How HES International Shows Up for Its Employees
At HES International, we believe that how we treat our people says everything about who we are as a company. Over our 100-year history, we have built something that goes well beyond operational excellence: a culture where employees are genuinely seen, supported, and invested in; not because it is required, but because it is right.
Across our terminals in the Netherlands, Poland, France, and Germany, our teams have developed voluntary programmes that respond to real human needs; from mental health to career ambition, from physical wellbeing to moments of personal difficulty. This article shares five of the most meaningful ways we invest in the people that make HES International what it is.
Five ways we put our people first
1. Growing careers from the ground up
We know that a job is not just a pay cheque, it is a foundation for a life. That is why we invest in structured career pathways at every stage, from a student’s first internship to a seasoned professional’s next step.
Our Dutch terminals partner with career guidance programmes connecting young people directly with port employers, and offer apprenticeships (MBO level 3-4) in technical and operational roles. In Poland, we host school placements and vocational internships for maritime students. In France, formal apprenticeship programmes lead to recognised professional qualifications. These are not token gestures, they are deliberate investments in the long-term futures of real people.
When someone joins HES International as an apprentice and builds a career here, that is social responsibility in action.
2. Taking mental health seriously
We have made a deliberate choice: mental health is not a private matter that employees have to navigate alone. It is something we support openly, practically, and without stigma.
Digital platforms such as “Be Responsible” and Trustlr give employees confidential access to stress management tools and mental health resources; available when they need them most. Our Polish terminal’s Multilife programme offers free psychological support, language tutoring, dietitian services, and development coaching. In Amsterdam, personal development budgets (Wend-en Weerbaarheid) fund resilience training and wellbeing courses that are intentionally not job-related, because the whole person matters. Across most terminals, SpiNet connects employees with mental health specialists.
These programmes send a clear message: asking for support is a sign of strength, and HES International will be there when you do.
3. Building healthy, connected teams
Physical health and team spirit go hand in hand. Across our terminals, we create opportunities for employees to move, celebrate, and connect; together.
Our German terminal offers subsidised access to the Hansefit sports and wellness network, runs health days focused on back care and active breaks, and hosts an annual summer party for staff and their families. In addition, ‘Green Bucket’ clean-up days, followed by barbecues, turn environmental care into team celebration. In Rotterdam, we sponsor the ‘Beat the Beach’ half marathon, support local mountain bike trails, and back sports clubs across the region. Our Polish colleagues run group sports competitions that build genuine team bonds.
These are not perks. They show how we build workplaces where people feel they belong.
4. Respecting that life comes first
We employ real people with families, commitments, and lives outside of work. Our approach to flexibility and leave reflects that reality.
Dutch terminals offer the ‘FiscFree’ scheme, allowing employees to exchange gross salary for additional leave, bicycles, sports subscriptions, or other benefits tailored to their lifestyle. All terminals provide special leave for life’s most significant moments; births, weddings, bereavements, and caregiving emergencies, as well as half-day family leave on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. In Poland, we provide balanced meals year-round for cargo handling employees, recognising that nutrition and safety are inseparable during physically demanding work.
When an employee needs to be present for their family, we make it possible. That is what it means to be a responsible employer.
5. Standing by people through difficulty
Some of our most important work happens quietly, for employees navigating hard times. Social responsibility means standing by people in those moments, not looking away.
Multiple terminals provide confidential addiction support backed by dedicated specialists, treating addiction as a health issue that deserves care; not judgement. Employment partnerships with ESAT (sheltered workshops supporting people with disabilities) create real jobs for people who face significant barriers to employment. Professional reintegration programmes, including partnerships with organisations like Sport Adéquation, open career pathways for athletes and others in transition.
Every person who finds a meaningful path forward through these programmes represents what HES International stands for: dignity, opportunity, and genuine care.
More than a policy; a promise
These programmes did not emerge from compliance checklists or public relations strategies. They emerged from people across our terminals asking a simple question: how can we do better for the people who work here?
The answer, repeated in different ways across the Netherlands, Poland, France, and Germany, is the same: invest in careers, protect mental health, build community, respect personal lives, and stand by people when they need it most.
Our employees are the backbone of everything we do. When we invest in their wellbeing, their growth, and their futures, we are not just building a stronger business; we are building workplaces and communities where people genuinely thrive.
That is the promise behind every one of these initiatives. And it is a promise we intend to keep.