Since the summer of 2024, Grant Thornton has been the main partner of the Royal Belgian Hockey Federation (KBHB). Through this partnership, both organisations aim to strengthen their diversity and inclusion initiatives. "Through hockey, we can amplify our company values," says Leslie Van den Branden, Managing Partner at Grant Thornton. "Grant Thornton gives us the opportunity to further invest in diversity within our sport," adds Serge Pilet, CEO of KBHB.
Leslie: “Some companies engage in sponsorship purely because the CEO is passionate about sports. We approached the selection of our partner more thoughtfully. Our goal was to increase brand awareness across the country while highlighting our CLEARR corporate values (Collaboration, Leadership, Excellence, Agility, Respect & Responsibility). Through a strategic consulting agency, we ultimately partnered with the Royal Belgian Hockey Federation.
Serge: “I have been with the federation for nearly eleven years, and this was the first time a potential sponsor, with no direct connection to our sport, approached us. Typically, our contacts at these companies have either played hockey themselves or have a strong interest in the sport.”
“Grant Thornton, on the other hand, approached us with a clear, values-driven proposition. We had to "work" to finalise the deal: Grant Thornton asked us to answer numerous questions and provide detailed information about our values. However, we were happy to do so, as it was immediately clear that there was a strong alignment.”
Leslie: “Diversity and inclusion are closely aligned with all our corporate values. We see this partnership as the perfect opportunity to advance our ambitions in this area.”
Serge: “We were quick to embrace the focus on diversity and inclusion, as it offers us the opportunity to further invest in this field. This commitment quickly translated into tangible actions: with the support of Grant Thornton, we were able to send our G-hockey team to the Special Olympics in Paraguay and organise an event highlighting the role of women in our sport.”
“The sponsorship funding from Grant Thornton is not only directed towards diversity and inclusion projects, but given the number of such initiatives we have in progress, Grant Thornton will inevitably play a significant role in them.”
Serge: “Hockey has experienced significant growth in recent years. We’ve made the sport more accessible to everyone through initiatives like Urban Hockey and Hockey2School. However, integration is not always immediate and ensuring that diversity reaches the boardrooms remains a challenge.
“It remains challenging to engage individuals with limited financial resources in our sport. Hockey is inherently expensive, as clubs need to pass on infrastructure costs to their members. Financial support for those in need is an area where we can certainly make further progress.”
Leslie: “As an organisation, you are not necessarily diverse and inclusive simply by appointing a woman or someone from a challenging social background as CEO. That would be too simplistic. Having the right skills remains the most important criterion for becoming a leader.”
“You must ensure that everyone has equal opportunities to acquire those skills and apply for leadership positions. At Grant Thornton, those opportunities are certainly available: my predecessor was a woman, and my successor may be as well.”
“It is scientifically proven that diverse teams deliver better results and more creative solutions. So why would you limit opportunities for certain individuals based on gender or background? Our teams are as diverse as possible, not only to provide the best service to our clients, but also to inspire them and amplify our impact.”
Serge: “For the past two years, our national teams have implemented the equal pay principle: with the support of sponsor Belfius, women earn the same amount per international match as men. This means that a woman who has played more matches than a man will be remunerated accordingly, and vice versa, of course.”
Leslie: “In our sector, equal pay is not the primary issue; rather, it is that women's career advancement often stagnates at a certain level. Our research at the group level reveals that only 33% of senior leadership positions are held by women. Many men in these roles may believe they have limited influence over this societal challenge, but that is not the case.”
“Through our ‘allyship’ programme, we aim to support women aspiring to leadership roles by pairing them with our current leaders, who are predominantly male. The goal is to encourage women to believe that their competencies make the difference, not their gender. In doing so, we seek to provide everyone within our organisation with equal opportunities based on objective criteria, as well as the confidence to take the next step.”
Serge: “The societal situation often still holds back women's ambition and self-confidence. For example, if there is a leadership position with ten requirements, a woman who meets nine of them is likely to think, "This isn’t for me." Meanwhile, a man who meets only six of the criteria is more likely to think, "I’ll go for it.”
Leslie: “At Grant Thornton, the gender distribution is roughly 50-50. However, when looking at our senior leadership, the proportion of women drops to 20%. In addition to our 'allyship' programme, we are addressing this by ensuring equal participation of women and men in international leadership training programmes.”
Serge: “The situation is similar in hockey. While there are currently as many male as female players, gender balance has yet to be achieved in leadership roles. There are too few female chairpersons, coaches, and referees.”
“With our campaign “Gezocht: vrouwen met goesting” (Wanted: women with passion), we recently took an active approach in seeking out these women. Another measure we’ve implemented is ensuring equal representation of men and women on our boards. We are truly committed to making progress in this area.”
Leslie: “Perseverance, teamwork, and adaptability are three skills that are crucial both in sports and at Grant Thornton. In our recruitment process, we increasingly focus on these types of skills rather than just educational qualifications, as we believe motivation takes you further than degrees. I also see a similarity between our drive for quality and the ethos in hockey.”
Leslie: “(Laughs) I may not have the speed anymore, but as a football player, I was technically skilled and captain of the team. As a hockey player, I could definitely lead my team, which is something I also do in my role at Grant Thornton."
Serge: “I was not a world-class player and only played for the national team about ten times. To continue the football comparison: as a right-back, I was a bit like Eric Gerets. I knew when to step up and give the team a boost. There's definitely a parallel with what I do today, much like Leslie.”
In the video series ‘Women in Hockey / Business,’ we share the stories of inspiring women from both the hockey and business worlds. Marie Brasseur (President of the Walloon Hockey Federation) and Nadia Clinckspoor (Certified Tax Advisor and Partner at Grant Thornton) kick off the series.