Euroma is an international producer and supplier of herbs, spices and flavour solutions that has existed for over 125 years. It helps food producers and retailers create authentic, scalable and delicious products in a variety of food categories that can be found in the herbs and spices isle at the supermarket. Nysingh and Euroma have been collaborating for years. What started as providing assistance with employment law matters grew into a broad, multidisciplinary collaboration. Nysingh has been assisting Euroma with matters relating to employment law, contracts and food law, among other things. Short lines of communication, practical advice and a proper understanding of the organisation are at the core of this collaboration. In day-to-day practice the collaboration between Euroma and Nysingh takes form at several levels. For example, Johanne Ros, HR director at Euroma, has been working closely with Rianne Kamphuis, employment law attorney at Nysingh, for years. At the same time, Remon Lanters, Purchasing Director at Euroma, consults with Marco Balhuizen, attorney and partner at Nysingh, on matters regarding purchasing, contracts and food regulations.
Employment law as a fixed part of the organisation
Johanne has been working at Euroma for over twelve years, and she has seen the organisation evolve strongly throughout this time. Growth, a relocation to the new office in Zwolle, expansion and stabilisation of the workforce: these are developments that directly translate into HR issues.
These issues are common for organisations of this size, but they do require careful consideration. Euroma takes on many matters itself and mainly engages Nysingh as a sounding board or in more complex situations. “We can do most things ourselves,” says Johanne. “However, if we want to be sure, or if things get more complicated, we call Rianne.”
The collaboration between Johanne and Rianne, which has also been an ongoing 12-year relationship, is characterised by short lines of communication and practical discussions. One phone call is often enough to determine the next step. “We need only a few words to know how to proceed,” says Johanne. “After that I can continue my work.”
Rianne mainly considers herself a sparring partner. “We litigate where necessary, but try to find a solution whenever possible,” she explains. “The latter is often successful with Euroma.” She is of the opinion that this is mainly to do with the way HR matters are handled and approached at an internal level.
“The collaboration with Nysingh feels personal and is practical. We often need only a few words before we already know how to proceed.” – Johanne Ros, HR Director at Euroma
Sharing knowledge and looking forward
In addition to daily support, an important part of the collaboration is the sharing of knowledge. Euroma stays up to date on the current developments in employment law through webinars, training and client meetings. That knowledge is then applied internally.
“If you know the context there is a lot you can do yourself,” says Johanne. “And if we need assistance on anything specific, we call Rianne.” Nysingh also takes a proactive stance when the laws and regulations change or when developments can be relevant to the organisation. This approach helps discover problems early and prevent escalation.
Speed is key in this regard, says Rianne. “You want to help your clients as quickly as possible. Sometimes this means that they can proceed themselves, other times we take over. But we are always practical and mindful of the organisation.
Purchasing and food law in a complex chain
On the side of procurement and compliance a different type of issue arises. Within Euroma, Remon Lanters is the person responsible for matters including the purchase of raw materials, vendor quality management and sustainability. Euroma works with complex supply chains all over the world, in which quality and food safety are key.
The food sector is strongly regulated and constantly developing. European standards are becoming more strict and measurement methods are becoming increasingly refined, while a large majority of the raw materials originates from countries outside of the European Union. “That gap is getting larger and larger,” Remon notes. “The requirements in Europe are becoming stricter, while manufacturing process elsewhere cannot always move at the same pace.”
Euroma regularly consults with Nysingh on changes to laws and regulations and the way supervisory authorities enforce them. Marco: “We take both a reactive approach, if the situation calls for it, and a proactive approach. What are the regulations moving towards? What does this mean for the processes? How can you make sure you are prepared?”
This discussion takes place in a structural meeting with the vendor quality management team, but also ad hoc if specific situations occur. “We keep each other alert,” Remon says. “If we notice any changes, we make contact. This also happens vice versa.”
“In a highly regulated sector it is essential to have a partner that knows your organisation and contributes ideas towards it, both preventively and in specific situations” – Remon Lanters, Purchasing Director at Euroma.
Compliance starts before purchasing
At Euroma, compliance starts far in advance of the time of purchasing. Suppliers are carefully selected, arrangements regarding standards and assessments are recorded in advance and products are independently tested before they reach the European market. Nevertheless, situations can still occur where the regulations leave room for interpretation.
“Not everything has been arranged in detail,” says Remon. “Then you want to know what the best approach would be within that context.” In those cases, the collaboration with Nysingh gives direction and guidance. Marco: “In the end, this is about the safety of people, animals and the environment. This frame of reference helps in making legal decisions.”
A particular point of attention within the sector is handling incidents that could even lead to possible recalls. While this does not happen often, it is crucial to be prepared and able to change gears fast. Remon: “At such a time you want to be able to discuss the matter directly before making any decisions.” Marco adds: “Incidents do not operate on office hours. You have to be available and make the right choices together.”
Multiple areas of expertise, one story
A recurring theme within HR as well as purchasing and compliance is the convergence of different areas of law. The benefit of the collaboration with Nysingh is that multiple areas of expertise are organised under one roof and are substantively linked.
“It is a huge relief that we don’t have to explain again and again who Euroma is and how we operate,” says Remon. “Nysingh is familiar with our organisation, our history and our ambitions.” That knowledge was accrued over the years and is not just contained in files, but also in our mutual contact. This way, we can quickly put questions in the correct context and links can be made between different subjects.
At Nysingh, specialists can also discuss things quickly. Marco: “We are familiar with the story of Euroma. If a question spans multiple disciplines, we are able to discuss this properly within the company.” This is beneficial to the coherence between and consistency of the advice.
The personal nature of the collaboration plays an important part in this. Johanne recognises this in daily practice: “It does not feel formal or complicated. It doesn’t matter when you call or text, a response is sure to follow quickly.” Because Nysingh knows Euroma well, our advice aligns with the organisation and its way of operating.
Building a future together
The collaboration between Euroma and Nysingh has grown with the organisation over time. It started with employment law support but broadened into multiple areas of law that directly link to the core of the business operations.
This continuity is important for Euroma. The organisation operates in a complex and highly regulated environment in which developments in laws and regulations follow each other in quick succession. There is great value to being able to rely on a partner that not only brings expert knowledge on the content, but also understands how decisions are made within the organisation and which interests play a part in that regard.
In the future, Euroma will continue to focus on quality, food safety and careful consideration of the changing regulations. In this vision, Euroma considers Nysingh a consistent partner that contributes ideas, grows with the company and provides support where necessary.
