Terug naar de homepage Logo MDL Fonds
Lees in het Nederlands
Listen

Organisation

In January 2025, we changed our Dutch name to MDL Fonds. The new name better reflects the work of gastrointestinal doctors. Our new name is shorter and more powerful. This strength is necessary, because we are committed to the as many as four million Dutch people with a disease of the stomach, intestine, liver, oesophagus, gallbladder or pancreas who visit a GP or gastroenterologist every year. The addition of ‘Fonds’ (Fund) in our name further emphasises that we can only exist thanks to donations. The Dutch Association of gastroenterologists is also happy with the new name. Chair Dr Manon Spaander: ‘Good that the name now matches the field of gastrointestinal disorders. That includes some 200 different disorders and millions of patients suffering from them. Together with the Dutch Digestive Health Fund, we hope to make even more money available for research into gastrointestinal disorders.’ 

I think it's great that I can now contribute to the health of patients with an gastrointestinal disorder, together with all my colleagues.
Mariël Croon, director of the Dutch Digestive Health Fund
Read her story

Supervisory Board 

Since 2008, Dutch Digestive Health Fund works together with a Supervisory Board. The Supervisory Board oversees the achievement of the fund's objectives, supervises the work of the director and management team, and assists them with advice. The Board's statutory powers include approving the policy plan, the budget, the annual report and accounts and major investments. The director and management team are responsible for its implementation. 

The Supervisory Board consists of a minimum of five and a maximum of seven members and meets at least three times a year in the presence of the director. In addition, the Board has regular formal and informal contacts with the Dutch Digestive Health Fund director and management team. The Supervisory Board has an Audit Committee and an Appointing and Remuneration Committee. 

The Supervisory Board of Dutch Digestive Health Fund consists of the following people: 

Date in office: 1 July 2019
Committee: Acting chairman Nomination and remuneration committee

Area of work:

  • Gastroenterologist, Bowel and Liver physician, AMC Amsterdam
  • Professor of gastroenterology and liver, in particular neurogastroenterology and motility
  • Board member of the European Eosinophilic Oesophagitis Research Network EUREOS (since 2017)

Additional positions:

  • Chairman of the board Motility Section of the Dutch Society for Gastroenterology
  • Member Medical Ethical Review Committee AMC (since 2013)
  • Editor of the journal Neurogastroenterology and Motility (since 2016)
  • Chair of European EoE research Network EUREOS (since 2017)
  • Advisor to various biotech companies, pharmaceutical companies, CROs, investment firms and medical device manufacturers

Date in office: 1 November 2019
Committee: Member Appointment and Remuneration Committee

Area of work:

  • Director of Marketing, Communication and PR at Fontys University of Applied Sciences
  • Member of the Supervisory Board of Mildred Clinics

Date in office: 3 July 2023
Committee: Chairman Audit Committee

Area of work:

  • Independent consultant, former auditor

Date in office: 1 February 2024
Committee: Member Audit Committee

Area of work:

  • Programme manager/advisor healthy living environment, GGD Gooi and Vechtstreek

Additional positions:

  • Member of the ZonMw Pandemic Preparedness Committee
  • Member of the ZonMw Infectious Diseases & Resistance Committee
  • Member of patient panel of the Patients Federation

Date in office: 1 February 2024
Commission: Member of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee

Area of work:

  • Lawyer at Birkway

Date in office: 30 September 2024

Commission: Member of the Audit Committee

Area of work:

  • Van den Heuvel Corporate Counsel (Public Affairs, lobbying, governance advice, director civil society organisations)

Additional positions:

  • Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Midglas NV
  • Vice-chairman of the Supervisory Board of Centramed
  • Member of the Supervisory Board of Uniper Benelux
  • Member (external) Supervisory Board cooperative Vitelia
  • Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Sludge Processing Noord-Brabant
  • Vice-Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Vereniging Eigen Huis
  • Chairman Supervisory Board waste company Saver

Members of the Supervisory Board are appointed for a 4-year term. They can be reappointed once. 

Advisory Boards

Dutch Digestive Health Fund can always rely on various advisory boards for professional advice. 

The Scientific Advisory Board supports and advises the fund in deciding which research projects will be funded. It is also consulted when assessing the progress and completion of funded research. 

The Societal Advisory Council supports the fund in deciding which care-related projects will be funded. It is also consulted when assessing the progress and completion of subsidised care-related projects. 

About our advisory boards

Our ambassadors 

At Dutch Digestive Health Fund, we are proud of our ambassadors, who work to draw more attention to gastrointestinal diseases and the importance of research. With their personal stories and actions, they contribute to our mission: a healthy gut for everyone. 

Collaboration 

By working together, we as Dutch Digestive Health Fund can maximise our contribution to improving care. This is why we collaborate with, among others, many doctors and researchers in the gastrointestinal and liver field, various professional associations and more than 20 patient associations. In addition, Dutch Digestive Health Fund is a member of the sector organisation Goede Doelen Nederland (Charities in the Netherlands) and the Samenwerkende Gezondheidsfondsen (Collaborating Health Funds) and we participate in the Stichting Loterijacties Volksgezondheid (Foundation Lottery Public Health). Dutch Digestive Health Fund also cooperates with government institutions such as the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) and with companies for specific projects.  

Labels, codes of conduct and guidelines 

Dutch Digestive Health Fund is an ‘Approved Good Cause’ by the CBF (Dutch Fundraising Regulator). With this recognition, organisations show that they meet strict quality requirements. You can make a donation to an Accredited Charity with peace of mind because the organisation is proven to contribute to a better world, handle every euro with care, hold accountability and function independently audited by the CBF supervisory authority. For questions, complaints and a current list of recognised charities: www.cbf.nl. 

Transparency in one glance: The CBF Recognition Passport

The CBF Recognition Passport shows the most important information of an Accredited Charity in an unambiguous and neutral manner. Transparency in one glance, in other words. The passport contains qualitative information on the organisation‘s objective and activities as well as financial indicators. The latter have been validated by Regulator CBF (Toezichthouder CBF).

Donations to charity are tax deductible under certain conditions. One such condition is that the charity is recognised by the tax authorities as an Institution for General Benefit (ANBI). Dutch Digestive Health Fund has this so-called ANBI status. 

As an ANBI, Dutch Digestive Health Fund is obliged to publish details on its website in order to provide transparency about its activities and spending. Below is a list of the mandatory data and any reference to where you can find this information elsewhere on our website. 

Dutch Digestive Health Fund’s RSIN number is 007247849. As a donor, you will need this number in your tax return when claiming your gift deduction. 

The postal or visiting address, telephone number and e-mail address of the institution.

The objective and outline of the policy plan of Dutch Digestive Health Fund. See About us. 

The board composition of Dutch Digestive Health Fund, see above. 

The institution’s remuneration policy. Look at Employees. 

A current (annual) report of Dutch Digestive Health Fund’s activities. 

  • Personal Data Protection Act 
  • Database Act 
  • Telemarketing Code 
  • Telecommunications Act 
  • Privacy Guarantee (DDMA) 
  • DDMA Self-regulation codes 
  • IF Code of Conduct 
  • Dutch Advertising Code 
  • Letterbox Advertising, Door-to-Door Sampling and Direct Response Advertising Code 
  • Copyright Act 
  • Dutch Digestive Health Fund endorses the code of conduct of Goede Doelen Nederland 
About codes of conduct

Our positions

Our positions

Employees 

At Dutch Digestive Health Fund's office in Amersfoort, the Netherlands, a team of about 35 employees works to achieve Dutch Digestive Health Fund's goals of providing information on all gastrointestinal diseases and funding scientific research. Dutch Digestive Health Fund has a flat organisational structure. 

Personnel policy 

Dutch Digestive Health Fund places high demands on the professionalism and commitment of its employees. Results come first. In return, employees are given plenty of development opportunities. This keeps the work challenging for everyone and ensures that the right people with the right qualities are in the right jobs. 

Remuneration of the director 

The director of Dutch Digestive Health Fund receives remuneration in accordance with the ‘Regeling beloning directeur van goede doelen’ (Regulations for remuneration of directors of charities), approved by Goede Doelen Nederland. The director's annual salary for 2023 is €126,324 (including holiday pay, based on 12 months). 

History 

Dutch Digestive Health Fund was established in 1981 for anyone with gastrointestinal diseases. The focus was on scientific research, collaboration, support, prevention and education.