Foundation

Foundation

Gerda and Victor B. Strand's
Victor B. Strand bought Toms in the 40's and made the company blossom after WW II. The success was driven by popular sellers, such as the Gold Bar (Guld Barre), chocolate turtles (Toms Kæmpe Skildpadde) and Yankie Bar. In the mid-70's, he created a foundation with the purpose of owning and managing Toms.

History of the Foundation

Toms was established in 1924 by the two pharmacists, Hans Troyel and V.H. Meyer. The company's name is a conglomerate of their names Trojel and Meyer (the 's' was added later, to prevent the candy machines from saying 'empty' in Danish).

Victor B. Strand, the owner of Tørsleff & Co., bought Toms in 1942. In the years after the Second World War, Toms grew under his supervision. Victor B. Strand launched the gold bar, the turtles and Yankie Bar. He bought Anthon Berg, Pingvin Lakrids and Galle & Jessen, making Toms a booming business.

In the mid-'70s, Victor B. Strand realised that his son, Jørgen Strand, did not possess the necessary qualities for running and developing Toms in the desired direction. Besides, his son's health was rather weak, as he had diabetes.

Victor B. Strand felt obligated to his life's work and the many employees at Toms. He decided that the best way of securing the company was to create a foundation with the purpose of maintaining a healthy economic development at Toms. The founding documents signed on Victor B. Strand's 76th birthday, December 12 1974. Victor B. Strand was the chairman of the foundation at the time of his death, September 16 1983.

The Board

Marianne Philip

Chairman
Education: LL. M. from the University of Copenhagen and Duke University, US. Partner of Kromann Reumert. Board positions: Adjunct professor at Copenhagen Business School (CBS), The Committee on Good Foundation Governance, Novo Nordisk Foundation (VCH), Bitten og Mads Clausens Fond (VCH), Codan A/S (BM), Codan Forsikring A/S (BM), Gerda & Victor B. Strand Holding (CH), etc. In depth experience in corporate legal affairs, including corporate and foundation and trust law. Experience in governance work on boards of directors.

Henrik Brandt

Board Member
Education: Msc (Econ.), Copenhagen Business School. MBA, Stanford University, California. Chairman and Non-Executive Director. Previous positions: President and CEO, Royal Unibrew A/S, Unomedical A/S and Sophus Berendsen A/S, etc. Board positions: Gerda & Victor B. Strands Fond and Gerda & Victor B. Strand Holding A/S (BM), Rockwool Int. A/S (CH), Danish Bake Holding ApS (CH), Nemlig.com (CH) and Intervare A/S (CH), Fritz Hansen A/S (CH), etc. Extensive experience from executive and board positions in Danish and international companies. Long industrial experience and extensive expertise within FMCG and strategic business development.

Jens Aaløse

Board Member
Education: BSc International business and Marketing Management (CBS). Managing Partner Maj Invest Equity and Member of the Executive Board. Previously: Group Executive Director TDC, CEO Danske Licens Spil A/S, CEO Dansk Reklame Film, Vice President SAS. Blue Ocean Robotics (CH), Topdanmark (VCH), Sticks N Sushi (CH). Extensive experience from various executive positions in international companies. Long industrial experience and extensive expertise within strategic business development.

Jørgen Dirksen

Board Member
Education: HA (BSc) in Economics and Business Administration. Formerly: CEO Rynkeby Foods A/S, CEO Unicare, Nordic Market Director Bluemøller, CEO Tomten A/S, CEO Sara Lee, Commercial Director Toms Group. Board positions: Good Food Group A/S (CH), Orana A/S (BM), Alsiano A/S (BM), Grathwol A/S (CH), Kryta A/S (BM), Helsemin A/S (BM), Gerda og Victor B. Strand Holding A/S (BM), etc. Extensive experience from executive and board positions in Danish and international companies. Long industrial experience and extensive expertise within FMCG and strategic business development.

Jan Tommy Jensen

Employee Representative
Production manager. Technical School Jern&Metal. Academy Profession (AP) Degree in Leadership & Management. Employed in Toms Group A/S since 1984.

Hassan Bestouh

Employee Representative
Production and Warehouse manager. Education: 9. klasse VUC. Employed in Toms Group A/S since 2015.

René Michelsen

Employee Representative
Maintenance. Education: Blacksmith. Employed in Toms Group since 2007. Trustee for maintenance dept. Member of the board in Industri&Byg, Metal Hovedstaden.

The grants of the foundation

The foundation's grant policy is anchored in the charter, last updated April 4, 2016. The board of the foundation has laid out a policy that can be divided into the following components:

Grants with the direct purpose of securing and supporting the economic foundation of the Toms Group and associated companies.

Grants with the indirect purpose of securing and supporting the economic foundation of the Toms Group and associated companies.

Grants for services and social purposes that support the common good, which indirectly secure and support the economic foundation of the Toms Group and associated companies.

The grants of the foundation are decided upon at board meetings that are held, according to the charter, as often as deemed necessary. At the annual meeting, the financial framework for the next year is decided upon. The total amount of grants must adhere to the financial frame that is set by the board.

As a consequence of the foundation's purpose, grants are usually given according to requests from the Toms Group A/S.

Business activities

Gerda & Victor B. Strand's Foundation owns the Toms Gruppen A/S and the associated companies and brands.

Purpose of the Foundation

Gerda & Victor B. Strand's Foundation's primary purpose is to secure and support the economic foundation of the companies associated with the Toms Group A/S. This is done to ensure that their future existence and development is built upon good commercial and economic understanding.

Recommendations on Foundation Governance

The foundation is a corporate foundation and, thereby, subject to the corporate foundation law. The Danish business authority, Erhvervsstyrelsen, is the governmental supervisor of Gerda & Victor B. Strand's Foundation.

Gerda & Victor B. Strand's Foundation's primary purpose is to secure and support the economic foundation of the companies associated with the Toms Group A/S. This is done to ensure that their future existence and development is built on good commercial and economic understanding.

The foundation has already, due to the enactment of new legislation for foundations, adjusted statutes and rules of corporate procedure, to ensure the foundation lives up to current legislation. In conjunction with the annual report of 2021, the foundation has followed the new recommendations on Foundation Governance. A detailed breakdown of how the foundation has addressed these demands can be found at https://godfondsledelse.dk/ (in Danish). 

Gerda & Victor B. Strand's Foundation is run by a board of seven members. Three of which are employee representatives from the Toms Group A/S. Board members of the foundation are appointed for a four year-period and cannot sit on the board for longer than at the end of the year, in which the member turns 75. A minimum of 5 board meetings must be held per year. Employee representatives are appointed for a period of 4 years. There is one female member among the appointed board members. It is the objective of the board to have 2 female board members by 2025.

Members of the board are paid a fee of DKK 160,000 a year. The Deputy Chairman receives 1½ times the base fee and the Chairperson receives 3 times the base fee. The Chairman of Toms Gruppen A/S, who is also member of the Foundation, receives ½ times the base fee.The Chairman of the investment committee receives a supplement of ½ times the base fee. The Foundation has no management, and administration is handled by Toms Group A/S. The total number of hours for administration is estimated to be approx 60 hrs per year. A detailed review of Gerda & Victor B. Strands Foundation's fulfillment of  Recommendations of Foundation Governance can be read here:

 

Recommendations of Foundation Governance

2023
2022 2021 2020 2019
2018 2017 2015

Annual Reports

2023 2022
2021 2020 2019 2018

Contact us

Applications for donations can be sent to Foundation@tomsgroup.com. 

For other inquiries, please contact:
Gerda & Victor B. Strands Foundation, Toms Allé 1, 2750 Ballerup.
E-mail: grs@tomsgroup.com

Alternatively through the Foundation's chairman, Marianne Philip, Sundkrogsgade 5, 2100 København Ø.
E-mail: mp@kromannreumert.com

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