Association Management in the 2000's: A Tumultuous Start to the New Millennium

Association Management in Times of Turbulent Change

Welcome to this blog celebrating Lejeune’s 60th anniversary. In the run-up to the anniversary conference on Thursday 31st October, we have published a series of blogs, reflecting on the six decades of Lejeune Association Management. For each decade, we will discuss the context of world history, economic, social, and governance developments, and how our office has continuously evolved in response to these changes.

The 2000s: A Tumultuous Start to the New Millennium From Y2K and 9/11 to the Credit Crisis, EU Expansion, and the Digital Revolution

The year 2000 was eagerly anticipated, partly due to concerns about the Millennium Bug. While 'Y2K' turned out to be much ado about nothing, the transition to the 21st century was anything but calm. It was not 1 January 2000, but 11 September 2001 (9/11) that became the defining moment of the era. The 'War on Terror' in Afghanistan and Iraq had long-lasting geopolitical consequences. Later, the credit crisis following the collapse of Lehman Brothers threatened to destabilise the global financial system.

The EU expanded from 15 to 27 member states in 2004 and 2007, incorporating countries that had once been behind the Iron Curtain. These nations embarked on a recovery path similar to the post-war reconstruction experienced by the original EU member states.

In the Netherlands, the assassination of author and revolutionary political newcomer Pim Fortuyn on the eve of the 2002 parliamentary elections caused a political earthquake. Globalisation and market integration led to consolidation, increased flexibility, and growing labour mobility across Europe. The introduction of the euro as a common currency on 1 January 2002 marked another step in European unification, although it took years before converting to old national prices became obsolete.

Digitalisation profoundly transformed societies. Alongside the 'Dotcom Bubble' in stock markets, 'Web 2.0', social media, and smartphones emerged, revolutionising daily life. Sector associations had to adapt to these changes.

Afbeelding gegenereerd met Dall-E

Global Supply Chains and Division of Labour

In the new millennium, China's accession to the World Trade Orgnaisation WTO spurred its growth as the 'Factory of the World.' Other BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, and South Africa) also developed rapidly. Thomas Friedman’s The World is Flat (2005) described how new technologies integrated countries like China and India into the global supply chain for goods and services, resulting in explosive middle-class growth and increased prosperity in emerging markets.

EU Expansion

The EU's eastward expansion sparked new labour and capital flows. Young, well-educated citizens from new member states moved westward, where ageing workforces and a younger generation increasingly focused on the service sector. Meanwhile, public and private capital flowed into the new member states to modernise economies and infrastructure. Western investors acquired companies or relocated production eastward

Industry Consolidation and Impact on Sector Associations

Global supply chain integration and European market unification also influenced the sector associations supported by Lejeune. In the packaging sector, the European Carton Makers Association (ECMA) established a 'Multinational Branch' for companies with multiple locations and introduced European delivery terms and an e-commerce protocol. This responded to the growing trend of European tenders and e-procurement.

In the flexible packaging sector, Flexible Packaging Europe (FPE) was formed to provide a unified voice in European debates on packaging and the environment. However, consolidation led to a rapid decline in FPE membership, prompting the organisation to merge into the broader European aluminium foil association (EAFA).

European competition law became increasingly important for sector associations during this period, leading to stricter internal rules and guidelines for intra-industry collaboration.

Hybrid Collaboration on a European Scale

Within European industry structures, priorities shifted, with large companies focusing more on European advocacy. Thanks to their size and networks, these companies required less knowledge-sharing support from associations but still depended on collaboration with small and medium-sized enterprises for joint lobbying. This gave rise to a hybrid organisational model, where large corporations joined both European umbrella organisations and national associations. Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Turkey became popular conference destinations. Globally, China and India replaced the US and Japan as preferred locations for study trips.

In 2001, with the support of the European Union, a matchmaking event took place in New Delhi between European and Indian label printing companies (source: FINAT).

The year 2000 was approached with a sense of anticipation, partly due to the feared Millennium Bug. 'Y2K' turned out to be much ado about nothing.

The 2000s saw an increase in individualisation, driven partly by technological advances enabling personalised products and services. In the Netherlands, the Flexibility and Security Act led to a rise in self-employed professionals and a decline in union membership. Traditional institutions such as churches and families lost influence.

Paradoxically, while commercial enterprises embraced membership models to build customer loyalty, associations began treating their members as customers, offering special member benefits, discounts, and exclusive services. The principle of "What's in it for me?" gained importance in associations.

Web 2.0 and Sociale Media

The advent of Web 2.0 and social media reinforced the trend toward individualisation. Platforms like Google, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter enabled individuals to create and share content and build online networks—functions previously dominated by media companies and associations.

The launch of the iPhone in 2007 made these media permanently accessible and boosted the popularity of 'selfies,' further emphasising individuality. The rise of digital content and media increasingly impacted print media. Publishers, associations, and individuals found their domains overlapping in content creation, networking, and engagement.

Kyoto Protocol

The Kyoto Protocol came into force in 2005, imposing obligations on industrialised nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The need for climate action became increasingly apparent, as evidenced by subsequent agreements such as the Paris Climate Accord, the European Green Deal, and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

The Lejeune Story

Mans Lejeune relinquished operational responsibilities in the late 1990s and was knighted as a Member of the Order of Orange-Nassau in 1997. On 1 January 2002, he officially handed over the business to Jules. The transfer was agreed in guilders but finalised in euros. Mans remained active as an unpaid advisor, editor, and landlord of the office on Laan Copes, where Lejeune was based.

Shortly after Kartoflex, one of “his” associations, received the designation ‘Royal’ in 2006, long-time colleague Herman Voskamp—widely respected in both the packaging and recycling sectors—passed away unexpectedly. This period also marked a generational shift in staffing for many key clients.

Ter gelegenheid van haar 100-jarig bestaan ontving opdrachtgever Kartoflex in 2006 het predicaat ‘Koninklijk’. Enkele weken na de ceremonie overleed secretaris Herman Voskamp. Van links naar rechts: Commissaris van de Koningin van Zuid-Holland, J. Franssen, Mans Lejeune en Henk Schoorl - Inzet toenmalig voorzitter Kartoflex Voskamp

The period following the turn of the century saw a generational shift in staffing for various major clients. It would go too far to recall all the names of clients and individuals from Lejeune's past, but at Kartoflex (carton and flexible packaging), management came into the hands of Hans van Schaik and Hélene van ’t Hoff. At the recycling organisations FNOI (waste paper) and MRF (metal recycling), Hans Koning formed a team with Henriëtte Jongbloed and Lisanne Lejeune (later joined by Hielke van den Brink in the recycling team). For FINAT (labels), the team came to include Jules Lejeune, Taco Zevenbergen, Jakovina van Haeringen, and Manon Kienjet (later succeeded by Elke Verbaarschot). Astrid Lejeune led Afera, supported by Stephanie Feith. The associations in the flexible packaging sector were supported, until FPE’s departure, by Roger Loop, Wouter Thalen, and Barbara Ginter. The latter succeeded Astrid Willems in 2007 at ECMA and Pro Carton (folding carton), where she formed a team with secretary Jules Lejeune and Angela Ashruf. Over the course of the decade, Marten Zwaving, Arianne Vijge, Rogier Krabbendam, and Mark Macaré also joined to strengthen association management for other organisations.

In the financial department, Cora van der Lek joined, and Richard Elings strengthened the team; after his departure, Marrie Rijkaart took over and also assumed responsibilities for human resources. The Management Team was expanded with Lisanne Lejeune as Office Manager, responsible for operational tasks.

Company hockey team Lejeune 2002/2003

The significantly younger team at Lejeune also made its mark beyond the office walls. During those years, the mixed corporate hockey team won the Hague corporate competition multiple times and reached the national finals on several occasions. The annual ‘Outdoor Day’ became a showcase of creativity, sportsmanship, and camaraderie. ‘Lejeune Sector Days’, such as those held at Cap Gemini in Utrecht and the Port of Rotterdam, strengthened ties with clients and other stakeholders in the association world.

To be continued

Jules Lejeune

Six Decades of Lejeune Association Management. Read all the blogs via the links below: