Vanbreda Risk & Benefits partners with our Centre for Excellence in Strategic Rewards
By Xavier Baeten
Professor of Reward & Sustainability
The Centre for Excellence in Strategic Rewards at Vlerick Business School is proud to welcome Vanbreda Risk & Benefits as its newest corporate partner, effective 1 July 2025. This new collaboration marks a significant milestone in the Centre’s mission to drive innovative thinking and integrated strategies in the field of total rewards, and more specifically in the field of insurance-related benefits and employee wellbeing.
With the addition of Vanbreda Risk & Benefits – Belgium’s largest independent insurance broker and risk consultant specialised in employee benefits, risk management and care solutions – the Centre, which is supported by human capital consultancy firm Hudson as Chair Partner, now strengthens its position across the full spectrum of strategic rewards, enabling a more holistic and integrated perspective on how organisations attract, retain and engage talent.
“Vanbreda Risk & Benefits brings deep knowledge of employee benefits and wellbeing into our ecosystem,” says Xavier Baeten, Professor of Reward and Sustainability at Vlerick Business School, and Head of the Centre for Excellence in Strategic Rewards. “By joining forces, we can now offer our partners and the wider business community richer insights that span both ends of the rewards continuum, from direct financial incentives to long-term wellbeing strategies. This is a key step forward in developing a future-focused body of knowledge in strategic rewards.”
“Vanbreda Risk & Benefits’ decision to join the Centre aligns with its commitment to supporting organisations in building caring, competitive and sustainable reward strategies”, explains Saskia Defreyne, General Manager Employee Benefits at Vanbreda Risk & Benefits. “The collaboration will allow for shared research, thought leadership, and the development of tools and practices that support businesses in navigating evolving workplace expectations. We look forward to contributing to this strong network of forward-thinking HR professionals and business leaders in today’s competitive market.”
The Centre for Excellence in Strategic Rewards focuses on cutting-edge topics including strategic alignment of rewards, agile business models, responsible reward practices and effective communication of reward strategies. With this new partnership, the Centre is ideally positioned to support organisations with data-driven, people-centric approaches to rewarding talent in a complex and fast-changing world.