2019 was the first full year in which the NS works councils carried out their tasks in the new composition following the works council elections. During that first year they invested in training and in building constructive partnerships with management. Another key theme for the employee participation bodies in 2019 was innovation. They discussed new forms of collaboration and digital innovations. Preparations for the new strategic course of NS also demanded considerable attention during the year. The informal thematafels, or thematic discussion bodies, set up to cover this subject in 2018 and including employees, works councils and trade unions, finalised their task in 2019. These discussion bodies have generated a wealth of ideas on subjects such as the role of role NS in the various regions, work in the future and organisational agility.