Introduction

In 2023, Royal HaskoningDHV delivered an excellent performance with very strong financial results. We are pleased to see continuous growth year on year and a strong increase in results and profitability, in line with our strategic ambitions. The Supervisory Board recognises the dedication and commitment of all employees at Royal HaskoningDHV in this achievement. The global economic environment continued to be challenging and volatile in 2023 and high inflation impacted the cost of materials and labour. The ability of the company to deliver such a strong set of results in challenging times confirms it is pursuing a robust strategy and we congratulate the Executive Board on its implementation.

The Supervisory Board was pleased to appoint Marije Hulshof as first female Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company in April 2023. Marije brings considerable experience and a result-driven focus to lead the organisation. We would like to thank Erik Oostwegel for his service and leadership, steering the progress of Royal HaskoningDHV for over a decade and the smooth transition to the new CEO. In his new role as Chief Commercial Officer, he has a clear focus on the company’s commercial and key account activities.

As a people business, Royal HaskoningDHV must attract and retain exceptional people to power its growth and deliver on its purpose. Scarcity of talent is an increasing challenge to many companies and Royal HaskoningDHV is no exception. The company has a strong differentiator in the market for talent through its purpose to Enhance Society Together. The findings of our 2023 employee survey confirmed strong engagement, indicating that employees are committed to the organisation and motivated to go the extra mile. In addition, we are confident that the continued focus on talent development, including the leadership development programme, recruitment and retainment pays off and will enable Royal HaskoningDHV to achieve its growth ambitions. The leadership development programme has been introduced alongside initiatives to upgrade leadership skills at all levels and create attractive career development pathways.

We recognise the effort and enthusiasm shown by all employees in the organisation in introducing the Enhancing Society Together Purpose Matrix tool to start assessing impact and value of our activities on a project-by-project basis. Impact is assessed across five themes that are strongly linked to our purpose: Climate Change, Biodiversity & Natural Systems, Resources & Circularity, Social Value & Equality, and Safety & Well-being. It is an important step in enhancing awareness of the company’s purpose both internally and externally. It provides tangible evidence of the organisation’s progress in realising its ambitions. We expect to see further developments on targets as the measurement system evolves in 2024 and the Supervisory Board fully supports this. The organisation’s purpose to Enhance Society Together is engrained and recognised across the company but can also lead to diverging views on where the company operates and who for. We were pleased to see dilemmas being addressed in open and transparent discussions across the company.

The rapid digital developments create constant challenge on how to position the company in a fast-changing world. With Artificial Intelligence making a huge leap in 2023, all levels of the organisation accelerated exploring opportunities but also bearing in mind the associated risks such as confidentiality and privacy. The Supervisory Board welcomes the growing use of Artificial Intelligence as part of efforts to develop more efficient ways of working.

The new Dutch Corporate Governance Code 2022 was introduced in the Netherlands at the end of 2022. Royal HaskoningDHV has voluntarily adopted the Code and its ‘comply or explain’ overview is published on the company’s website. There is new focus on sustainability as part of the long term value creation which fits very well with Royal HaskoningDHV’s purpose of Enhancing Society Together. Various initiatives to align with the Code are already in place. We also focused on the governance implications of reporting requirements under the European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). Overall, the Supervisory Board is of the view that Royal HaskoningDHV is well positioned and well prepared to further implement these governance requirements.

The 2023 Financial Statements are prepared by the Executive Board and have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers Accountants N.V. (Its report can be found in the section Other Information). The 2023 Financial Statements have been approved and signed by all members of the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board on March 14, 2024. We recommend to the shareholders that they adopt the 2023 Financial Statements and that the Executive Board is granted discharge with respect to its management as well as the Supervisory Board for its supervision during the financial year 2023. Given the 2023 result, we support the proposal of the Executive Board to pay a dividend of €4.75 per share.

The Supervisory Board would like to thank the Executive Board, the Executive Council and every employee for their contribution in 2023. We look forward to working with all our stakeholders to deliver positive impact for clients, society and the organisation in 2024. Finally, the Supervisory Board notes with gratitude the contribution of our Chair Peter Blauwhoff who is stepping down from the Supervisory Board after nine years.

“Royal HaskoningDHV has just delivered its best set of results this decade. I am pleased to leave the organisation in strong shape, knowing it is in the very good hands of a dedicated and experienced team with a robust strategy. It has been an honour to be associated with this great company. I have seen it go from strength to strength, never losing sight of its purpose to bring positive impact to society. I am confident that it will continue to play a transformational role bringing sustainable value to clients and society at large. I wish the company, its leaders and all its employees the very best.”

Peter Blauwhoff, Chair Supervisory Board Royal HaskoningDHV 2015-2024.

Amersfoort, the Netherlands
March 14, 2024 

Supervisory Board

P.M.M. (Peter) Blauwhoff (Chair)
L.I. (Louisa) van den Broek
F.C.M. (Francine) Roelofsen-van Dierendonck
D.A. (Daan) Sperling (Vice-Chair)
R. (Rob) Zandbergen