Credit Management November 2018

FECMA COUNTRY PROFILE
Going Dutch
Sean Feast speaks to Cees Jansen at the Netherlands
Vereniging voor Credit Management (VVCM).
Cees Jansen
THE Netherlands is a country
located in north western
Europe, also known as
Holland. Netherlands means
low-lying country; the name
Holland (from Houtland, or
Wooded Land) was originally given to one
of the medieval cores of what later became
the modern state and is still used for two
of its 12 provinces (Noord-Holland and
Zuid-Holland).
The country is famous for being
remarkably flat, with large expanses of
lakes, rivers, and canals. Some 2,500 square
miles (6,500 square km) of the Netherlands
consist of reclaimed land, the result of a
process of careful water management dating
back to medieval times.
With a population of 17.25 million
living in an area 41,500 square kilometres,
the Netherlands is one of the most
densely populated countries in the world.
Nevertheless, it is the world's second-largest
exporter of food and agricultural products
after the United States, owing to its fertile
soil, mild climate, and intensive agriculture.
The Port of Rotterdam is the largest port in
Europe and the world’s largest outside Asia.
The Netherlands was the third country
in the world to have representative
government, and has been administered as
a parliamentary constitutional monarchy
since 1848, with a unitary structure.
It is a founding member of the EU,
Eurozone, G10, NATO, OECD, and WTO, as
well as a part of the Schengen Area and the
trilateral Benelux Union. It hosts several
intergovernmental organisations and
international courts, many of which are
centred in The Hague, which is dubbed 'the
world's legal capital.
Its mixed-market advanced economy
had the 13th highest per capita income
globally. One of the world's most prosperous
countries, the Netherlands ranks among the
highest in international indexes of press and
economic freedom, human development,
and quality of life.
How many members do you
have?
We currently have 900 individual
members and have recently introduced
new corporate membership.
How is the Vereniging run?
Established in 1990, the VVCM
contributes to the professionalism
of credit management and its
positioning as a core activity within
a company. We provide training and
a platform for knowledge sharing
through the publication of a quarterly
Credit Magazine and an online
knowledge ‘hub’. The Vereniging
also helps with the organisation of
Credit Expo, a major annual Credit
Management congress, and sponsoring
and organising the annual ‘Credit
Manager of the Year’ and ‘VVCM
Credit Management Innovation’
Awards.
As well as these major initiatives,
the VVCM also conducts four or five
credit college tours for university
students as well as quarterly ‘meet
and learn’ sessions. It organises an
Innovation Congress, and a further
congress focused on Debt Sale. The
VVCM hosts a new members’ meeting
annually.
What training/learning support do
you provide?
In terms of professional training
and career development, the VVCM
delivers a range of qualifications
including:
• Certified Credit Manager / CCM
Education programme: two years;
senior level
• Certified Credit Collector / CCC
Education programme: one year;
mid-level
• Certified Credit Practisioner / CCP
Education programme: one year; basic
study
• P/E-program: Permanent Education
accreditation programme (introduced
June, 2018)
What is the Kingdom’s attitude to
late payment?
Payment terms are clearly
communicated and customers are
expected to respect these terms.
During the economic crisis, large
buyers have initiated unilateral
actions to extend payment terms.
These activities generated significant
negative publicity. Following a
dip during the recession, payment
behaviour has been improving.
The Recognised Standard / www.cicm.com / November 2018 / PAGE 30