EY recognized as Ambassador of the Reserve Framework of the Belgian Armed Forces

• EY Belgium is among ten organizations officially recognized for leading the way in supporting military reservists and strengthening national resilience.
• The recognition highlights the importance of structured employer support, enabling reservists to combine societal commitment with a sustainable professional career.
• This initiative underscores how public–private cooperation plays a critical role in resilience, security and workforce sustainability in today’s context.

EY Belgium has today been officially recognized by the Ministry of Defense as an Ambassador of the Reserve Framework of the Belgian Armed Forces. The recognition was awarded during a ceremony at the Royal Military Academy, in the presence of Ministers Theo Francken (Defense), David Clarinval (Work and Economy) and Eléonore Simonet (Middle Classes, Self‑Employed and SMEs).

With this honorary diploma, EY joins a group of ten Belgian companies recognized by the Ministry of Defense as pioneers in supporting reservists and strengthening national resilience.

Public‑private cooperation as a lever for resilience

The recognition forms part of EESi (Employer Engagement & Support initiative), a strategic program by the Ministry of Defense designed to actively involve employers in the development of a robust and future‑oriented reserve force. Through this initiative, Defense aims to showcase good practices and inspire other employers to take similar steps.

Defense underlines that reservists play a vital role in protecting the Belgian population and the general interest, but that their engagement can only be sustainable if employers actively support them.

A clear and workable reservist policy

EY receives this ambassador status following the introduction earlier this year of a formal reservist policy. This policy establishes a clear and transparent framework that provides legal certainty for employees who are already active as reservists, while ensuring feasibility and predictability for teams and the organization.

In practical terms, the framework defines how EY manages short‑ and long‑term call‑ups, the arrangements regarding absence and remuneration, and how reintegration after deployment is organized. By formalizing these arrangements, EY aims to enable reservists to combine their societal commitment with a sustainable professional career.

Broad representation of the Belgian economy

EY is one of ten organizations from a wide range of sectors recognized today as Ambassadors of the Reserve, alongside Cegeka, DSV, Euronext, ING, Infrabel, MULTI.engineering, Nexova, Securitas and Sonaca. Together, they represent a broad cross‑section of the Belgian economy, ranging from financial services and consulting to engineering, industry and logistics.

Steven Claes, CEO of EY Belgium: “Reservists voluntarily take responsibility for society. As an employer, we want to make that commitment possible through clear and workable arrangements. This ambassador status confirms that responsible employment and societal responsibility go hand in hand. My message to other employers is simple: make being a reservist discussable and workable within your organization. Start with clear agreements — however modest. The impact is real and socially relevant.”

Wim De Wit, HR Director of EY Belgium: “This reservist policy creates a clear and predictable framework for both employees and their teams. It ensures that employees know where they stand, while teams can plan and adjust in a timely manner. This balance is essential to sustainably embed societal engagement within a professional working environment. By actively supporting reservists, we invest both in societal resilience and in strong, resilient teams, enriched by the valuable skills and experience they bring from their service in Defense.”

Commitment within a broader vision of societal resilience

For EY, this commitment fits within a broader vision of public‑private cooperation. In a context marked by geopolitical uncertainty, labor market tightness and a growing demand for critical skills, the ambassador status underlines that national security and societal resilience are not solely the responsibility of public authorities, but also of employers who attract, develop and support talent.

Through their commitment, the ambassadors undertake to support reservists in an open, constructive and sustainable manner, in close dialogue with the Ministry of Defense.

Read more about how Defense can build the talent pipeline it urgently needs.