Open, committed and placing people at the heart of our business. Our logo symbolises our principles and ambitions. Whether we are dealing with our flex workers or our personnel, we strive to bring out the best in people every day and throughout their entire career. Our clients expect service that goes beyond the norm, and count on our continued involvement.
The result of our efforts is a successful balance between the objectives of our clients and the individual ambitions of our candidates. In this way, we are able to achieve our business goals while maintaining our key socio-economic role in the community. Our logo is the point of departure for these principles.

Exchange
Within the group we aim for a maximum sharing of expertise. We do this by bringing people together and optimizing information flows. Every year there is an international management meeting for the full management of all operating companies. The agenda sets out strategic lines, while participants exchange ideas relating to the shared vision.
We also organize regular international knowledge-sharing workshops with persons from various operating companies and a range of functions. In addition to sharing operational information, the gatherings feature briefings on new concepts and developments in t eh staffing markets. We also brainstorm on technological advances, innovative projects, new recruiting channels, sales support campaigns and market trends. Besides passing on information, this also creates synergetic effects.

Synergy
All international operating companies use the services of the country's shared back office-organisation for finance, ICT, management information as well as legal and facility. This powerful operation enables lower costs and greater efficiency. These Shared Service Centers have a mainly supporting and initiating role.
USG People has also made a strategic decision to boost cooperation with major European clients. In this respect, the Corporate Accounts department acts as commercial knowledge center, and plays a central role in drafting cooperative agreements. Multidisciplinary corporate account teams are formed for all new key accounts. These teams include specialists covering all relevant areas. The approach ensures flexible implementation of contracts for the client, plus systematic supervision of day-to-day matters and regular evaluation of the service level agreements.

Innovation
Innovation is a strategic priority at USG People and heads the agenda of all personnel. We constantly seek new concepts, better processes, new recruitment channels an innovative sales support campaigns.
The annual Innovation Award makes a significant contribution to this aspiration. The award is given for an innovative concept that must operate for at least three months and clearly demonstrate that it can yield a competitive advantage with the potential to contribute ot sustainable, profitable growth. It must also be suitable for implementation by other operating companies of the group. This approach is designed to lever the creativity of our personnel while stimulating innovation and enabling growth.
In 2005 the Innovation Award was presented to Content for the ‘Content FlexAcademy', developed on a customized basis. The objective here is the further reinforcement of commercial strength by improving knowledge, competencies and behaviour of own personnel.

The USG Innovation Platform (set up in 2002) also plays a significant part in our innovation strategy. This platform offers clients and market parties the opportunity to exchange knowledge and experiences relating to flex work and HR services. The Innovation Platform has developed into a full-fledged instrument to maintain direct contact with clients and to design innovative services. The HBO Services project mediates for students, finding course-related temporary work. This is one of the projects emerging from the Innovation Platform in 2005.