BUSINESS & SOCIETY BELGIUM

“Business & Society Belgium supports companies seeking to operate in a rational and pragmatic manner as part of a reference network”
Jacques Spelkens, CSR Coordinator, GDF Suez

Objective
Business & Society Belgium is the Belgian business network for corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainable development. It comprises 85 companies and four employer federations: FEB, UWE (Union of Walloon Enterprises), Voka (Flemish Employers Association) and Beci (Brussels Enterprises, Commerce and Industry). As an information and action platform, Business & Society promotes sharing, dialogue and action and aims to help to create an inclusive, green and responsible economy for a sustainable society.

Benefits for companies
Clients, employees, society, investors and the media are increasingly expecting companies to strike a balance between people, the market and the environment. As a member of Business & Society Belgium, you will learn how your counterparts in other businesses have introduced the concept of social responsibility within their own companies, their relationship with their stakeholders, and how they reconcile their profit objectives with their vision of the world. As a reference centre, Business & Society also aims to equip its members with the necessary expertise while promoting dialogue with social stakeholders. The issues addressed are put forward by members of the network and focus primarily on corporate governance, sustainability reporting, age-sensitive workforce management, and the incorporation of sustainability in the supply chain. FEB actively takes part in the initiatives organised by Business & Society and sits on the management committee and board of directors.

Business & Society Belgium
Rue des Sols 8
1000 Brussels
T +32(0)2 515 09 79
F +32(0)2 515 09 76
Director and contact person: Sabine Denis
www.businessandsociety.be

CEPANI

Learn about alternative methods for resolving disputes.

Objective
Cepani, the Belgian Centre for Mediation and Arbitration, was created by FEB and the Belgian National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). The Centre has two aims, namely to promote arbitration and mediation and to deal with specific cases of arbitration and mediation, although it does not perform any arbitration or mediation functions itself. It appoints experienced, conscientious and independent arbitrators and mediators. Cepani monitors the progress of proceedings and handles any potential legal or material difficulties while aiming to fulfil the parties’ expectations. Cepani is predominantly composed of business leaders, lawyers (corporate and others), notaries and university professors. The Centre is an independent and cross-sectoral national body that works closely with similar organisations based outside Belgium.

Benefits for companies
Business activities sometimes lead to financial, commercial, industrial and structural disagreements as well as disputes concerning a professional or contractual liability. More and more companies are turning to arbitration and other alternatives for resolving disputes, such as mediation. Cepani offers business leaders an efficient and suitable tool for settling disputes.

Cepani
Rue des Sols 8, 1000 Brussels
T +32(0)2 515 08 35
F +32(0)2 515 08 75
President: Michel Flamée
Vice-president: Didier Matray
Secretary-General: Philippe Lambrecht
Contact person: Emma Van Campenhoudt
info@cepina-cepani.be
www.cepani.be

HEALTHCARE BELGIUM

Expanding Belgium’s healthcare services abroad.

Objective
After completing an in-depth study in 2007, FEB came to the conclusion that the Belgian medical sector has a lot to offer the international market and now shows enormous potential as a source of economic growth. In fact, the Belgian healthcare system is very advanced, comprises many highly specialised medical centres, and enjoys an excellent global reputation. At the initiative of FEB, the country’s 11 highest-profile hospital groups created the non-profit Healthcare Belgium in 2007. Healthcare Belgium now aims to boost the international profile of Belgium’s huge medical sector. To this end, it is backed by around 20 leading Belgian medical companies.

Benefits for companies
Several Belgian companies are world-class players in medical equipment, software and services, as well as in other areas of the medical industry. Healthcare Belgium strives to promote Belgium’s medical expertise around the world, ethically coordinate international patient flows, and increase the number of international cooperation agreements. Members of Healthcare Belgium can also use its excellent reputation, extensive network and existing agreements to develop their products and services on an international scale. The initiative has already been extremely successful in the Middle East and is branching out into Russia and Azerbaijan.

Healthcare Belgium
Rue des Sols 8
1000 Brussels
T + 32 (0)2 515 09 38
F + 32 (0)2 515 09 39
General manager and contact person: Herwig Fleerackers
Herwig.fleerackers@healthcarebelgium.com
www.healthcarebelgium.com

BeSaCC-VCA

Objective
BeSaCC-VCA, a non-profit association, is responsible for management and quality control regarding the Belgian Safety Criteria for Contractors (BeSaCC) and the Safety Checklist for Contractors (SCC). BeSaCC is a certification system that was created by FEB and a number of sectoral federations with the aim of awarding those companies that adhere to safe subcontracting criteria. A unit of experts uses a document drafted by the requestor to verify whether the criteria have been fulfilled. SCC is a Dutch certification process in which a certification body uses a detailed outline of a company or its sites to check whether the requestor meets the evaluation criteria for SCC certification. An SCC structure was established in Belgium on 1 September 1999 and is managed by BeSaCC-VCA.

Benefits for companies
In total, over 2,200 companies now have a valid SCC certificate and more than 250 have been awarded BeSaCC certification. Either certification is beneficial for any company whose employees perform services for other companies. More than 325,000 employees and students have already successfully completed an SCC training course. This has helped to raise awareness of safety among employees and employers alike and also cut the number of accidents in the workplace. BeSaCC-VCA also organises helpful initiatives in connection with the introduction of mechanisms for assessing workplace safety in relations between principals and contractors.

BeSaCC-VCA
Rue Ravenstein 4, 1000 Brussels
T +32(0)2 515 08 95
F +32(0)2 515 09 39