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 2024 Responsible Management Award!

After an evening rich in shared experiences, WebstanZ, a web design agency, was named the winner of the second edition of the Responsible Management Award.

The Jury’s Statement

The jury praised the intrinsic innovation and the commitment to “doing things right” in this relatively young organization. Given the company’s small size and activity in a technological sector where responsible management is generally limited, the approach was described as bold and courageous—particularly with the statement that “growth is not an end in itself, neither for ourselves nor for our clients.” Although the company’s purpose is not directly focused on sustainability, it pursues it with conviction. Innovative practices are underway, though there remains room for learning and improvement. The jury also highlighted the potential for further progress. Finally, the clarity and coherence of the submission were commended. The jury noted certain points of attention and upcoming challenges, as responsible management is not an end result in itself. In particular, the question of how to grow without losing this responsible dimension remains open. The jury’s decision was therefore intended both to recognize responsible managerial practices in this context and at this moment, and to encourage their continued development and dissemination.

The 2024 Edition Candidates

Discover the seven participating companies and their managerial practices in the video below.

The Responsible Management Award in the Press

• "En progrès mais peut mieux faire", interview with Benoit de Vos, co-founder of WebstanZ, Htag Magazine by Références, July 2024

The 2022 Edition Candidates

The first edition of the Responsible Management Award took place on December 8, 2022, in the stunning offices of Delen Private Bank.

Discover the nine participating companies and their management practices in the video below (French only). 

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...