Created in 2008, the Degroof Petercam Foundation's mission is to support employment by focusing on three main areas: tomorrow's skills, entrepreneurship and working towards a more inclusive labor market. Each year, the Foundation selects and supports a new project with an innovative approach to job creation with a grant and tailored coaching. The Foundation's first award consists of a one million euro grant and personalized follow-up over five years. The Degroof Petercam Foundation is now one of the ten largest Belgian foundations.

Activ'Action is the 2022 winner of the grand prize. This initiative aims to transform the job search period into an opportunity to enlarge one's network, enhance one's employment skills, carry out projects and try out new abilities through its free and collaborative workshops. Its unique methodology focuses on a catalog of 15 soft skills (oral fluency, teamwork, active listening, etc.) that are essential for today's world and tomorrow's challenges. This project responds to a societal need, knowing that unemployment has a negative impact on soft skills and behavioral aptitudes (self-confidence, social cohesion, optimism, perseverance, ambition, etc.), which are paramount for the job market.

Emilie Schmitt, co-founder of Activ'Action: "We are particularly honored and enthusiastic about this recognition, which demonstrates the necessity of our action towards the job market. With the help of 50 team members and 50 volunteers across Belgium and France, we strive to transform professional transition phases into opportunities for development rather than destructive personal experiences. This award from the Degroof Petercam Foundation allows us to significantly accelerate the systemic change we aim to achieve,notably with the creation of an office in Belgium, thus contributing to meeting our objective of reaching 10,000 job seekers per year.”

Xavier Van Campenhout, chairman of the Degroof Petercam Foundation: "Activ'Action fits perfectly into the broader mission of the Foundation, which is to support the entrepreneurs of employment solutions and to give them the means to grow. We are delighted to accompany Activ'Action in its development.”

The Degroof Petercam Foundation is awarding its prize for the fourth consecutive year. Previous winners are Ticket for Change (2021), Bayes Impact (2020) and DUO for a JOB (2019). The support of the Foundation has enabled these initiatives to develop and expand in Belgium and beyond.