In conversation with Iemke Imhof on CIIO certification, inclusivity and growth

"Your opinion matters. It makes you better."

It sounds simple, but in practice it takes attention and courage to make room for all voices within an organization. Yet that is exactly what JBR is all about. To us, inclusiveness is not a loose slogan, but a core value that we try to translate into our work, our collaboration and our choices every day.

What helps with this is that we focus on larger-sized assignments, because larger deals call for more collaboration, more seniority, more learning. They give room for people to grow and experience the full breadth of the profession. It is a conscious choice: investing in quality as well as in the development of our team.

Because what happens when people really feel heard and seen? That's when something powerful happens: ownership, initiative, connection. And sometimes friction - and that is precisely what is valuable. As Ronald van Rijn, managing partner of JBR puts it, "You have to dare to look for the discomfort, because that's where innovation begins."

That's why we actively seek diversity of opinion, behavior and background. We believe we become stronger as an organization when we not only allow but embrace differences. It expands our perspective, improves our decision-making and helps us stay relevant in a world that is constantly changing.

That belief - that listening leads to learning and improvement - is also behind our decision to enter into the CIIO certification process. JBR is already ISO 9001:2015- and ACP-certified; where ISO focuses on well-secured processes, and ACP on the quality of the consultant, CIIO goes one step further. It combines both and adds something essential: the perspective on learning as an organization. Not to tick boxes, but to actually become better - for and with the people who work there.

The strength of the CIIO approach lies in the continuous learning cycle: plan - do - check - act. Internal audits, interim evaluations and the Gallup Employee Involvement Survey are important moments when we stop, learn, reflect and act. We not only receive input for process improvements, but also concrete feedback on our working environment and facilities - which management translates directly into improvement actions wherever possible. All with the aim of creating a working environment in which people feel safe, involved and challenged.

We are proud to be recognized by CIIO. They see what we do well in the quality process: from a solid onboarding program and our own academy to coordinators per job level and consultants who actively contribute to the development of new colleagues. But the very quality and sharpness of our internal audit was also explicitly mentioned. At the previous certification, the auditors indicated that customization was an important point of attention - especially for positions outside corporate finance. This has since been successfully implemented.

As a boutique consulting firm, we know each other well, and at the same time are big enough to make movement. And above all: we continue to grow. In expertise, in commitment, in diversity - and in our social relevance. Not by sitting back, but by continuing to listen.

Achieving CIIO certification feels like recognition - but also, again, like a starting point. A starting point for continued learning, questioning and giving space to new perspectives.

Because we believe that is the only way to move forward as an organization and as human beings.