- Spaas Kaarsen was awarded the Belgium Ambassador of the ‘Family Business Award of Excellence®’ 2022.
- For eight years now, this prestigious prize has been awarded the most exemplary family businesses in Belgium by EY, in collaboration with FBN Belgium, Guberna, BNP Paribas Fortis and Mediafin.
- The two other finalists were Gaasch Packaging and Nelissen Steenfabrieken.
EY has organized the ‘Family Business Award of Excellence®’ since 2014. The award highlights family businesses that excel in corporate governance, within the family and the business, in their vision and the upholding of family values and in the transmission of entrepreneurship between generations. Communication, sustainable growth and social engagement are also key criteria which the jury takes into account in conferring the award.
The jury, made up of representatives from the Belgian business and academic worlds, judged that Spaas Kaarsen responded best and in the most balanced way to all the criteria.
Eric Van Hoof, partner at EY and Family Business Leader: “With the ‘Family Business Award of Excellence®’, we want to honor the family businesses of our country, because they are the engine of our economy and they ensure the necessary continuity. Gaasch Packaging, Nelissen Steenfabrieken and Spaas Kaarsen are three great examples of sustainable family entrepreneurship that we should cherish. With its 5th generation of a family that dares to look to the very long term future, Spaas Kaarsen will be a great ambassador for the ‘Family Business Award of Excellence®’”.
Guido Vanherpe, CEO of La Lorraine Bakery Group (winner 2016) and president of the jury explains the choice: “Spaas Kaarsen has developed a clear vision of what family means and how it implements this vision in the life of the family business. The active members of the family have a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a great sense of responsibility, and they have been surrounded by solid external board members. The transfer and transition from the fourth to the fifth generation was approached in a timely and visionary manner. Spaas Kaarsen has a clear and unambiguous leadership and strategy based on their focus on appropriate and carefully chosen geographic markets and customer segments and on the development of e-commerce applications. Finally, Spaas Kaarsen also stands out for its sustainable entrepreneurial spirit”.
Spaas Kaarsen now joins the international club of family businesses which have won the trophy in the 20 countries in which EY organizes the award.
Spaas Kaarsen: Belgium ambassador of the ‘Family Business Award of Excellence®’ 2022
Since its establishment in 1853 as a small local candle manufacturer in Hamont, Limburg, Spaas has developed into one of the most important European players in the candle market, currently under the leadership of the fifth generation. With more than 320 employees and a steadily growing turnover to over 92 million euros, Spaas is not only the market leader in Belgium, but also a respected supplier with a solid business base in Europe. In addition to the production unit in Hamont, there is also a factory in Poland and a sales organization focused on Europe. As a company, Spaas Kaarsen wants to inspire people to add a touch of warmth to their everyday life.
Spaas Kaarsen is the eight award winner on the already impressive list in recent years, joining Cartamundi (2020), Duvel Moortgat (2019), Sipef (2018), Vandersanden Group (2017), La Lorraine Bakery Group (2016), Reynaers Aluminium (2015) and Cosucra (2014).
Jury
The members of the jury of the ‘Family Business Award of Excellence®’:
- Guido Vanherpe, president of the jury and CEO of La Lorraine Bakery Group (winner 2016)
- Christ’l Joris, president of the board of directors of Etap
- Catherine Noël, member of the Board of Directors of NMC
- Bernard Haspeslagh, COO of Ardo
- Isabel Albers, editorial director L’Echo / De TIJD
