What CAOP does

CAOP is an independent Dutch foundation (Stichting CAOP) that operates as a knowledge and collaboration partner for the Dutch public sector, focused on labor market issues, learning and development, and the quality of public administration. Founded in 1995 and headquartered in The Hague with a secondary office in Utrecht, it serves national and local government, primary/secondary/vocational education, healthcare (hospitals, elderly and disability care), defense, the security sector, and the sports sector, acting as a neutral intermediary between employers and employee representatives. CAOP is also a manager of numerous sectoral A&O funds (arbeidsmarkt- en opleidingsfondsen) including A+O fonds Gemeenten, A+O fonds Rijk, Samen Presteren, LerarenOntwikkelFonds, StAZ, and the Sociaal Fonds Particuliere Beveiliging.

CAOP's offering is a service-platform rather than a software product. The five service lines are Advies (advisory), Onderzoek (research), Ondersteuning (support services such as independent commissions, reporting points, and secretariat support), Opleidingen (training programs including the €2,700 four-day Vertrouwenspersoon program), and Management (facilitation and team development such as the €2,995 Dilemmamethode). Notable proprietary assets include the Meting & Analyse Sociale Veiligheid (M&ASV) measurement instrument, the Dilemmamethode team-development methodology, a serious games portfolio for social innovation (Buurtgenoten, palliative care variants), and a dedicated communications team of roughly 30 professionals serving public-sector marketing functions. The organization also houses the independent Bureau Ombudsfunctionaris Politie and operates academic chairs (Ien Dales Leerstoel, Transities in de Publieke Sector).

Revenue is generated primarily through project- and retainer-based advisory engagements, fixed-fee training programs, fund management and administration fees, and subsidy application support (notably MDIEU). Pricing is largely quote-based, with VAT-exempt training under CAOP's CRKBO registration. The customer base is heavily skewed to Dutch public-sector employers, social partners, and government ministries, with no disclosed revenue figures; distribution runs through managed A+O fund networks, direct expert-to-client engagement, and thought-leadership channels (publications, events, academic chairs). CAOP has ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certifications and is a private non-profit foundation with no parent company or external investors.

Name

CAOP

Legal name

Stichting CAOP

Website

https://caop.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CAOP is an independent Dutch foundation that advises the Dutch public sector on labor-market, learning, social-safety, and integrity matters, manages numerous sectoral A+O funds, and provides training, research, and facilitation services to government, healthcare, education, defense, and security employers and unions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Sector Advisory Services

NAICS

Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support (921), Administration of Economic Programs (9261)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Contract Administration Support (PO/Contract Compliance) (BPAAAJAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Executive Office / Cabinet Secretariat (BPAIAAAA)

Keywords

• Public sector advisory
• Labor market services
• Social safety consulting
• Workforce training programs
• Sector fund management

Headquarters

HQ city

Den Haag

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Advisory and Consulting Services: CAOP generates revenue by providing paid advisory services to public sector organizations, social partners, and employers on topics including labor relations, sustainable employability, organizational development, social safety, integrity, and HR policy. Fees are typically project- or retainer-based.
2. Training and Education Programs: CAOP delivers fee-based training programs, including the 4-day Vertrouwenspersoon (Confidential Advisor) training (€2,700 per participant) and team development sessions such as the Dilemmamethode (€2,995 per team). Training is offered both publicly and as in-company programs.
3. Fund Management and Administration: CAOP manages numerous A&O funds (arbeidsmarkt- en opleidingsfondsen) for various public sector branches. These funds are financed by social partner contributions and administer subsidy programs, training initiatives, and labor market projects on behalf of sectoral social partners.
4. Subsidy Application Support (MDIEU and Sector Funds): CAOP supports organizations in preparing and submitting MDIEU (Maatwerkregeling Duurzame Inzetbaarheid en Eerder Uittreden) subsidy applications and administers subsidy-funded activities on behalf of sector labor market funds. Revenue is derived from project fees for application support and implementation management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CAOP is an independent knowledge and collaboration partner for the Dutch public sector, providing advisory, research, training, management, and support services focused on work, learning, and public administration. The organization manages numerous sectoral labor market and training (A&O) funds and houses independent reporting infrastructure such as the police ombudsfunctionaris. Its clients include government ministries, educational institutions, healthcare organizations, defense, and the security sector.

Product overview

CAOP is an independent knowledge and collaboration partner for the public sector specializing in labor market and learning issues, and strengthening public administration. The organization operates as a platform of interconnected services rather than a single unified product, offering advisory services (Adviesdiensten), research (Onderzoeksdiensten), support services (Ondersteuningsdiensten), training programs (Opleidingen), and management services (Managementdiensten). Core expertise areas include quality of public administration, future of work, learning and development, employee wellbeing, labor relations, and co-determination. Key products include the Meting & Analyse Sociale Veiligheid (M&ASV) assessment tool, Platform Naar Werk for career guidance, Serious Games for social innovation, the 4-day Vertrouwenspersoon training, and team development via the dilemma method. CAOP also provides specialized personnel services including external confidential advisors and ombudsman function support, all built on a foundation of expert knowledge in labor relations and social safety.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Platform Naar Werk: Platform launched in early 2022 to help career professionals with tools to guide job seekers toward work with perspective.
• allesuitjezelf.nl

Products and services

• Opleiding Vertrouwenspersoon (4-day Confidential Advisor Training) A four-day training program preparing participants for confidential advisory work covering integrity, unwanted behavior, labor disputes, and reporting. Designed for individuals serving or preparing to serve as confidential advisors (vertrouwenspersonen) in organizations.
• Teamontwikkeling via Dilemmamethode (Team Development via Dilemma Method) A team development approach using dilemmas to create mutual understanding, generate buy-in for decisions, and improve team relations. Delivered in three-hour sessions with 6-15 participants using drawn situations and visual summaries.
• Meting & Analyse Sociale Veiligheid (M&ASV) A proprietary assessment instrument measuring how socially safe employees feel at work, with customizable questionnaires covering personal experience, work culture, learning culture, unwanted behavior, organizational policy, and leadership influence. Includes analysis by CAOP advisors and researchers.
• Serious Games for Social Innovation Custom-developed playful conversation formats and games (board games, card games, role-playing variants) designed to make complex societal topics concrete and discussable. Used as facilitation tools for dialogue between policymakers, professionals, residents, and citizens.
• Platform Naar Werk A platform providing career professionals with tools and resources to guide job seekers toward work with perspective. Launched in early 2022 and grown with new activities organized around it.
• Externe Vertrouwenspersonen (External Confidential Advisors) A pool of trained external confidential advisors providing independent support on social safety and integrity matters to organizations in public and private sectors.
• Ombudsfunctionaris (Independent Ombudsman Function) Independent ombudsman function for organizations, including housing, ICT support, and operational assistance. CAOP houses the Bureau Ombudsfunctionaris Politie, providing office space, ICT infrastructure, and front-office support to ensure full independence from police systems.
• Communicatie en Marketing (Communication and Marketing Services) Full communication and marketing services including strategic advisory, digital accessibility for government websites, communities and platforms, campaigns, online/hybrid events, content creation, website development, data analysis, and press relations.
• Onderwijs op Maat Gehandicaptenzorg (Customized Education for Disability Care) A flexible educational pathway system for adults in disability care that uses competency-based learning units to allow individuals to obtain recognized qualifications faster based on previously acquired competencies.
• allesuitjezelf.nl Professional Development Platform A professional development platform for municipal employees, developed in collaboration with A+O fonds Gemeenten including content strategy, copywriting, content production, and editorial management.
• LerarenOntwikkelFonds (LOF) Teacher Development Fund Management Management and facilitation of the LerarenOntwikkelFonds, including budget administration, jury coordination, and LOF-lab facilitation for teachers in primary, secondary, and vocational education. Supports teacher innovation subsidies.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,337 LOF applications received, 727 approved, 100+ MBO pioneers since 2016
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap (OCW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAOP has been commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of OCW for multiple initiatives, including hosting the LerarenOntwikkelFonds (LOF) since January 2019, conducting the governance and medezeggenschap research in funderend onderwijs (2022–2023), and supporting the Bevoegdhedencommissie nieuwe vakken vo. The ministry also directed the transfer of LOF, Leraar24 support, and Bevoegdhedencommissie tasks to CAOP.
• Politie (Dutch Police)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAOP houses the Bureau Ombudsfunctionaris Politie (OFP), providing the ombudsfunctionaris with office space, ICT infrastructure, and front-office support for handling reports of social safety, integrity, and health issues from police employees. The arrangement ensures the ombudsfunctionaris is fully independent from police systems, with the service contract extended indefinitely after positive evaluation in 2022.
• RegioplanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAOP collaborated with Regioplan and Leeuwendaal on a research commission from OCW into governance and medezeggenschap (employee participation) in primary and secondary education. CAOP contributed research expertise alongside Regioplan's research capabilities and Leeuwendaal's education sector knowledge.
• LeeuwendaalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAOP collaborated with Leeuwendaal and Regioplan on the OCW-commissioned governance and medezeggenschap research in funderend onderwijs. Leeuwendaal contributed education sector advisory expertise to the research partnership.
• SkillsTownminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSkillsTown collaborated with CAOP on knowledge transfer and sustainable employee development, combining SkillsTown's studio capabilities with CAOP's expertise on sustainable employability. The collaboration enables knowledge sharing and continuous improvement for workers through shared studio facilities.
• A+O fonds GemeentencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAOP supports A+O fonds Gemeenten with communication and editorial services, including the launch and content production for allesuitjezelf.nl, a professional development platform for municipal employees. The fund relies on CAOP for content strategy, copywriting, content collection, and editorial management.
• Stichting Arbeidsmarkt Ziekenhuizen (StAZ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAOP prepared and submitted the MDIEU subsidy application on behalf of StAZ for the hospital sector and manages related administrative processes. The partnership covers sustainable employability activities including coaching, caregiver support, healthy team scheduling, and early retirement provisions for hospital workers.
• Arbeidsmarktfonds Samen PresterencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAOP houses and administers the arbeidsmarktfonds Samen Presteren for the sports sector. The fund supports training, professional development, and labor market initiatives for sports sector employees. CAOP provides subsidy application support, meeting preparation, and ongoing facilitation for the fund's board.
• Stichting IZZcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAOP partnered with Stichting IZZ to co-develop 'Samen Werken aan Gezond Werken,' a dialogue-based methodology for promoting healthy working practices in healthcare organizations. The six-step methodology was piloted across six healthcare organizations, with CAOP providing training for conversation leaders and IZZ contributing the dialogue methodology.
• Vereniging Gehandicaptenzorg Nederland (VGN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAOP was commissioned by VGN to develop 'Onderwijs op Maat Gehandicaptenzorg,' a flexible educational pathway system for adults in disability care. CAOP led the project in collaboration with healthcare institutions, training providers, and EVC (Erkenning van Competenties) assessors. The approach uses competency-based learning units allowing adults to obtain recognized qualifications faster.
• CinopminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCinop served as strategic learning partner in the Onderwijs op Maat Gehandicaptenzorg project, defining learning outcomes and competency assessments for the developed learning units in collaboration with CAOP and sector stakeholders.
• Kennisland (now part of CAOP's Social Innovation team)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKennisland developed the 'Buurtgenoten' board game for Drentse healthcare organizations, which was subsequently integrated into CAOP's serious games portfolio. Kennisland's social design methodology is now embodied in CAOP's Social Innovation team.
• Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (NPO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAOP conducted research and operated a confidential reporting point for the OGCO (Onderzoekscommissie Gedrag en Cultuur Omroepen) established by the NPO Board to investigate culture and unwanted behavior at public broadcasters.
• Bewegen WerktminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAOP director Marjolijn Olde Monnikhof delivered a keynote at Bewegen Werkt's 25th anniversary congress, addressing the connection between health, physical activity, and socioeconomic inequality in the Netherlands, and exploring how CAOP's work through the Beweegalliantie, Missie Mentaal, and Alles is Gezondheid supports Bewegen Werkt's mission.
• Onderzoekscommissie Gedrag en Cultuur Omroepen (OGCO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAOP conducted the research for the OGCO, which was established by the NPO Board to investigate systemic patterns of unwanted behavior at public broadcasters. CAOP researchers designed and distributed questionnaires, conducted interviews, performed document research, and operated a confidential reporting point. CAOP also provided legal support and communications for the commission.
• Sociaal Fonds Particuliere Beveiliging (SFPB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SFPB transferred to CAOP on July 1, 2020, along with most of its staff, expanding CAOP's fund management to the private security sector. CAOP had already supported various funds within the security domain, and the addition of SFPB brought a fund from outside the public sector.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• A+O fonds Gemeenten: Municipal labor-market fund that CAOP both manages and supports with communication services (allesuitjezelf.nl). Included as an ecosystem counterpart rather than competitor; illustrates the fund-management model that is core to CAOP's revenue mix.
• Instituut Gak: Dutch foundation that co-finances social-innovation and labor-market projects (e.g., CAOP-IZZ 'Samen Werken aan Gezond Werken'). Comparable as an ecosystem counterpart — funder of similar programs rather than direct competitor — operating in the same Dutch public-sector labor-market space.

Emerging players

• Kennisland: Dutch social innovation organization whose methodology now lives inside CAOP's Social Innovation team. Comparable as a fellow social-innovation methodology provider; partial overlap because key Kennisland practitioners and assets have been absorbed into CAOP.

Broad incumbents

• USG Restart: Larger Dutch outplacement, career, and HR-services firm operating across multiple sectors. Comparable to CAOP in adjacent workforce-transition services (career guidance, sustainable employability), with broader commercial reach and productized delivery.

Direct peers

• Regioplan: Dutch research and consulting firm specializing in labor market, education, and social policy research. Directly comparable as a co-research partner with CAOP on OCW-commissioned governance and medezeggenschap studies, serving the same Dutch public-sector ecosystem.
• Berenschot: Large Dutch management consultancy with a substantial public-sector practice covering labor relations, HR policy, and organizational development. Closely comparable to CAOP in target market (Dutch public sector) and service lines (HR advisory, sector studies, works council support).
• Cinop: Dutch education-sector advisory and labor-market research firm. Comparable to CAOP as a strategic learning partner on the Onderwijs op Maat Gehandicaptenzorg project and overlapping in competency-based learning and labor-market research for Dutch public sectors.
• WagenaarHoes: Dutch organizational and HR consultancy serving public and semi-public sector clients. Comparable to CAOP in offering works-council support, leadership development, and labor-relations advisory within the same Dutch market.
• Leeuwendaal: Dutch consultancy focused on public-sector HR, organizational development, and governance advisory. Direct comparable because Leeuwendaal serves the same Dutch public-sector employer and works-council client base, often as co-research partner with CAOP (e.g., on OCW governance research).
• Sardes: Dutch education-sector research and consulting organization. Comparable because CAOP's Manager Onderzoek & Innovatie (Heleen Versteegen) operates from a Sardes email address, indicating close collaboration in Dutch education research and policy advisory.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQ_hdJJJ4ZdU5aZDJX3Z0LA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/caop

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CAOP