A successful consent procedure is not only about saying “yes” or “no”. It is about timing, influence and strategy. How can you, as a works council, ensure that you are genuinely involved before decisions have already been made? And what can you do if a management board wants to proceed without obtaining consent?
Jan-Pieter Vos and Thomas Catersels have been advising works councils for many years on employee participation matters. In their webinar series Employee Participation with Impact, they focus several times a year on topics that are relevant to works council members: from consent rights and advisory rights to developments relating to AI, pay transparency and other changes affecting the position of employees. Each webinar focuses on practical application: concrete situations, recognisable dilemmas and tips that you can use immediately.
On Tuesday 26 May 2026, from 09:00 to 10:00, the consent right will be the central topic.
The consent right is considered the strongest instrument available to the works council. In practice, we see that works councils do not make sufficient use of this instrument. Consent rights are not only about the final “yes” or “no”, but also about exercising influence. There is more scope for influence than many works council members realise.
In this webinar, we will discuss these situations. Topics covered include when the consent right applies, what a careful consent procedure looks like, how a works council can position itself and what it can do if the management board intends to proceed without consent.
After this webinar, you will not only understand what the consent right entails, but you will also know how to use it effectively to increase the works council’s influence on decision-making.
