Consultancy
Background
Verstegen, a supplier of sustainable herbs, spices and sauces, places strong emphasis on quality, environmental awareness and employee development. Arno Groffen, Manager QESH, leads departments focused on quality, improvement and safety. In collaboration with BPM Consult, brown paper sessions have been introduced to implement process-oriented thinking. This approach has resulted in greater recognition for employees, stronger decision-making and improved collaboration between departments, with clear gains in efficiency and effectiveness.
Arno Groffen has a broad background in quality management within the food, packaging and pharmaceutical sectors. At Verstegen, he now leads several teams and is part of the Strategic Impact Team (SIT). Within SIT, sustainability is a key objective, alongside efficiency and employee satisfaction. Process management is essential to integrating these goals, resulting in an organisation that is both purpose-driven and flexible in responding to future ambitions.
Scalability
Three years ago, Verstegen began designing its company process model. Despite organisational changes, this model only truly took shape over the past year. Eight participants completed an intensive training programme under the guidance of BPM Consult, thereby safeguarding the continuity of process improvement. KPI’s are now linked to both primary and secondary processes, and process owners have been appointed and trained to steer this transition.
The shift to a horizontal structure proved challenging for some employees. People had to adjust to taking greater responsibility for their own processes. Nevertheless, around 10% of the workforce revealed significant new potential. For others, the new approach was more difficult. Verstegen found suitable roles for them, contributing to the retention of satisfaction and loyalty. A culture of collaboration has proven crucial to a successful transition.
Recognition
A key lesson learned was the importance of clear communication at the start of the change process. Initially, a small group worked on the transformation, which meant not everyone felt involved. It has since become evident that employees now better understand how their work contributes to broader objectives, such as sustainability. Process mapping provides both insight and recognition, which increases motivation. A digital quality manual will also be introduced, linked to process information.
The training and brown paper sessions were largely carried out internally. Eight BPM-trained and fifteen Visio-trained employees organised sessions, during which process visualisations were created directly in Visio. This consistent approach, using identical templates, ensured clarity and a shared sense of structure. The sessions had clearly defined scopes and remained at a high level, which fostered trust and openness during the workshops. In this way, a solid and reliable foundation was established for further improvements.
Faster insight
Verstegen has gained much clearer insight into its internal value chains through process-oriented working. Departments now operate less in isolation, and systems and data are better interconnected. This overview enabled an efficient transition to a new ERP system. The previously designed processes and associated user stories saved several months of work. This integrated approach has led to improved decision-making and a stronger foundation for future innovation.
The organisation now aims to make its sustainability efforts more visible. Internal development remains central, with initiatives such as analysing employee experience at the process level. These insights are used for further optimisation. Verstegen continues to innovate and become more sustainable, supported by measurable results. This will also become more visible externally, for example through improved communication and the sustainable redevelopment of its iconic building along the A20. The transformation is underway and already clearly visible.
