Setup of works council

At a.s.r., employee participation consists of the Works Council, business unit committees and the Employee Council (Raad van medewerkers). The Works Council discusses issues with the Executive Board that are of interest throughout a.s.r. For the various business units, employee participation is arranged in nine business unit committees. The nine business unit committees focus on the following business units:

• Life & Funeral;

• Disability;

• Finance (AVB, FRPM, GBSM and Real Estate);

• Mortgages;

• IT&C;

• Pensions;

• Non-life;

• Health;

• Other business units.

The Employee Council consists of members of the Works Council and members of the business unit committees. The Employee Council ensures that the Works Council and the business unit committees are well aware of each other’s concerns. Every six weeks an Employee Council meeting is held.

Works Council involvement in changes

The Works Council or business unit committee is informed at an early stage of any (organisational) changes within the organisation or business unit. If these changes are subject to consultation, a member of the Works Council prepares a request for advice. For complex requests for advice, the Works Council or relevant business unit committee sets up a working group consisting of members of the Works Council or business unit committee and possibly outside members. These are employees with expertise on the subject in question. Based on an exchange of information exchange with the manager, the Works Council prepares an opinion. Requests for consent on introducing, withdrawing or changing regulations on personnel matters such as a working hours or the remuneration scheme always go through the Works Council and follow the same process.

Topics covered in 2022

During 2022, the Works Council addressed the following issues:

• Marketing optimisation;

• Hybrid working;

• New organisation for Life, Funeral and Pensions;

• Integration of Ditzo Schade and Europeesche into a.s.r. schade;

• Organisational change at Finance;

• Organisational change at IT&C;

• Policy on working abroad temporarily;

• Change disability insurance employees;

• Division of Asset Management pay scales;

• Health and safety policy;

• Aegon transaction.

Aegon

A key topic in 2022 was the business combination between Aegon Nederland N.V. and a.s.r. This trajectory can be broken down into three phases. The first phase ran until the announcement on 27 October 2022. The Works Council was informed of the plans at an early stage and, with the support of an external legal expert, questioned the plans in detail in order to obtain a clear picture of the impact on employees and the company. There has been ample scope for consultation and discussions. The main subject of discussion was, and remains, the harmonisation of employment conditions, a subject that is important to many employees. Furthermore, the Works Council advised on the proposed reappointment of CEO Jos Baeten and the financing of the transaction. In addition, the Works Council took a position on the new composition of the Supervisory Board, which will be expanded by two representatives from Aegon N.V. In addition to Lard Friese (current Chairman of the board of Aegon N.V.), this is, on the recommendation of the Works Council, Daniëlle Jansen Heijtmajer (current member of the Supervisory Board of the Aegon N.V.). Until the close of the current second phase, the focus of the Works Council will be on integration the two businesses. For the organisation in general, the emphasis is on gathering data in order to make informed decisions based on these data. The third phase will be actual integration. During these phases, the Works Council will carefully monitor the interests of both the company and the employees.

Communication with the employee support base

All departments within a.s.r. are represented on the Works Council or the business unit committees. This ensures short lines of communication with the employee support base and makes it easy to seek information or advice. Employees know how to contact the members of the Works Council or the business unit committees. The Works Council regularly calls on support base, for example to form working groups or ask for reactions to an organisational change. Members of the Works Council and business unit committees also regularly call on employees regarding matters such as the new collective labour agreement (CLA), and their response is then shared with both the HR department and the trade unions.