Highest PSO certification for VolkerWessels Inclusive

VolkerWessels Inclusive is there for people who need some extra support to get into work. This support can consist of, for example, training or job coaching. Candidates are employed by VolkerWessels Inclusief and learn the substantive aspects of a profession at one of the 130 VolkerWessels companies. The goal is that they can eventually continue to work at that company, and that works out very well.

Not just numbers

The PSO (Prestatieladder Socialer Ondernemen) was developed to recognize employers who structurally help people from vulnerable groups find work and keep them there.The PSO label has various performance levels, with PSO 30+ being the highest attainable. Annette Pasveer: “For this certificate, employers must demonstrate over a longer period that they make a substantial contribution to social entrepreneurship. At least 30 percent of the workforce must consist of people from vulnerable groups. But besides those kinds of figures, the audits also look explicitly at the way in which the employer supervises people and makes them feel at home.In this context, there were also interviews with one of the job coaches and with the participants. They indicated to be very satisfied with the guidance from VolkerWessels Inclusive.” 

Good example

Jan Theo Hoefakker is enthusiastic about the fact that VolkerWessels has created an expertise center specifically for this purpose in the form of VolkerWessels Inclusive. “It is good that people from vulnerable groups start in a place where they get the attention they need to participate successfully. That way they can come into their own optimally, and that increases the chances of sustainable employment. This is a very specific and, in our view, successful approach. I also feel that VolkerWessels is doing this not so much to show a social face as to be able to facilitate the flow of candidates from diverse groups. VolkerWessels is even the first full service/main contractor company to have a participation with a PSO 30+ certification. As far as I am concerned, this is a good example for the whole sector.” 

Annette Pasveer is proud of the certification. “Of course, it's a very nice recognition. For the participants who work very hard to make their new job their own and take training alongside their work. For the colleagues in all those VolkerWessels companies who invest time in training and supporting the participants. And for the people at the Technical School and Academy who, with their personal attention, contribute to the success of the participants. But we also see it as an important driver for other companies within VolkerWessels. As VolkerWessels Inclusive, we also offer them support. The attention for social entrepreneurship among the companies within VolkerWessels has increased; we can see that in the increase of our internal KPI. And it also translates into an increase in the number of PSO-certified VolkerWessels companies.For example, Gebr. Van Kessel and VolkerWessels Bouw & Vastgoedontwikkeling Zuid have achieved Stage 3 status, and KWS Infra and Aveco de Bondt have achieved Aspirant status. And more and more companies are joining. Not because they have to, but out of an intrinsic motivation that has characterized our entire group for years.”