Rotterdam wins ESPO Award 2018

Rotterdam won the award for a project which focuses on maximising the synergy between the port, the city and the region. This means giving employees skills matching the needs of companies in the port, providing training for the port’s current and future talents, and stimulating co-working between different companies within the port and by employing as many people from Rotterdam and its surroundings as possible in the port.

Chairman of the Jury, Pat Cox, said: “The Jury was especially impressed by the strategic vision, commitment and means by which Rotterdam Port is planning for the future world of work both in its own operations and in partnership with its wider ecosystem.”

Project initiatives

To reach the goal of its project, ‘The Port of Rotterdam creates a good working environment for everyone’, the port authority created various initiatives, which can be divided into three categories: School to Work, Work to Work, and Return to Work.

Henk de Bruijn, manager social and labour affairs at the port authority, said: “This ESPO Award is for us the recognition that we are on the right track with our ‘People in and around Ports’ program. To us, this Award is an extra motivation to take further steps with our social innovation ambitions in and for our port. We hope also to inspire other European ports with our program. We have to do it together.”

The ESPO Award 2018 saw four projects from Associated British Ports, North Sea Port, Port of Tallinn and Port of Rotterdam Authority compete for the prize.