WAAK is SDG Champion 2025

With 2,100 employees, WAAK is the largest social workplace in Flanders. WAAK – and by extension the entire social enterprise sector – is mainly associated with social entrepreneurship. However, many people don’t realise that social enterprises are also strongly committed to sustainability and circularity. As such, WAAK has been a pioneer and leader in this field for many years. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) serve as our guiding framework, helping us to assess and align our activities. Now, this approach has again been awarded the title of ‘SDG Champion 2025’.

WAAK is proud to be SDG Champion 2025

To encourage companies to become more sustainable, the United Nations annually presents the SDG Awards. In the past, WAAK has already been awarded the title of SDG Pioneer, and in 2022 we became SDG Champion for the first time. This year that title has been reaffirmed. The title SDG Champion is a higher distinction than SDG Pioneer. To earn this award, a company must meet the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which in turn are linked to a number of mandatory targets. WAAK’s nomination for the SDG Champion title was subjected to an in-depth audit conducted by Flanders’ employers’ organisation Voka.

Sustainable Development Goals: The importance of circularity

Compared to 2022, several new criteria were added, raising the bar even higher. Once again, we passed with flying colours. The organisation was particularly impressed by our circular approach and initiatives.

At WAAK, circularity has a dual meaning. On the one hand, we strive to make our own production flow more sustainable and circular. Great examples include reusing elastic bands and plastic bags, recycling powder coating dust and injection moulding residue to make the cables we produce for our customers more sustainable, maximising the use of natural resources such as rainwater and solar energy, and making our company buildings energy neutral.

On the other hand, we actively strive to contribute to sustainable and circular projects beyond our own operations. Several of these initiatives have proven highly successful (both from a sustainable and financial perspective). Highlights include refurbishing On Board Units for Satellic, the rework project we developed with Agristo, and the drinking water systems made from ocean plastics that we produce for AQUALEX.

WAAK: A circular sparring partner

Many customers and potential partners express interest in the circular economy, often generating innovative circular ideas. However, when these ideas are examined in detail, they often turn out to be highly unprofitable or difficult to integrate into existing production processes. As a social enterprise, we aim to act as a sparring partner for such companies. We look at our customers’ production flows from a different perspective. Together, we identify the low-hanging fruit, because circularity doesn’t have to be complex or difficult. Even small adjustments can lead to significant sustainable benefits. Our pioneering role in this field was a decisive factor in being awarded the SDG Champion title again.

Inspiring other businesses as SDG Champion

In Flanders, only 23 companies hold the SDG Champion title. WAAK is proud to be one of them. Managing Director, Tim Vannieuwenhuyse, comments: “I am extremely proud of this recognition. It confirms that our sustainable approach works and that the choices we make every day are the right ones. Through our successful circular collaborations, we demonstrate that people, planet and profit can perfectly be aligned. Being recognised alongside major international companies such as Daikin, Beaulieu and TVH is an incredible honour for a social enterprise like WAAK. It is our goal to inspire and encourage other businesses with our approach. Being named SDG Champion 2025 will certainly help us to achieve that. It shows other companies that sustainability is an integral part of our business strategy and that it is deeply embedded in our company’s DNA.”

Our 17 sustainable development goals: