Arthij van der Veer

Over 30 years ago, my journey at MPS began after I saw an advertisement in the newspaper. After the birth of my daughter, I was looking to return to work and joined the data entry department. At the time, all data was still entered manually from paper forms. Since then, I have seen the organisation grow and change, and I have grown along with it.Today, I work in the Service & Support department. No two days are the same: one day I help a customer with questions about record-keeping, the next I help them understand requirements from the auction or the UO. It is precisely this variety and the personal contact with customers that make my work interesting every day.

One period that has always stayed with me is the COVID-19 pandemic. At first, many of my conversations with customers were difficult and filled with uncertainty. When sales of flowers and plants unexpectedly picked up strongly, the mood changed completely. The conversations became increasingly positive, and you could really feel the sense of connection within the sector. That made a big impression on me.

What I am most proud of is that MPS has played an important role in the ornamental horticulture sector for more than 30 years and that I have been able to experience that development first-hand. From paper forms to a modern digital record-keeping environment: an incredible amount has changed. At the same time, there has always been room to develop yourself. For me, together with the contact with customers and finding solutions, that is why I still enjoy working at MPS so much after all these years.

In 2008, I joined MPS through a recruitment agency as a secretary. I then held various positions within MPS and MPS-ECAS, including roles in the Service & Support team and as a planner. In 2018, I left the organisation for a while, but in 2023 I returned to MPS-ECAS as a back-office employee. The people are simply too much fun and the world of ornamental horticulture is so innovative that it kept drawing me back. Shortly afterwards, I started working at MPS as Coordinator Netherlands.

No two weeks are the same. Monday is my regular office day, when most meetings take place and we start the week together. On Tuesdays, I often schedule visits further afield. I then spend the whole day on the road, helping and advising ornamental horticulture companies and trading companies. On Wednesdays and Thursdays, I work from home or have appointments closer to home. I spend those days dealing with emails, phone calls, acquisition and other activities. I also regularly attend trade fairs, staff the MPS stand or take part in meetings and other events. In short: it is never boring.

What I enjoy most about my work is the contact with people in the sector. Ornamental horticulture is incredibly innovative and constantly evolving. Growers are passionate and proud of their products. I like being able to help when they get stuck and point them in the right direction again. We want to support entrepreneurs so that they can make their businesses more sustainable and meet market demand.

One thing that has stayed with me is realising how much growers appreciate me visiting them in person to help them find their way. And every company is different. That diversity is exactly what makes my work so enjoyable.

What am I proud of? My MPS car, of course 😉, but above all the people behind MPS. An incredible amount happens behind the scenes. There is a whole team working hard for our customers every day. That is not always easy, because every company and every certification standard is different and the world keeps changing. We also have a great atmosphere at the office: there are discussions, but plenty of laughter too. The fact that we have been around for more than 30 years and were founded by and for growers also makes me proud.

When I first joined in 2008, I thought certification might be a bit dull. I know better now. There is a lot involved and the field never stands still. Certification provides growers with valuable insight into their usage and business operations. Dull? No, definitely not.

During the final year of my Environmental Sciences degree, I joined MPS for an internship. The internship worked out so well for both sides that I was able to stay afterwards. It felt like a natural next step, because I immediately felt at home here and was given the opportunity to continue developing myself.My work is very varied. I work on different projects and products, carry out research and analyses and contribute to practical solutions. I also manage various systems, support customers with complex technical questions and work with external parties. It is precisely this combination that makes my work interesting and ensures that no two weeks are the same.

What I enjoy most is being able to apply the knowledge from my studies in practice every day while continuing to learn new things. My colleagues are also an important part of why I enjoy my work. During an ordinary day at the office, I suddenly realised how much I would miss my colleagues if I worked somewhere else.

We support each other, learn from each other and enjoy working together. Being given the opportunity to lead a project myself also showed me how much trust and room there is within MPS to develop yourself. I am proud that we are working together towards a more sustainable ornamental horticulture sector and that I can see growers taking steps forward. It is very rewarding to contribute to that through our work.

Before I started, I did not expect working at MPS to be so challenging and varied. There are always new projects and issues to work on, which keeps the work interesting.

I first joined MPS through a friend who worked in MPS’s student team. I continued working here while studying Commercial Economics, and at the end of my studies, in 2004, MPS asked if I wanted to join the organisation permanently. It seemed like a great opportunity, and more than twenty years later, I am still here.No two days are the same, and that is exactly what makes my work so enjoyable. A large part of my week consists of project meetings and translating needs from within the organisation into practical solutions. Thursday afternoon is a regular fixture, which I set aside with a colleague to make MPS 1% better every week. For example, we experiment with AI, build prototypes, improve processes or develop new ideas. The goal is always to work smarter and create more value for colleagues, customers and the organisation.

The variety in my work really appeals to me. Over the years, I have built up a great deal of knowledge about our services, processes and the sector. I can use that knowledge to connect people, ideas and technology. Innovation also gives me a lot of energy: exploring new developments, working on them together with colleagues and ultimately turning them into something that is actually used.

Especially when an innovation such as the MPS-Trade Portal goes live, I am reminded why I enjoy my work so much. It is great to see how an idea that once started on a whiteboard grows into a solution that is actually used. Together with external partners, we develop digital tools that help our customers and hopefully inspire them to take further steps towards sustainability.

After more than twenty years, I am particularly proud that I still work at MPS with the same curiosity and energy. I have been involved in many great projects and changes over the years, but ultimately, for me, it is mainly about the people you work with and what you achieve together. There is plenty of room to take initiative, and good ideas are genuinely given a chance. The commitment of my colleagues and their willingness to help each other and move forward together are what still make me enjoy coming to work every day.