The types of consulting assignments that we perform are all about people.  On the client side, people are both at the outset and at the receiving end of the organizational changes that we help implement.  On our side, it’s the competency and motivation of the network of expert consultants that we work with, which guarantees quality service.  This translates into the following principles:

• Equal opportunities & diversity: we work with competent and motivated consultants, regardless of age, origin, religion, gender, or cultural/social background.
• Ethical business practices: we will not work with clients, partners, or suppliers that do not adhere to our ethics, in particular in relationship to child or forced labor, discriminating practices, fair trade, healthy & secure working conditions, etc.
• Respectful business relationships: we are committed to creating equitable and respectful partnerships with clients, partners, and suppliers.
• Fishing takes precedence over fish: in line with the popular saying, we avoid giving fish but we do coach/teach our clients on how to fish, thus ensuring their autonomy and empowerment over the longer term.

Planet

Whilst as a consultancy, we may believe that we have a reduced environmental footprint compared to larger industrial companies, we still consider it important to integrate ways of being more mindful and conscious of the impact our work & lifestyle has upon the planet…  Specifically, we are committed to the following:

• Reduce stationary and printed materials as much as possible, using only 100% recycled and recyclable materials for paper, business cards, etc.
• Recycle consumables such as batteries, printer cartridges, etc.
• Reduce business travel by encouraging car sharing and using alternate meeting approaches, such as conference calls, twitter chats, and collaborative web spaces.
• Select the most environmentally conscious travel arrangements, on a case-per-case basis, generally preferring rail travel over planes, public transport over cars, etc.

Profit

As a business, we have a responsibility towards our shareholders.  Still, we believe that part of our profit should be invested on social (charitable) projects.  More easily than a large corporation, as a small business we have the flexibility to offer in-kind contributions and to work closely with the projects that we have elected to support.  Our focus is not only on providing funding to valuable charitable projects, but also if not more on coaching/supporting these projects in order to achieve significant results.
Over the last years, we have supported the following initiatives:

• Kiva loans to women entrepreneurs (2005 onwards)
• Aardeweg (2006-2008)
• Éclau (2008)
• Twestival Brussels (2009-2010)
• ESGT (2009 onwards)
• WE-Nyabushozi (2010)