose the type of contract that involves us being selected on the basis of our added value, so we can use our own expertise and that of our client to achieve a common goal. We immerse ourselves in the needs and challenges of our clients and regularly consult with them about these. We share our vision and insights and identify opportunities and possibilities. We value transparent forms of collaboration, for example in construction teams or with two-phase contracts and framework agreements. This enables us to realise sustainable and innovative solutions and by doing so provide our clients with maximum value. We also work in alliances on large-scale, complex and long-term projects. An example of this is the Gorinchem-Waardenburg (GoWa) dyke reinforcement project, in which Heijmans is working with two other parties and the Rivierenland Water Board in the Graaf Reinalda alliance. In this alliance, we share the risks and responsibilities, so our focus is on cooperation and the joint realisation of a safe 23-kilometre stretch of dyke. We are working closely together, combining our know-how and expertise to determine how we will develop, implement and manage this project. This way of working underlines our dedication to sustainable, innovative and integrated solutions that enable us provide our clients with maximum added value.
Client Advisory Council
In late 2022, we launched the Client Advisory Council as part of the Client and End-User Experience Works programme. This provides us with a structural platform for testing strategic initiatives and gaining better insight into what is going on in the market. The council is also a good way to strengthen our client relationships and explore new forms of collaboration. In 2024, the council met for three sessions, focusing on the themes of digitalisation, asset management and sustainability.
Client Service Excellence
Of course we are constantly looking for ways to further improve our client relationships. In the Working segment, we do this through our Client Service Excellence programme. In 2024, we started seven individual programmes aimed at improving client experiences and strengthening our position as a strategic partner.
Future-proof partnership for the supply of drinking water
Project case Vitens locations
In 2024, we entered into a four-year framework contract with drinking water company Vitens. As part of this collaboration, which can be extended for up to eight years, we are joining forces to realise sustainable and future-proof solutions for the drinking water supply in the Netherlands. In addition to reducing residual water flows, we will focus on reducing CO₂ emissions and protecting biodiversity based on the Nature ladder (Natuurladder). In multidisciplinary teams with experts from Heijmans, our cooperation partner, and our regular partners, we will share our knowledge and work together to increase efficiency, for example through standardisation and various types of modular construction.
Collaborating in the chain
We believe in the strength of long-term collaboration, which is why we work closely with regular partners and suppliers. By sharing knowledge and joining forces, we increase our contribution to a healthy living environment. This requires targeted guidance on content and collaboration, so we can take joint responsibility and manage risks more effectively. The result: predictable, successful projects with benefits such as greater efficiency, cost control and higher quality.
Co-makers
In the Living segment, we work with a number of regular partners, or so-called co-makers, for the production of the Heijmans Huismerk homes. We distinguish between preferred and selected suppliers for Heijmans Huismerk. In 2024, we expanded this approach to various disciplines in our residential building business. The advantages of this approach are: more flexibility, guaranteed quality, less dependence on market fluctuations and a greater focus on innovation and making the chain more sustainable. Long-term collaboration also offers our partners and suppliers a sense of security and is therefore a solid basis for the joint development of new solutions and the realisation of shared sustainability goals. A good example of this is the introduction of the more sustainable hollow concrete pile. This innovation was developed by one of our supply chain partners and was used for the first time in a Heijmans housing project last year. Following its proven success, this solution is now included in the standard catalogue of that same supplier.
The heart of democracy and a project with many stakeholders
Project case Binnenhof renovation
The large-scale renovation of the historic Dutch parliament complex, the Binnenhof, is one of the most complex construction projects in the country. So it is no surprise that close collaboration throughout the entire chain plays a crucial role in this project. Heijmans is responsible for the renovation of the Senate and the Council of State buildings. This means that we facilitate and coordinate the collaboration between the contractors involved and the Central Government Real Estate Agency (RVB). Together with these parties, in 2024 we signed the PACT800, a document that sets out joint agreements on safety, logistics, building site organisation and environmental management. We are working with a strategic steering group, task force groups and a shared BIM building site model to tackle the logistical challenges in the busy city centre of The Hague as efficiently as possible. The result is a safe, transparent and well-organised working environment.
Heijmans invests in biodiversity with partner Forestry Commission Staatsbosbeheer
Project case Dutch Forestry Commission
At Heijmans, we share the mission of the Dutch Forestry Commission (Staatsbosbeheer) to build a green and healthy living environment in the Netherlands. That is why we expanded our collaboration last year, adding new initiatives in the field of sustainable construction and the promotion of biodiversity. As part of this intensified collaboration, we announced that we will increase our use of so-called OSB board material, which is produced using FSC®-certified wood from Dutch forests. As a next step, we launched the first ‘Heijmans forest’ in Venray, where we have planted 16,000 trees.
We have resolved to plant a forest of 16,000 trees every year until at least 2030. We use the timber from these trees for our timber-framed houses. And not unimportantly, the newly planted forests can absorb two million kilos of CO₂ every year. In 2024, we also became the main sponsor of National Tree Day. We are delighted to be associated with this initiative to involve young and old in the natural world and biodiversity in an educational way.
Innovative ecosystem
We are very aware that we will not be able to realise our ambitious strategic goals alone. This is why we are building an innovative ecosystem that involves research institutes, start-ups, co-makers and specialised suppliers. These partners will help us find solutions to a wide range of issues – from digitalisation to circular construction – and achieve major breakthroughs for a variety of complex social issues. Strategic partnerships with organisations such as the Deltares Institute for Applied Research, the Naturalis Biodiversity Centre and the Dutch Society for the Protection of Birds provide us with valuable insights and interesting applications. For example, in 2024 we teamed up with the Deltares research institute and Avans University of Applied Sciences to conduct research into the biodegradation of microplastics from tyre abrasion on motorway verges. Last year, we also joined forces with the Dutch Society for the Protection of Birds to monitor nature-inclusive measures, including the recording of bird sounds.
In 2024, we refined our approach to the creation of an innovative ecosystem, which included deepening our collaboration with research institutes. For example, we started a project with Wageningen University & Research (WUR) aimed at applying defined principles to improve soil health. We entered into a partnership with Utrecht University to measure social cohesion in the Maanwijk neighbourhood of Leusden using qualitative research. Another example is our collaboration with Sterk Technical Education in the Haaglanden region, the Den Haag engineering consultancy and the Veurs Lyceum school. Last year, we collaborated on the development of a ready-to-use teaching package for preparatory vocational education (VMBO) schools that gives students the chance to redesign a street and learn about infrastructure and technology. We also strengthened our partnerships with valuable initiatives such as the Delta Plan for Biodiversity Recovery and the WaterBank. In addition, we evaluated various start-ups from around the world that could help us achieve our goals, for example in the continued automation of design processes. All these partnerships contribute to our innovative potential and therefore to the realisation of a healthier, more sustainable living environment.
