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The Chair in Innovative Managerial Practices has the great honor to present its new project as part of its research on responsible management.
The Responsible Management Award is a prize that aims to raise awareness and to put in the spotlight responsible management practices in companies in Belgium.
The theme of responsible management is at the heart of the research of the Chair in Innovative Management Practices. It seems important to us to identify, in the working world, the practices that support it.
In keeping with the Chair's work philosophy, the Responsible Management Award is a dynamic co-creation process in line with the reality of the field.
Applications are open !
The Responsible Management Award
The Responsible Management Award is a prize that rewards a managerial practice that supports responsible management. It has four objectives:
Raising awareness - By highlighting innovative practices developed in organizations that have embarked on a more responsible management.
Sharing -Through the exchange of experience that will take place in the framework of our activities.
Developing - By taking a step back on different managerial initiatives, in a perspective of continuous improvement and constructive exchanges.
Anchoring - By creating a space for dialogue between academics and professionals, a source of new scientific knowledge on these still largely unexplored issues.
The practices concerned by the Award are those that concern the functioning of the life of the company, and the day-to-day (routines, ways of doing things, etc.). They concern more particularly the governance of the company (e.g. decision-making methods, team management methods), the employees management (whatever their status) or performance management. The initiatives must have a direct impact on the company's overall performance (by enabling the company to be more economically, socially, and environmentally responsible).
The members of the jury are chosen by the Chair in Innovative Management Practices of the ICHEC Brussels Management School according to the following distribution
- 1 academic member of the Chair's team
- 1 external academic member
- 1 representative of the partners of the PMI Chair
- 1 representative of the non-market sector
- 1 representative of the market sector
- 1 representative of the press
- 1 representative of the students (chosen for the theme and the quality of their thesis).
Particular attention will be paid to the diversity of the jury members' profiles (age, gender, experience, etc.). The role of the jury members is to analyze the applications using the evaluation grid provided by the organizing team. The winning organization will be chosen after deliberation by the jury members.
- The Responsible Management Award is open to Belgian private and public organizations, regardless of their sector of activity.
- As the Award aims to reward internal management practices within organizations, candidate organizations must consist of at least 10 people.
The Chair in Innovative Management Practices is a research and teaching space dedicated to innovative management practices supporting responsible management at ICHEC Brussels Management School.
- Open to applications: April 1, 2025 - October 10, 2025
- Evaluation by jury members: October 11, 2025 - November 18, 2025
- Jury deliberation meeting: November 20, 2025
- Presentation of the Responsible Management Award: December 4, 2025.
WebstanZ Wins the Responsible Management Award 2024!
After an evening rich in experience sharing, WebstanZ, a web design agency, emerged as the winner of the second edition of the Responsible Management Award.
Jury's Remarks
The jury praised the intrinsic innovation and the genuine commitment to doing things right within this relatively young organization. As a small company operating in a technological sector where responsible management is not typically prevalent, the approach taken was described as bold and courageous — notably through the assertion that "growth is not an end in itself, neither for us nor for our clients."
While the company’s purpose isn’t directly centered around sustainability, it is clearly working toward it with conviction. Innovative practices are underway, although there is still openness to learning.
The jury also highlighted the potential for going further. The coherence and clarity of the application were particularly appreciated. They also pointed out some areas for attention and upcoming challenges, as responsible management is not a final result in itself.
One key question raised: how can the company continue to grow without losing its responsible dimension?
The jury thus wanted to honor responsible management practices in this specific context and moment in time, while also encouraging their further development and spread.
Le jury a salué l'innovation intrinsèque et la volonté de faire les choses bien dans cette relativement jeune organisation. L’entreprise étant de petite taille et active dans un secteur technologique où le management responsable est a priori peu présent, la posture adoptée a été qualifiée d’audacieuse et de courageuse, entre autres avec l’affirmation que « la croissance n’est pas un but en soi, ni pour nous-mêmes, ni pour nos clients ». Si la raison d’être de l’entreprise ne s’inscrit pas directement dans la durabilité, elle y travaille avec conviction. Des pratiques innovantes sont en cours mais il reste une ouverture à l’apprentissage. Dans la foulée, le jury soulève encore la possibilité d’aller plus loin. Enfin, la cohérence et la fluidité du dossier ont été saluées. Le jury identifie également certains points d'attention et défis à venir, le management responsable n’étant pas un résultat en soi. Ainsi, la question de savoir comment croitre sans perdre cette dimension responsable est ouverte. Le jury a ainsi souhaité mettre à l’honneur les pratiques managériales responsables, dans ce contexte et à ce moment, tout autant qu’encourager leur développement et leur propagation.
Return on the first edition of the Responsible Management Award
The first edition of the Responsible Management Award took place on December 8, 2022, in the sublime offices of Delen Private Bank.
The winner of the 2022 edition
The jury awarded the prize to the Nivelles-Genappe police zone for the implementation of a more horizontal governance structure in a traditionally bureaucratic organisation. It particularly appreciated the reflective approach taken as well as the patience and clear-sightedness with which it is being implemented, including the awareness that not everything and everyone can be changed at once. The jury also underlined the relevance of the systematic use of collective intelligence, the consideration of all stakeholders, and the transformation of the governance structure towards a more circular form. This approach seems to allow for the exchange of information as well as ideas, and the development of a culture integrating initiative, the right to make mistakes, respect for diversity and dialogue. The collective gathered around this project seems to be welded together by a common purpose. Moreover, the implementation of the project seems carefully considered in view of supporting the development of each person as well as a reflection on the work done and to be done in the service of a profession that is presented with humility. The organisation’s journey is still ongoing. Let's hope that the project inspires...
The Chair in Innovative Managerial Practices is a research and teaching space dedicated to innovative managerial practices supporting responsible management at ICHEC Brussels Management School.