The promotion of internal talent is a key strategic objective at HelloFresh. In order to identify employees with high potential and to support them in further developing their careers within our company, we launched the Future Leaders Program.

There are three main goals of the Future Leaders Program: First and foremost, individuals have the opportunity to learn and further develop their careers. Secondly, participants are prepared to take on potential leadership roles throughout the program. Last but not least, they are encouraged to expand their global, internal network, benefiting from HelloFresh’s worldwide presence - in 14 markets across the globe and with colleagues from over 77 different nations.

“Our internal talent development program is currently taking place for the second year in a row. Participants are selected by their line managers based on their performance and their potential to become a future leader. Women and men are equally represented in the program. Equal opportunities are particularly important to us”, explains Gudrun Leibl, Global Learning & Development Lead at HelloFresh. “The advantage of a program like this is that we can fill high-level positions with internal resources. This means that we are less dependent on filling vacancies externally - a win-win situation”, Gudrun continues.

The 2020 Future Leaders Program at a glance:

• Lasts two years

• Around 20 to 30 participants annually

• 50% gender distribution

• Exclusively for HelloFresh employees

• Nomination by line lead 

Future leaders "made by HelloFresh"

So far the Future Leaders Program has proven successful. Both COOs for the Benelux markets as well as the Managing Director in France were participants before advancing to their current roles . 

Georgiana Ciobotaru, Associate Director of Product explains: “I was part of the first cohort of the Future Leaders Program at HelloFresh and I really enjoyed seeing it develop along the way. There are so many great opportunities that I was able to take advantage of so far. These include mentorship from a great senior leader in HelloFresh and working on a strategic project with my fellow Future Leaders colleagues across the world, with whom I wouldn’t normally work. Managing different time zones for Australia, the US and Europe was not easy at all, but it was definitely fun. Over time I realized most of us share the same ambitions but also problems! I am looking forward to what the program holds for us next year."

The three key pillars of the program

The Future Leaders program is made up of three central elements. These include:

1. Development opportunities

Individual learning and development opportunities make up a large part of the program. Participants receive a budget for external L&D and they are offered internal workshops in which they can gain deeper insights into topics around crisis communication, storytelling or people management. During regular strategy updates, participants have the opportunity to talk to our founders.

2. Mentoring

For the duration of the program all participants are paired with mentors who are experienced senior colleagues, often from other teams and locations. They meet regularly to discuss everything from career plans to how to resolve potential challenges.

3. Special projects

Every three to four months, all participants have the opportunity to apply to collaborate on tackling real cases. These projects have a potentially high business impact and candidates develop solutions and measures for industry-specific challenges. Often, these are directly put into action. Previous FLP projects that have now been implemented are, for example, the current Fast Stream GraduateProgram as well as a number of sustainability initiatives.  today's Fast Stream Graduate Program as well as a number of sustainability initiatives.

Susanna Dunham, Director CRM Conversion says: “The Future Leadership programme at HelloFresh is a great platform for high performers to develop their leadership skills. From internal and external leadership training, to the opportunity to participate in cross-functional Task Force projects, this programme has helped me harness my leadership skills, develop my confidence and connect with colleagues across the globe. I've really relished the opportunity to be part of the Future Leadership community.”