Geling Advies: rural development specialist

Green People Recruitment is celebrating its 15th anniversary, and to mark the occasion we’re visiting some of our clients for real conversations. What’s on their minds? What opportunities lie ahead in the sector? And what does good employment actually mean in practice? We sat down with Geling Advies to find out.

GS Adviesgroep (Geling Advies) has been a well-known name in rural development for years. With a team of around 20 employees, the agency provides rural entrepreneurs with tailored advice and full support, from design and permits to realization. Johan de Vos, senior consultant and co-owner, shares insights into their work, sector challenges and what it means to be an attractive employer.

We are Geling Advies, a consultancy that advises entrepreneurs in rural areas. The company was founded in 1986 by Harry Geling. In 2008, a management buyout took place, with my brother Cor de Vos – then the company’s longest-serving consultant – taking over the business. He invited me to join him in this new venture. Since then, we’ve been co-owners and senior advisors. On January 1st, 2023, Stijn de Crom became the third managing director. He has been with the company since 2007.

What we do? We handle applications for environmental permits, propose changes to zoning plans, apply for subsidies, and design agricultural buildings and barns for various animal species as well as residential buildings through our division Beness B.V.. We also advise on the Nature Conservation Act, perform nitrogen calculations, and conduct energy-saving assessments. In addition, we provide support with the Common Agricultural Policy.

Geling Advies B.V. and Stalbouw.NL B.V. do largely the same type of work and have been working together since 2016. Through these companies, we serve clients across the Netherlands. G&O Consult focuses on environmental research needed for permits, such as noise assessments, odor analyses and fine dust studies. Recently, there has been a growing demand for energy-saving studies, often triggered by environmental inspections.

We also have Beness B.V., a subsidiary of Geling Advies, which specializes in architecture. This division supports entrepreneurs who are transitioning to new activities or redeveloping land for housing. The architects at Beness design homes and commercial buildings and handle landscape integration. When additional expertise is needed, we involve colleagues from Geling Advies and/or G&O.

Essentially, anyone operating in rural areas is a potential client. Whether it’s agricultural companies, rural businesses or private individuals, we advise them on what is – and is not – possible at their location.

Right now, we’re seeing a lot of diversification among farmers. For example, they want to launch secondary activities such as farm shops or guest accommodations alongside traditional livestock farming. There’s also strong interest in sustainability as entrepreneurs are looking to reduce their energy use and become energy-neutral, for instance by installing solar panels or producing hydrogen as fuel for farm machinery.

Sustainability plays a major role, but it’s important to define it clearly. For example, organic livestock farming may seem more sustainable, but it often has a higher CO₂ footprint than conventional farming. That’s because production takes longer per unit and requires more resources.

We focus on whether a business is future-proof in its current location. Is there, for example, a Natura 2000 area nearby, or other restrictions? Entrepreneurs need to be aware of these factors so they can align their long-term strategy accordingly.

Right now, the government is offering many exit schemes for agricultural businesses. Many entrepreneurs want to take advantage of these to develop a new business model. Some switch to arable farming, others to agri-services or tourism. But not everything is allowed everywhere, and not every entrepreneur is suited to take a completely new direction.

Absolutely. We actively advise on energy-saving measures. At the same time, many new technologies that reduce emissions actually consume more energy, so this requires careful consideration.

Dutch legislation is already complex enough. If we take on a foreign project, we apply a Dutch approach. But foreign laws often require local knowledge. We can develop a Dutch-style plan, but it won’t always translate well elsewhere.

We always work in teams on various projects, and no two assignments are the same. Every location is unique, which makes the work varied and dynamic. We often train our own staff, as this profession isn’t something you can learn through a standard university or college program. That’s why we invest a lot of time and coaching, especially for junior consultants.

Here, every voice is heard. Employees are encouraged to contribute ideas for improving and streamlining processes. Every opinion matters. We work with task profiles and hold regular development meetings. It’s important to us that our people continue to grow, and we give them every opportunity to develop in a direction that excites them.

We also prioritize healthy working conditions, good collaboration and team spirit. We organize an annual staff outing where partners are welcome, a summer barbecue, a Christmas brunch and the traditional Friday afternoon drinks. The atmosphere is informal, with plenty of room for fun. Successes are celebrated together.