Regulations are the fundament of doing our business - that’s why it’s important to lead by example

Ilse, Global Regulatory Affairs Manager at FrieslandCampina, operates at the intersection of legislation and business. In this inspiring ambassador story, you’ll discover how she uses her expertise and strategic mindset to turn complex regulations into real opportunities. With a rare combination of commercial awareness and compliance focus, Ilse helps guide change and make an impact. A story about leadership, collaboration and creating value in a global context.

Regulatory Affairs: Connecting legislation and commerce

In my role as a Global Regulatory Affairs Manager, I work together with the Corporate Regulatory Affairs team and the Regulatory Affairs managers in the business groups. Regulatory Affairs is the discipline that deals with food and food safety related regulation that affects our business. In my team we are responsible for ensuring compliance with legislation of products and at production sites and ensuring consistent operations across locations. We share knowledge on specific topics and consolidate this in various tools and documents. 

The Corporate Regulatory Affairs team focuses more on advocacy, for instance by monitoring working groups from the European Commission and the European Dairy Association to make sure that we are aware of future regulations. This allows us to prepare for the long term and understand the potential impact for us. What I always say is: "Regulatory Affairs is navigating between the boundaries and giving direction; especially because legislation and its interpretation differ per country”. It’s a challenge, but at the same time also an opportunity to truly make a difference in a way that benefits our company.

 

Ilse Straver

Balancing commercial insight with regulatory compliance

My commercial background allows me to understand the pressure coming from the business, helping me assess risks and opportunities effectively. At FrieslandCampina, it's crucial to find the right balance between commercial interests and regulatory compliance, as mistakes can have significant business consequences.
 

After studying Food and Health at Wageningen, I worked in communication consultancy and as R&D and innovation manager in FMCG. Eventually, I joined FrieslandCampina, where I leverage my experience to connect regulatory requirements with the commercial side of the business. “What I really enjoy about my role is that I can connect changes in regulations with the commercial side of the business due to my background.”
 

Contribute to the Community

FrieslandCampina offers an informal yet strong network structure that I truly appreciate. "What I initially didn’t expect is that, even in such a large company, you still have enough room to make a difference." It’s great to work in a team that focuses on delivering high quality and is constantly striving for improvement. Although sustainability seems not in the core of our work, it is in our DNA and we closely monitor all developments regarding sustainability claims as this topic is gaining traction. As a large company, we need to set a good example and we can’t afford to make many mistakes. That makes the work challenging, but also incredibly valuable. "It feels good to contribute every day to FrieslandCampina's larger mission: better food for the world and a better life for our farmers." - Ilse, Global Regulatory Affairs Manager

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