Active membership of FEB promoting an optimal business and investment environment

What is the FEB

FEB is the abbreviation for the Federation of Enterprises in Belgium. It is the voice of business in Belgium, and it promotes an optimal business and investment environment. All sectors are represented in the FEB through the membership of the sectoral federations.

Businesses are the driving force behind social progress. Although FEB has performed the same essential role since 1895, our environment has changed radically. The Federation of Enterprises in Belgium (FEB) is constantly evolving. Better still, it looks ahead, allowing it to remain a vital part of the factory of socio-economic stakeholders and beyond.

Operations

FEB initiatives cover all areas of business activity at national, European and international level and have grouped these initiatives into areas of activity (‘Government & politics’, ‘Pensions & ageing’, ‘Economy’, ‘Social security’, ‘Europe’, ‘Corporate governance’, etc.).

An optimum business environment is vital for a sound economy and sustainable growth. FEB aims to help create and maintain such an environment by, among other things, closely monitoring all issues of direct relevance to businesses. Here, grouped into 17 themes, are the issues on which FEB focuses most of its attention and action.

On three levels

Nationally, FEB presents and defends the interests of business not only in dealings with government and trade unions but also to the media, NGOs and the academic world. As a social partner, FEB negotiates a series of intersectoral agreements, including the biennial multi-sector agreement known as the 'accord interprofessionnel/interprofessioneel akkoord' (AIP/IPA). The challenges of the 21st century and the transfer of a series of additional powers to a regional level require a new model of social dialogue. To this end, the multi-sector employers’ organisations have agreed on a new cooperation protocol favouring integrated and coordinated social consultation. This is known as the Intersectoral Employers’ Dialogue

At European level, FEB actively promotes its members’ interests in the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council of Ministers.

Internationally FEB works actively to develop international economic relations.

Sioen is Member

FEB membership opens doors to expertise provided by a range of partners. As well as enjoying access to a unique social network as an FEB member, we benefit from the expertise of multiple partners, i.e. organisations established or hosted by FEB.

We have a direct say in determining employer strategy. All major social and economic issues in the broad sense of the term are covered.

We also participate in committees and working groups and receive first-rate information on ongoing legislative, regulatory and contractual developments.

As FEB is represented in more than 120 national and international public bodies, it can make industry’s voice heard on issues of specific interest to its members within those bodies.

Working group business and human rights

Sioen is part of the ad hoc working group “Business and human rights”. With a view to the introduction of European policy measures on due diligence, business & human rights and sustainable corporate governance in the course of 2021, the European Commission is launching consultation rounds in which stakeholders can give their input on this dossier.

Sioen experts are also member of the FEB Stakeholders workgroup, the WG BTW-(Bewijs van intracommunautaire levering) workgroup, the Business and human rights workgroup.

Michele Sioen, our CEO is also member of the Strategy Committee of the FEB. In addition, she has been the first female president of the FEB from 2014 to 2017.

The focal points of her presidency were:

• Youth employment
• Reduce employer's tax on labour so both employer as employee benefits on the bottom line
• Energy
• Innovation
• Trade unions and employee organisations contacts

Today, she is member of the IWO, the Interprofessional Employers' Consultation and of the Strategic Committee of the FEB.

We’ve also attended trainings organised by the FEB, often in collaboration with third party experts. The workshop on transforming supply chains, was particularly interesting. Identifying and managing social and environmental risks throughout a supply chain is a complex process. The workshop elaborated on topics such as methodologies, approaches, and tools for transforming supply chains and initiate a due diligence process.

SDGs

By being an active member of FEB, Sioen contributes to realising the following targets that are set in SDG 8: “promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation”, “achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all”, “ substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment”, “protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers.“

Our membership of FEB (and other professional organisations) helps realising the targets set in SDG 9, “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.”

And finally, SDG 16: “Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.” The FEB plays an important role in the target “Promote a universal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system under the World Trade Organisation” of SDG 17.