New chairman of Dutch Flower Foundation

Added on 18 January 2021

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Boudewijn Rip hands over the baton, while continuing to work as a board member. The Board of Dutch Flower Foundation has appointed Marcel Zandvliet, Marketing and Sustainability chief (CMO/CSO) at Dutch Flower Group, as its new chairman, with effect from 1 January 2021. Marcel thereby takes over from Boudewijn Rip, whose great dedication and commitment to the Foundation, alongside the other board members, has been instrumental in shaping many national and international social projects in recent years.

Marcel Zandvliet, CMO/CSO Dutch Flower Group

Š foto: Fotomel.nl/Melinda-lou van der Linden

Dutch Flower Foundation (DFF) is increasingly focusing on forging connections with the Dutch Flower Group (DFG) companies' many supply chain partners, as DFF activities have become a significant factor in DFG's sustainability programme (IMPACT25). It is with this in mind that Boudewijn Rip has decided to hand over to a more closely connected representative.

With Marcel Zandvliet as the new chair, Boudewijn Rip will continue to work with him and board members Gerda Stokhof (secretary), Michel Zaremba (communication) and Martin Vingerling (treasurer) to shape the more intensive collaborations with DFG supply chain partners.

Boudewijn Rip: "Since 1999, Dutch Flower Foundation has been a labour of love, with its primary goals of improving living conditions for the vulnerable and supporting children's development. This purpose remains central, but from now on will be pursued through forging even stronger bonds with domestic and foreign growers and other DFG supply chain partners."

Collage of 2020 DFF donations

In 2020, despite the COVID-19 situation, Dutch Flower Foundation was able to provide financial support to around 69 social projects, including Mupoi Women's Development in Uganda/South Sudan (water project), De Lotusbloem Children's Services Centre in Aalsmeer, Wanawa Foundation in Kenya (supporting individuals to independently improve their own living conditions), Arap Moi Children's Home in Kenya (in collaboration with two local growers), Stichting Bootvluchteling (Moria Refugee Camp), Beukenrode Hospice in 's-Gravenzande (financing second location, multi-year donation) and Waterpas Foundation (clean drinking water for school children in Kenya, multi-year donation). Over the past 10 years, Dutch Flower Foundation has been able to support no fewer than 528 projects with 1,123,507 of funding. Alongside this, there is a high level of involvement from employees of the 30+ DFG companies, with more and more projects being proposed by them.

Marcel Zandvliet: "I greatly appreciate the personal commitment and involvement from Boudewijn and the other board members over the past few years. Their efforts have made this a truly wonderful Foundation and I look forward to intensifying the work we do both within and outside Dutch Flower Group, as we continue to make tangible contributions to our social goals."

For more information about Dutch Flower Foundation, see: www.dutchflowerfoundation.nl.