Belgium: InBev announces its intention to reduce employee-base at global headquarters

Having completed its effectiveness study of structures and processes in the global headquarters, InBev S.A. communicated on October 13 its proposed plan to reduce the number of positions at its operational headquarters in Leuven, Belgium.

The proposed organization aims to create clear responsibilities and to eliminate overlapping or duplicated processes and activities across functions, as well as across Zones and GHQ, taking into account the right match of employee profiles with the new organizational requirements.

The implementation of the proposed plan would lead to a collective dismissal of a maximum of 60 people, on a current total of about 400 positions.

However, InBev anticipates that a minimum of 15 dismissals could be avoided by transferring employees to new positions within the newly proposed organization structure.

To this end, and based on the study’s findings, consultation with the social partners will start as of today, as well as consultation of each of the global functions. This can be expected to take a few weeks.

Following these consultations, InBev will take its final decision and disclose, at that time, the expected organizational and financial impacts.

InBev is a publicly traded company based in Leuven, Belgium. The company's origins date back to 1366, and today it is the leading global brewer by volume.

13 October, 2005