HR-tech service provider HeadFirst Group is B Corp certified
This achievement demonstrates the company's commitment to sustainability, social responsibility and ethical entrepreneurship. HeadFirst Group joins a global network of companies committed to creating both economic and social value.
A new milestone in sustainable business
The B Corp Certification is awarded to companies that meet high standards of social and environmental impact, transparency and responsible governance. It recognizes companies that set the bar high in their social and environmental impact. This certification aligns with HeadFirst Group's sustainability strategy, which focuses on creating a positive impact on people, society and the environment.
After achieving silver and gold EcoVadis ratings, the B Corp Certification marks another step in HeadFirst Group's commitment to responsible business practices. Marion Van Happen, CEO at HeadFirst Group, said, "This is not only a milestone for us, but also proof that corporate social responsibility is essential for growth and innovation in the HR tech sector. We are proud to be pioneers in the sector."
Sustainability as a core business value
Sustainability is a structural principle within HeadFirst Group's strategy. The company is committed to an inclusive labor market, promotes fair working relationships and actively works to reduce its carbon footprint. Over the past three years, HeadFirst Group has reduced its carbon emissions by 30 percent and the HR-tech service provider aims to achieve a further 50 percent reduction by 2025. In addition, the company has engaged 98 percent of its suppliers in sustainable procurement practices, demonstrating that sustainability is deeply rooted in its operations.
Van Happen adds, "We believe that sustainable growth is not only about economic profit, but also about improving the world around us. By reducing our carbon footprint and making our supply chain more sustainable, we are taking responsibility for the impact we have on our planet."
Excellent B Impact Score and a sustainable future
HeadFirst Group achieved a B Impact Score of 90.3 out of the maximum 200 points achievable in the B Impact Assessment. A minimum of 80 points is required for a company to become a B Corp. This score is achieved through performance in several areas, including governance, employees, environment, customers and community. With the certification, HeadFirst Group joins about 500 B Corps in the Benelux, such as Bugaboo, Rituals, Tony Chocolonely and Triodos Bank.
B Corp Certification is not an end point, but a continuous process of improvement. Certified companies must review their social and environmental impact every three years to remain B Corp. Van Happen concludes, "For the coming years, we have a clear ambition: to make our procurement policy more sustainable and to increase our social involvement. One way we do this is by actively supporting local communities, for example through volunteer work. We remain committed to a more sustainable future and take responsibility in this by working together with customers, partners and other stakeholders to accelerate sustainable change for society."
Do you have questions about this post? Feel free to contact us through one of our colleagues.
Natasja Spooren-Wassenaar
Manager Communications
natasja.spooren-wassenaar@headfirst.nl
Thomas ten Veldhuijs
Senior Legal Counsel
thomas.tenVeldhuijs@headfirst.nl
Gemma Keijzer
Head of Quality & Compliance
gemma.Keijzer@headfirst.nl
Skip Saegaert
SROI Coordinator
skip.Saegaert@headfirst.nl
HeadFirst Group once again recognized as a Great Place To Work
HeadFirst Group has been certified as a Great Place To Work for the third year in a row, and this year for the first time in both the Netherlands and Belgium. As many as 77 percent of employees consider the HR-tech service provider to be a Great Place to Work, demonstrating that trust, pride and job satisfaction are central to the organization. Moreover, HeadFirst Group is among the Top 10 Best Workplaces in the Mid-Large Companies and Woman categories. "This achievement is the result of the combined efforts of our employees. It shows that we are heading in the right direction and motivates us to continuously improve our working environment," says Joke de Graaf, Director People & Culture.
Rising employee satisfaction confirms strong culture
The independent Great Place To Work survey shows that the culture within HeadFirst Group has once again been strengthened. The number of employees who say they are encouraged to create a healthy work-life balance rose to 80 percent, six percent higher than in 2023. Also, a greater proportion of employees feel valued (+5 percent), an increasing number see the significance of their work within the organization (+3 percent) and employees perceive the working conditions as special and unique (+12 percent).
"At HeadFirst Group, it's not just about successes, but mainly about the colleagues who make them possible. Therefore, we actively listen to our people and translate their feedback into concrete improvements," explains De Graaf. "For example, we have revamped our fringe benefits so that employees can use flexible and uniform benefits as they choose. We encourage job satisfaction by celebrating successes and events such as MudMasters, the Dam to Dam run and the annual padel tournament. We also introduced a joint onboarding for all labels. Thanks to these efforts and the commitment of our employees, not only has our work environment improved, but we have also increased customer satisfaction to an NPS of +20."
Inclusive and equal workplace
The survey shows that HeadFirst Group scores high with 94 percent on a physically safe working environment. Employees experience being able to be themselves within the organization and being treated fairly - regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, health and/or religious beliefs. Previously, the organization was also recognized in the top 10 Best Workplaces - Mid-Large Companies and most recently as Best Workplaces - Woman, placing it among the top 10 percent of the market in terms of gender equality.
This indicates that HeadFirst Group meets key inclusion and diversity criteria, such as equal or higher representation of women compared to the national benchmark, as well as a balanced distribution in the management team. Currently, 50 percent of executives are women, well above the average of 33 percent. Moreover, female colleagues rate the organization with a Trust Index score above 70 percent. De Graaf explains, "We are - and are perceived to be - an inclusive work environment where everyone has equal opportunities. Diversity and equality are essential for a healthy and innovative organization."
Sports mindset as foundation of team culture
HeadFirst Group is also strongly committed to vitality. A concrete example is Team HeadFirst Group, an initiative in which sports and a top sports mentality are central. De Graaf: " We regularly organize events, celebrations, activities and knowledge sessions. In addition, the mentality helps employees become physically and mentally stronger, which therefore not only contributes to health but also to cooperation, perseverance and a positive mindset in the workplace. We also encourage well-being with a vitality budget, access to the OpenUp platform and flexible working hours, so that employees can maintain a healthy work-life balance. This strengthens the mutual bond between colleagues and contributes to a culture in which performance, well-being and job satisfaction go hand in hand."
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Marije Wildenborg - De Groot
Director Commercial Office
marije.wildenborg-degroot@headfirst.nl
Natasja Spooren-Wassenaar
Manager Communications
natasja.spooren-wassenaar@headfirst.nl
Willem Verhaagen appointed CFO at HeadFirst Group
HeadFirst Group accelerates growth ambitions with revamped board
As of February 1, 2025 Willem Verhaagen started as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at HR-tech service provider HeadFirst Group. He succeeds Marjolein Slappendel and brings with him extensive financial and strategic experience in the HR and recruitment sector. According to Marion van Happen, CEO of HeadFirst Group, Verhaagen is thus well positioned to support further growth and international expansion. "His international track record as CFO make him a valuable addition to our executive team. Together we will take the next step in our growth ambitions."
Verhaagen's return to the HR sector
With extensive experience in finance and the HR sector, Willem Verhaagen brings valuable expertise. He began his career at Randstad in 2007 as Manager of Finance & Control. Then, between 2012 and 2022, Verhaagen held various CFO positions at Randstad, both in the Netherlands and internationally. Since 2023, he was CFO of EyeCare Group. "With my start at HeadFirst Group, I return to the HR and recruitment sector, a sector that is constantly on the move. The dynamics and energy that this sector and HeadFirst Group bring with it, appeal to me a lot," Verhaagen said.
Strategic vision and renewed board
Verhaagen forms the management board of HeadFirst Group together with CEO Marion van Happen, CCO Renger Lammers and COO Arco Elsman. In this structure, the responsibilities for finance, commerce and operations are group-wide invested in the board. This facilitates cooperation and ensures that the entire organization is aligned with the common mission: a transparent and balanced labor market, without bias, in which organizations and talent are perfectly connected. For example, the operational teams of all labels, including the Belgian ProUnity, fall under COO Arco Elsman. This has laid a solid foundation for sustainable growth, with a focus on further internationalization and strengthening HR-tech services.
Van Happen says, "We are proud to share important updates that mark the beginning of a new chapter for our organization. These are important in our journey to position HeadFirst Group as a market leader in HR tech. In recent months, we have simplified and streamlined our organizational model. This allows us to respond faster to market dynamics and collectively achieve our ambitious goals."
Appointment Edzard Overbeek Group CEO HeadFirst Global
In addition, HeadFirst Global, the combination of HeadFirst Group and Impellam Group, recently announced the appointment of Edzard Overbeek as Group CEO. With Overbeek at the helm, the organization underscores its ambition to deliver leading HR tech solutions globally, driven by innovative technology and data and the largest network of STEM talent and partners. Overbeek's leadership strengthens HeadFirst Global's position as a leading HR-tech ecosystem and sets the company on course for further growth and internationalization.
HeadFirst Global appoints Edzard Overbeek as Group CEO to drive next phase of growth and global expansion
- Renowned global technology leader Edzard Overbeek named as HeadFirst Global CEO
- After 25 years, staffing industry leader Julia Robertson has decided to step down from leading HeadFirst Global
LONDON, February6th, 2025 - HeadFirst Global, a world-leading STEM talent and Managed Service Provider powered by a cutting-edge HR technology platform, today announced the appointment of Edzard Overbeek as Group CEO. Overbeek succeeds Julia Robertson, who has decided to step down after 25 years of transformational leadership.
With bold plans to redefine the future of workforce solutions, HeadFirst Global acquired Impellam Group and HeadFirst Group in March 2024 creating a company primed for accelerated growth with enhanced service offerings and tailored solutions for customers and professionals globally. Overbeek's appointment underscores HeadFirst Global's ambition to deliver workforce solutions powered by the world's foremost intelligent HR technology ecosystem that harnesses industry expertise and the power of data together with the largest STEM talent, partner, and supplier community.
With decades of technology, sales, general management, and executive experience, Overbeek has held key leadership positions across Fujitsu, Siemens, and Cisco Systems where he led the Global Services organization, responsible for over $12 billion in revenues. In 2016, Overbeek took the reins of HERE Technologies and transformed the company into a global location data and technology platform serving diverse industries.
The HeadFirst Global Board commented, "In Edzard, we have appointed a dynamic and highly respected, global technology leader for the next strategic era. As we pursue ambitious growth and create a seamless, intelligent ecosystem that connects STEM talent and workforce solutions, Edzard at the helm will be instrumental in unlocking new opportunities and ensuring global businesses secure the specialist talent they need to thrive. Edzard's proven track record in leading global teams, and driving innovation make him the ideal leader to build on our strategic momentum and to continue to redefine the workforce solutions landscape."
Edzard Overbeek commented that "HeadFirst Global is at the forefront of revolutionizing workforce solutions, and I am honored to lead the company into its next ambitious chapter. In today's rapidly evolving digital world, organizations need outstanding talent and true innovators to stay competitive. I look forward to driving HeadFirst Global's vision to lead with a world-class technology platform connecting businesses and STEM talent worldwide to power the future of work with confidence."
The HeadFirst Global Board commented, "We extend our deepest gratitude to Julia for her exceptional leadership, strategic and cultural vision, and unwavering commitment to leading HeadFirst Global to be well-positioned for an exciting new future. Julia is a hugely respected industry leader, and under her direction, the company has become a global STEM talent and workforce solutions powerhouse, poised for future growth and success."
Outgoing CEO Julia Robertson reflected on her tenure, saying, "HeadFirst Global is on the cusp of an exciting new era. I am incredibly proud of the bold ambitions we, the board, and the leadership team, have set in motion. With Edzard Overbeek as Group CEO, I am confident the company will continue to break new ground in the industry."
Robertson has led HeadFirst Global plc as Group CEO, having driven the strategy and growth of Impellam Group plc as Group CEO for more than 10 years previously after joining the Group in 2000. With a career in workforce and talent solutions spanning some four decades, Robertson founded her own recruitment business, and served as Chief Executive of the REC.
Robertson and Overbeek will work closely in the coming months to ensure a seamless transition.
About HeadFirst Global
HeadFirst Global is an ambitious world leading STEM talent and Managed Service Provider powered by a cutting-edge HR technology platform. HeadFirst Global provides a global, differentiated technology and talent proposition in the fast-evolving workforce solutions ecosystem whilst unlocking exciting new opportunities for mission-critical talent across a diverse global customer network. HeadFirst Global amplifies technology and talent, powering the next world of work.
About Julia Robertson
Robertson led HeadFirst Global plc as Group CEO, having driven the strategy and growth of Impellam Group plc as Group CEO for more than 10 years after joining the Group in 2000. With a career in workforce and talent solutions spanning some four decades, including founding her own recruitment business, and serving as Chief Executive of the REC, Robertson has always been driven by the burning belief that there has to be a "better way.
About Edzard Overbeek
Edzard Overbeek studied Business Administration at the University of Bradford in the UK. He is regarded as an expert in cloud solutions and has held key leadership positions at global giants such as Fujitsu, Siemens, and Cisco Systems where he led Cisco's Global Services organization, overseeing more than $12 billion in revenue. In 2016 he was appointed CEO of HERE Technologies. HERE, a €1BN technology company with more than 6,500 employees in 52 countries, is a pioneer in mapping and location technology and the platform is recognized as the most complete in the industry leading to the #1 location platform, powering location-based products, services and custom maps for organizations and enterprises across the globe. Overbeek is credited with transforming HERE from a successful single-industry business into a dynamic, global location data and technology platform serving diverse industries. His strategic leadership positioned HERE at the forefront of innovation in location intelligence.
Press enquiries: Marije Wildenborg, marije.wildenborg-degroot@headfirst.nl or +316 - 45768693.
Staying worry-free self-employed after Jan. 1, 2025: discover our 10 best practices
In recent years, organizations have made good strides toward being compliant with laws and regulations when hiring self-employed workers. With the enforcement moratorium expiring on January 1, 2025, the tension in the market is increasing. As an organization, how do you ensure that business continuity and compliance with legislation and case law go hand in hand?
To help you, we've compiled an overview of 10 best practices for future-proofing self-employment. These will not only keep you compliant, but also ensure that talented independents continue to contribute effectively within your organization.
In our white paper, you'll learn, among other things:
- When switching to permanent staff is smart
- How to deploy a Statement of Work.
- Whether dual-sourcing or short-cycle flow is for your organization
The Tax Authority's enforcement framework is based on existing case law, such as the Deliveroo criteria. This means that as an organization you have to carefully assess how an employment relationship is shaped. Issues such as embedding, authority relationship and responsibility for results play an important role here. Want to know how to get your hiring policy ready for 2025? Download our white paper and discover the 10 best practices.
Take the right steps today to mitigate risk, stay compliant and stay in control of your hiring process. Have any questions? Our team is ready to assist you at info@headfirst.nl or 023 - 568 56 30.
HeadFirst Group and The Dutch Masters join forces
HeadFirst Group is entering into a unique partnership with The Dutch Masters for the HeadFirst Group - Best of Champions. This is a fantastic opportunity for us to commit to such an iconic and prestigious equestrian event. It offers the possibility to push boundaries and create new opportunities together with The Dutch Masters.
Iconic horse change format
Thanks to Headfirst Group - Best of Champions, we return to the iconic format of the horse swap. Olympic champion Christian Kukuk, world champion Henrik von Eckermann, European champion Steve Guerda and Dutch champion Willem Greve will compete against each other, not only with their own horses, but will also jump the course with each other's horses. It promises to be a historic showdown. We last saw this horse exchange during the World Championships in Caen in 2014, where Jeroen Dubbeldam became world champion.
Marion van Happen | CEO, HeadFirst Group
"We are immensely proud of our partnership with The Dutch Masters. Sport has the unique power to bring people together. At HeadFirst Group, we believe in the power of collaboration and connection. We Dare to Lead by pushing the boundaries and creating new opportunities together with The Dutch Masters. With the return of this format, together we are doing something unique for the sport and its fans."
Jeroen Dubbeldam | Sports director, The Dutch masters
"I am delighted that we have found such a suitable partner. I have been with HeadFirst Group myself, and it is a company that is very professional and tightly run. As soon as you walk in there, you immediately understand why they want to connect with the Best of Champions. They really strive for the best of the best. You see that, you feel that, and you notice that everywhere. The best riders in our sport are a perfect fit for that. I hope that if this category catches on as well as we expect, we can continue to expand it in the future."
The Dutch Masters
The Best of Champions will take place on Thursday evening, March 13, during The Dutch Masters. The Dutch Masters is an iconic equestrian event that began in 1966 and has played an important role in international equestrian sports ever since. Next year, The Dutch Masters will take place from March 13-16 at the Brabanthallen in 's-Hertogenbosch. This prestigious event is part of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. Annually attracting more than 65,000 visitors, The Dutch Masters offers an impressive mix of top-level show jumping and dressage.
The value of personal collaboration
In conversation with Gerard Pruijsen, born and raised in Eindhoven and founder of Tech Seals, we took a look at his long history with HeadFirst Group. Gerard emphasizes that the cooperation started when he was still working at Welten in the financial sector. "The personal contact has always been the key," he explains. This close cooperation has helped him build valuable relationships, which is crucial in the consulting and secondment sector.
After fourteen years in consulting, Gerard felt the need to embark on a new path with his associate, Lars Bressers. "We wanted to do it our way." On Oct. 7, the company Tech Seals was officially launched. Gerard explains that Tech Seals focuses on guiding software and data professionals from South Africa and South America to the Netherlands. "There is a high demand for specialized talent that cannot be found enough locally. Despite political changes, we believe that knowledge migrants remain essential to the Dutch economy," he adds. This belief drives Tech Seals' mission and helps companies find the expertise they need to grow in an increasingly competitive market.
Growing with a personal touch
Tech Seals has continued its partnership with HeadFirst. Gerard praises Soraya Westerman, their permanent point of contact within HeadFirst: "Soraya fully understands our needs. Thanks to her and the team at HeadFirst, we have achieved many successful deals in the past." Clearly, the strong relationship with HeadFirst is crucial to Tech Seals' growth. Gerard has witnessed HeadFirst's impressive growth closely over the past few years.
"It is impressive to see how the organization has grown, but the personal touch has always been retained. That makes our cooperation unique."
With the renewed partnership on the horizon, Tech Seals looks forward to exciting opportunities. Gerard says, "We have great opportunities to pick up tenders together, where we can work together as partners. This opens many doors, especially with clients where we are not yet active." Gerard is proud of the bond he has built with HeadFirst and believes this partnership provides a solid foundation for the future. "Together with HeadFirst we are going to realize many more great projects. We share the same ambition and vision, and that makes us a strong team." These words reflect the confidence he has in the future of both Tech Seals and the collaboration with HeadFirst.
HeadFirst Group joins Topsport Community: Striving together for top performance
HeadFirst Group is all about connecting people, innovation and knowledge sharing. We build a winning work environment, where "together" and "better every day" is a given. By promoting a culture of winning and working together, we strive to achieve the best performance together. In doing so, we see a 1-to-1 parallel with (top) sports. Therefore, we are proud to announce that we have officially joined the Topsport Community, founded by Pieter van den Hoogenband, Olympic swimming champion and 'chef de mission' of TeamNL in Paris 2024.
Our CEO, Marion van Happen, expresses her enthusiasm about the collaboration, "The collaboration with Topsport Community is a very logical step forward for us. Sport has the unique power to connect people, which fits perfectly with our core value 'Connecting people'. By fostering a culture of winning and working together, we strive to achieve the best performance together.Another core value of our organization is 'Learn every day,' which also matches very well with sports. The way top athletes work every day to go 0.1 second faster and 1 centimeter further, that is the mentality we at HeadFirst Group also have and want to encourage even more. In Topsport Community we have found a partner that will boost our goals in this area. The power of the community is going to help us."
Pieter van den Hoogenband, founder of the Topsport Community, is looking forward to the cooperation: "HeadFirst Group is a fantastic company that understands what we want to achieve with the Topsport Community: connecting worlds of top sport, science and business and sharing knowledge. So that we move forward together. HeadFirst Group breathes top sport: they are curious and want to perform. We therefore look forward to the cooperation."
This collaboration is more than just a partnership; it is a shared ambition to grow and innovate. Together with the Topsport Community, we want to bridge sports, science and business to achieve the best results. Whether it's improving our working environment or stimulating personal growth, at HeadFirst Group we believe that together we can get further.
HeadFirst Group introduces Striive: revolutionizing the flex market
Striive takes its place as the largest and most user-friendly assignment platform in the Benelux region
HR-tech service provider HeadFirst Group launches assignments platform Striive, the largest and most user-friendly in the Benelux. Striive helps professionals find new challenges, supports suppliers in matching assignments with their talent and assists clients in their search for the best candidates. The platform is revolutionary in ease of use and uniquely uses artificial intelligence (AI) to connect supply and demand. In addition, Striive offers innovative services to fully support professionals in their entrepreneurship.
Connector between tech and touch
HeadFirst Group believes in - and fights for - a fair, open job market where technology and human touch go hand in hand. In this "next world of work," Striive takes the position of excellent connector. Every year, the platform brings together more than twenty thousand assignments at over five hundred leading organizations in one place. In doing so, it offers easily accessible new career opportunities for professionals, self-employed or employed by suppliers.
Mattijs Wassenburg, Managing Director Digital at HeadFirst Group, explains: "Our goal with Striive is to make all assignments in the market available in one online place for all professionals, regardless of contract form. Ease of use is hugely important in this regard. We rebuilt the platform from the ground up, based on thousands of reviews, user interviews and data analysis. Independent professionals and suppliers on our platform have four primary needs: 1) challenging assignments with reputable clients, 2) minimal red tape, 3) prompt payment of invoices, and 4) personal contact when they want it. Striive fulfills the first three needs, giving my colleagues more time for the fourth: the human touch."
Innovating on top of powerful foundation
Striive occupies a unique position within the Benelux flex market, but its ambitions extend further. HeadFirst Group recently joined forces with Impellam, which offers global opportunities. Wassenburg comments, "Striive is easily scalable to other countries, which does not take away from the fact that the main focus of my product team is now on further innovation on top of the strong foundation. Our ambitious goal is for users to be able to complete the contract process in Striive within 15 minutes on a mobile device. We have already reduced the run time by more than 50%, but we will keep going until we achieve our goal."
In addition, Wassenburg is working on the best matching service based on AI, combined with the expertise of HeadFirst Group's experienced recruiters. "We already have a user-friendly benchmarking tool that allows professionals to compare their value with peers. Soon we will add an AI-driven resume checker that performs a fit-gap analysis between the resume and the assignment. These innovations, along with various insurance and personal development tools, among others, fully support professionals in their entrepreneurship so they can focus on their assignment."
Curious about the new Striive platform? Visit striive.com.
HeadFirst Group strengthens second place in Flex Market Revenue Ranking 2024 with impressive organic revenue growth
In 2024, HeadFirst Group once again captured the second position in the renowned Flexmarkt Turnover Ranking Top-100. The HR-tech service provider achieved revenue growth of €333.3 million in the Netherlands during the year 2023, entirely organically.
For the year 2022, HeadFirst Group recorded a Dutch turnover of €1.93 billion. In 2023, this rose to €2.26 billion, a growth of more than 17%. In addition, there was a nice increase in employee satisfaction of almost 10%, an achievement that says a lot about the organization's vibrant work culture and its commitment to growing talent. Equally important is the increase in satisfaction among clients, suppliers and independent professionals, with 31 points in the NPS.
CEO Marion van Happen: "We set ambitious goals for 2023, driven by our core values. I am immensely proud that we have not only met but exceeded these goals. This underlines our determination to not only meet expectations, but to rise above them. Our team's passion, drive and effort drive our performance. This makes us leaders in HR tech services in thought leadership, talent intelligence and innovation."
Van Happen continues: "In 2024, we will continue our existing strategy. We want to realize our vision of being technology agnostic for all our stakeholders, with our platforms Striive, ProUnity and OpenTalent at the center. By making smart use of automation and AI, we can further digitize the end-to-end process so that we can add our personal touch at the moments when it really adds value. Beyond our core business, we are taking the lead in moving toward a just, diverse and inclusive labor market. We are building an even more sustainable organization so that we can provide value to the society around us. Our ambition is to be the first HR tech company to become Bcorp certified this year."
All annual figures
Earlier this year, HeadFirst Group presented its annual figures, including international divisions, with a record turnover of 2.6 billion. This is a fully organic growth of 21% compared to 2022. The annual report of HeadFirst Group can be read and downloaded from the Investor relations page.
About Flexmarkt Turnover Ranking Top-100
The Flexmarkt Turnover Ranking Top-100 is a leading ranking of flex companies, from small to large, offering a variety of services in staffing and hiring. In addition to staffing agencies, it includes numerous payroll companies, as well as secondment companies, zzp intermediaries and MSP service providers. The list is published annually by Flexmarkt in cooperation with Corporate Finance International (CFI). In terms of turnover, it covers more than half of the total Dutch flex industry and thus provides a clear, representative picture of developments in the market.