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BELGIUM – THE FRIENDS BY VERHULST BECOMES A CERTIFIED BCORPORATION™ AND STRENGTHENS ITS COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABLE EVENT MANAGEMENT
The Friends by Verhulst, a Belgian agency specialising in events management and institutional communications,is proud to announce that it is now a Certified B CorporationTM. With ascore of 91 points, this accreditation recognises the company’sabiding commitment to sustainable, ethical, and socially responsiblepractices.
Achieving international B Corporation® (B CorpTM) accreditation with a score of 91points, The Friends by Verhulst joins the global community of companies that meet
the highest social and environmental standards.
Founded in 1948, the agency, which operates throughout Belgium, is once again demonstrating the extent to which it is transforming and challenging itself to meet the
technological and environmental challenges of the future. B Corp accreditation rewards The Friends by Verhulst’s continuous efforts to integrate sustainable
practices into the heart of its activities.
“This certification is an important milestone for our company, but it’s only the beginning of the journey,” says Anthony Delhauteur, CEO of The Friends by Verhulst. “We are committed to continuing our efforts to create events which inspire, but that also respect our planet and its inhabitants. We look forward to joining forces with other members of the B Corp TM community.”
The events sector in particular faces significant environmental challenges. For example, an event with 5,000 participants can generate up to 2.5 tonnes of waste, while a three-day conference with 800 participants can have a carbon footprint of 455 tonnes of CO2. (Source: Circular Place, French player in the circular economy).
These figures illustrate the need for sector stakeholders to adopt more sustainable practices.
Tangible actions with a positive impact
Being aware of current environmental and social issues, The Friends by Verhulst has put in place a series of practical initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint, and strengthen its social responsibility. This approach is based on four key pillars:
● Responsible governance: The Friends by Verhulst has published a code of ethics setting out the principles and values that guide and inform all of its activities, including business ethics, combating all forms of discrimination and harassment, transparency, and responsible stakeholder relations. The company also acts as a rallying force within the sector by hosting multi-stakeholder round tables to drive collective action on sustainability issues.
Finally, it is committed to sharing information about its social and environmental performance in a transparent manner.
● Employee well-being: Having a high level of quality of life at work is a priority. This means a strong commitment to health, safety and well-being, thanks to a workforce that is well trained, listened to, and respected. The company also nurtures a welcoming atmosphere, where human relations and kindness are central — working “among friends” is not just an image.
● Community engagement: With its deep local roots, The Friends by Verhulst works with environmentally-responsible Belgian suppliers, as well as supporting community initiatives through team-based voluntary work. The company also considers equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) to be essential, and is taking action to strengthen these aspects by providing
information and training, and developing related practices.
● Environmental responsibility: The company is taking action internally to optimise its consumption of energy and resources, and improve its waste management practices. It is also extending its commitment to its partners and customers by working together to reduce the environmental impact of the events it organises, in particular through the development of a bespoke CO2 calculator.
In this respect, The Friends by Verhulst has been supported by ESGlogic — an expert in ESG strategy — to structure its actions, and strengthen the impact of its commitments.
An inspiring initiative for the entire sector
By joining the B Corp community, The Friends by Verhulst is confirming its commitment to play a leading role in the sustainable transformation of the events sector. With this accreditation, the agency hopes to pave the way for events that are more responsible, more human, and more committed. It is also an opportunity to rethink, together, the way we celebrate, communicate, and create ties.
About B Corp certification
B Corp accreditation is awarded to companies that meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. Awarded by the non-profit organisation B Lab, it assesses the overall impact of a company’s activities on its employees, customers, the community, and the environment. B Corp brings together an international community of companies committed to using their economic leverage to tackle pressing social and environmental issues.
About The Friends by Verhulst
Founded in 1948 in Belgium, The Friends by Verhulst is an agency specialising in events organisation and institutional communications. The company is committed to creating memorable experiences while adopting sustainable and responsible practices, thereby making a positive contribution to society and the environment. It currently has 46 employees,and achieved sales of €20 million in 2024.
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For more information, please contact:
Mathilde Pinto
Head of Marketing & Communications
mathilde.pinto@thefriends.be
www.thefriends.be