Strategische Agenda 2022-2025

34 Chapter 4 Our organisation here are the preservation of our professional authority based on facts, integrity and an independent position. Precision and accuracy come first. As well as being transparent in our working approaches and our research results. In order to have more impact and fulfil the important task of sharing knowledge and promoting dialogue, we see communications as a part of the primary process. An active media policy is helpful in this regard. Our staff are our most important ambassadors and figureheads for getting the message across. They have a particular role to play in terms of further strengthening support for Deltares and our image as a renowned research institute. That is why, during the years to come, we will be investing in the development of skills in the field of stakeholder management, media awareness and communications. We will also continue to build on our profile in our social media communications and employer branding. 4.1.2 Increasing agility Our ambition is to strengthen our knowledge base by accelerating the development of our software and data. To achieve this, Deltares will be making investments throughout the organisation in the years to come in the development of the knowledge and skills of our staff in the field of key enabling technologies, data, software and models. Where that is required, recruitment can also boost the acquisition of new knowledge. In addition to substantive knowledge, we need to be more agile in order to respond to fast-moving external develop­ ments. That is important for areas such as accelerating the development of our software and data, a strategy that we are using in order to maintain our ability as a research institute to deliver innovation and added value. This requires a different approach to collaboration between the substantive specialists and the software and data specialists: fast, flexible and agile. It also requires the ability to listen carefully, be open to other perspectives and connect complex issues. It requires teamwork! We will further shape the effect that all of this has on our organisation and our decision-making processes in the years to come, focusing on training, staff coaching and working in teams. Taking cultural factors into account so that this transition will be implemented effectively. A hybrid approach to working contributes to flexibility and agility in collaboration. Deltares will make full use of the possibilities offered by digitalisation to support this process. This relates not only to the primary work process but also the further optimisation of port processes with the aim of relieving the administrative burden on staff. We do all this in the context of the appropriate and necessary cybersecurity and knowledge security arrangements. 4.1.3 Inclusive culture In order to be agile as an organisation, to keep in touch with new developments and to create space for innovation and entrepreneurship, an inclusive culture is important. This also applies to achieving our international ambitions. This topic certainly has our full attention but there is always room for improvement. We will therefore continue to invest in diversity and inclusion in order to allow our rich resources of creativity and innovative strength to flourish. Forty-one nationalities currently work at Deltares and 14% of our employees come from abroad. The numbers tell only part of the story. It is not just a question of who is present at the table but also about those people being heard. We will therefore encourage inclusive and adaptive leadership and strengthen an inclusive culture so that all our staff feel they are being given the room to get the most out of themselves. The organisation will therefore be investing in the coming years in awareness and skills that contribute to a committed, open culture where there is room for curiosity, different views and diverse communication styles. This also makes us an even more attractive employer and alliance partner. 4.2 | Corporate Social Responsibility Our ambition is to make a positive contribution to sustainable development. Not only in the Netherlands but also on the global stage. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is there­ fore inherent in our work. Making a positive contribution to today's major issues is an important reason for many employees to work at Deltares. Our work helps with the achievement of global climate goals and it focuses on a number of specific United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) where our added value is highest. We want to implement our consultancy projects in such a way that we can also determine the impact of projects on the climate and the SDGs, and minimise the negative effects. We also want to have our