Chairman MKB (SME) Rotterdam meets CCNT foundation

Chairman Pieter van Klaveren of MKB (Small and Medium sizes Enterprises) Rotterdam honored the Chamber of Commerce Netherlands-Turkiye foundation and the intercultural expertise center Inter-Focus with a visit on 20 July 2022. The common thread that runs between both organizations under the same roof is the intercultural added value of people for companies.

Small and medium-sized enterprises in the Rotterdam region are the driving force behind the economy. With over 800 affiliated members and 14,000 contacts, MKB Rotterdam is a representative network for entrepreneurs.

Common themes of interests include international entrepreneurship, sustainability and vitality. Understanding each other, daring to take risks, creating jobs and maintaining healthy and therefore productive staff. That is what both organizations stand for and go for!

More Turkish entrepreneurs in SME decision-making

The economy may be doing reasonably well, but new challenges are quickly taking the place of optimism. It is important that entrepreneurs can tap from all ‘barrels’ in terms of new markets, new customers, new candidates and retain existing staff within the gate.

Dutch-Turkish entrepreneurs with all their knowledge, skills and other resources should actually be more affiliated with established Dutch SME associations. Ultimately, citizens, consumers, customers, suppliers and other potential partners are becoming increasingly diverse and colorful.

The Chamber of Commerce foundation wants to initiate more dialogue between Turkish and Dutch entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs with Turkish roots should be better connected. The foundation wants to spar with SME entrepreneurs about possible flight paths in Dutch companies.

Intercultural listening is gold

Vitality of existing staff and reintegration of sick and incapacitated staff is a concrete challenge, certainly in the context of the Poortwachter Improvement Act, which can cost entrepreneurs money. In the case of Dutch personnel with a non-Western background, there is an extra dimension in terms of cultural differences, language barrier and ignorance about the rules and duties in reintegration and personal injury. Listening comprehension in Turkish or other exotic languages ​​with professional help from the intercultural expertise center Inter-Focus is gold…

In the field of internationalization, Rotterdam entrepreneurs have been invited to participate in the next trade mission to Türkiye at the end of October 2022. The successes of Dutch participants during the previous trade mission in 2021 (video report) will be continued!

*Photo: Ethem Emre, Pieter van Klaveren, Peter Wolters, Leyla De Mos