‘The Lab’ by Degroof Petercam Foundation: ​
​reconciling parenthood and work in Belgium

The Degroof Petercam Foundation has awarded three Belgian non-profits dedicated to reconciling parenthood and work in Belgium through its newest initiative, the Lab. Each project will receive 50,000 euros and tailored support.

BRUSSELS, March 21, 2025 – In 2024, the Degroof Petercam Foundation launched the Lab, a program dedicated to proactively identifying key employment-related challenges in Belgium and working towards supporting and developing solutions through research, experimentation, collaboration and funding of civil society actors. Its first project focuses on reconciling parenthood and work, as an international study across 42 countries ranked Belgium as the third most affected by parental burnout.

In May of last year, the Degroof Petercam Foundation launched a nationwide popular consultation to explore ways to better reconcile parenthood and work. The initiative engaged unprecedented mobilization with over 180,000 votes and 665 solution proposals generated by citizens. This consultation, which stands out from isolated expert opinions, laid the groundwork for addressing real, widespread concerns. Leveraging on AI for data processing, three key priorities were identified: childcare accessibility, inclusive family support and workplace adaptation. Unlike traditional philanthropy, where solutions are often dictated top-down, the Lab empowers local actors to take the lead in defining and implementing solutions and acts as an enabler to co-create action plans.

Sixty organizations joined to accelerate solutions for reconciling parenthood and work in Belgium, which included participating in nine collective intelligence workshops. Subsequently, an open call for projects invited the workshop participants to submit their initiatives, resulting in 25 official applications. Each project has been evaluated through a structured impact assessment framework which led to the selection of three standout projects aiming at strategic acceleration:

BB Welcome by Impactoo

Thousands of families struggle to find nursery places, forcing parents, often mothers, to reduce work hours. Many childcare facilities have closed, and 10,000 more places are at risk. BB Welcome proposes a financially viable funding solution with the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles and local municipalities to stop the loss of childcare places and enable new facilities. This approach aims to prevent the loss of childcare places and create a framework for new facilities to emerge, by combining efforts from the private and public sector.

Le Petit Vélo Jaune

Le Petit Vélo Jaune helps single-parent families, mainly women, facing financial and social challenges by providing weekly volunteer visits to break isolation and boost confidence. This support helps parents regain control over their lives and opens opportunities in employment, education, and social networks. The initiative aims to rebuild parents' confidence and autonomy at their own pace.

Label by Be Family & La Ligue des Familles

Recognizing that many parents in Belgium struggle to work full-time and would change jobs for better parental support, Label by Be Family and La Ligue des Familles offers solutions for companies and families. Their approach involves a certification process that assesses corporate family policies, evaluates the effectiveness of existing measures, and measures their impact. They support companies with expertise in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI), and advocate for legislative improvements to create a supportive environment for working parents.

Next steps

Each project will be further developed in collaboration with key stakeholders to ensure long-term sustainability and growth. They receive tailored support in areas such as fundraising, partnership development, impact measurement and visibility, along with 50,000 euros in funding.

Anne-Sophie Pype, managing director Degroof Petercam Foundation: “With the Lab, we are tackling one of the most urgent challenges in the Belgian labor market: reconciling parenthood and professional life. Our collaborative approach is founded on the belief that solutions can only be found by working together. The results we’ve achieved so far show that solutions do exist. It is now up to all of us to build on these achievements and continue to shift attitudes and practices. We firmly believe that parenthood should be recognized as a valuable asset to society as a whole. We’ve laid the first stone on this path – let’s continue to pave the way forward!”

More details on the individual projects can be found in the attached PDF file.