akkanto was honoured to welcome Professor W. Timothy Coombs on 5 July for an exclusive lecture at its offices. Coombs, a lecturer at the Nicholson School of Communication (University of Central Florida), is a leading international crisis communications theorist and author of “Ongoing Crisis Communication”.  During the session, Coombs elaborated on his “Situational Crisis Communication Theory”, which provides a valuable strategic communication framework for companies and organisations in a crisis situation. The lecture inspired a vibrant discussion amongst participants on the high profile BP crisis. 

The visit of Professor Coombs forms part of akkanto’s ongoing commitment to serve its clients with cutting edge tactical and strategic crisis communications counsel and coaching.

 

Europe’s foremost independently-owned corporate communications and crisis management network ECMP has added the French agency LJ Corporate and Polish agency Questia to its ranks. The ECMP network now covers nine European markets: Belgium/Brussels, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain and the UK.

LJ Corporate is a subsidiary of LJ Communication, a leading independent PR consultancy firm that specialises in pharmaceuticals, food, public health, general interest and environmental issues. Questia specialises in the pharmaceutical, food and heavy industries as well as financial services and real estate.

 

akkanto is proud to be the exclusive communication partner of the European Business Summit 2010 that takes place on Wednesday, 30 June 2010 and Thursday, 1 July 2010 at TOUR & TAXIS in Brussels. The Summit, which is organised by The Federation of Enterprises in Belgium (FEB) and BUSINESSEUROPE, coincides with the handing over of the EU Presidency to Belgium. This year’s theme for the Summit is Putting Europe Back on Track.

The outcomes of a study conducted by INSEAD and accenture amongst European CEOs on what is needed to get Europe back on track will be used to supplement the discussions during the Summit.

More information: www.ebsummit.eu

 

Following the outstanding success of the Belgavox Concert held on 17 May 2009, the non-profit organisation Belga-Vox will be organising a second Belgavox Concert one week before the Belgian federal elections. Belga-Vox would once again like to send out a strong and clear signal to everyone living and working in Belgium as well as abroad – for greater solidarity and dialogue in Belgium.

This second Belgavox Concert will take place on Sunday 6 June from 1 to 6 PM, on the Place des Palais in Brussels. More than 40 artists will literally be “lending their voices” to a strong, solidary, forward looking and lively Belgium.
As was the case last year, akkanto is a strategic Partner to the Belgavox project.

More information on www.belgavoxconcert.be

 

akkanto is looking to strengthen its team with a Consultant with an international profile to help carry out the company’s international advocacy and corporate communication assignments for Belgian and international companies and organisations.
 

“From its base in Brussels, akkanto has developed an international reputation for helping companies deal with some of their most critical corporate reputation issues, with a team of senior professionals unusual for a firm of its size. Its expertise in CSR and fostering public-private dialog is particularly unique and valuable at a time when companies need to earn their license to operate. And akkanto's success demonstrates that the demand for high-value public relations services increases in difficult times and those firms that focus on delivering such value will always thrive.”

 

Paul Holmes

http://www.holmesreport.com

 

akkanto has joined forces with its ECMP partners College Hill, Kohl PR and Schuttelaar & Partners to prepare the “What’s cooking in the EU?” report, which provides an overview of current and upcoming trends in food policy in the European Union as well as in those Member States that have the most influence on policy.
To read or download the report, click here.
 

akkanto concluded a partnership with Dr Leandro Herrero, founder and CEO of The Chalfont Project Ltd, an international consulting group of organizational architects. Dr Herrero is also the author of the groundbreaking book Viral Change^TM. This partnership perfectly illustrates the fact that akkanto is at the forefront of new, creative, innovative thinking in the field of communications for the benefit of its clients.

 

Dr Herrero’s vision on change management has largely influenced akkanto’s thinking on how organisations can benefit from an unconventional, yet effective and lasting approach to change management which entails the creation of an internal “epidemic” of success, led by a small number of people, by focusing on a few sets of non-negotiable behaviours and making them a key part of the culture.

 

Viral Change™ has been pioneered by The Chalfont Project as a way to create fast and sustainable change in organizations whether business, public or private sectors. It has already made a significant difference for a number of large and medium-sized organisations across the globe. Today, The Chalfont Project and akkanto have launched the first projects in Belgium.

 

akkanto has conducted an analysis of what is at stake in the upcoming regional elections in Belgium that coincide with the elections for the European Parliament.

 

A political assessment that looks forward to post-election times was conducted by the PA team.  The possible coalitions in the different regions were examined together with any repercussions to be expected from these elections at the federal level.   Our clients were also offered analytical notes that summarised what the positions of the various political parties were on a series of key themes such as environment, transport, healthcare, employment and energy.  If you would like to receive one or more of these summaries, or if you need any information or advice on the upcoming elections and their aftermath, then please feel free to contact Carl Buyck, Partner – carl.buyck@akkanto.com, Tel +32 (0)2 610 10 59.

 

Click here to download the political analysis : NL - FR

 

On Sunday 17 May 2009 the Belgavox Concert took place on the esplanade of the Atomium, a free musical event aimed at reinforcing solidarity, dialogue, respect, a sense of community and multi-cultural diversity in Belgium - and strengthening the Belgian identity.

 

An impressive line-up of more than sixty Belgian stars turned the concert into a truly historical event.

 

From the onset, akkanto gave strategic and practical support to the Belgavox project, a platform open to all who want to show what Belgium has to offer in an enthusiastic, creative and future oriented manner.
More information on www.belgavoxconcert.be.

 

May 2009 – akkanto received a Fairtrade@Work Award for its contribution to the Max Havelaar campaign, which aims at encouraging employers to introduce Fair Trade products into the workplace.  The Fairtrade@Work day was organised together with La Libre Belgique and Vacature and took place on 7 May.  akkanto, Sodexo, Fortis, Alterfin, Ethias, the city of Antwerp, Solvay, Standaard Boekhandel Leuven, the Institute for Tropical Medicine and SBS Belgium (tv stations VT4 and VijfTV)  were awarded for the original and efficient way they introduced Fair Trade products in their companies and organisations.  In total more than 200 companies, cities and organisations participated in Fairtrade@Work.

 

“At akkanto, the staff were very enthusiastic about participating in the project”, says Carl Buyck, Partner.  “Every employee prepared a dish with Fair Trade products together with typical regional ingredients from the places where they live.  All the dishes were then tasted by the team in a brunch on the Fairtrade@Work day.  A booklet with all the recipes, illustrated with photographs taken in all parts of Belgium, was made especially for the occasion.”

 

For more information on the campaign, visit the Max Havelaar site: www.maxhavelaar.be

 

Click here to download the booklet with recipes. (32Mb)

 

June 2008 - Electrabel and Mattel have received a Silver IBIS Communication Award, granted by 3C (Belgian Corporate Communications Community) and BPRCA (Belgian Public Relations Consultants Association). akkanto is proud to have assisted these clients in both award-winning crisis communications projects.

 

The Mattel project was specifically distinguished for the effective management of the media impact, resulting in upholding Mattel’s reputation after three consecutive product recalls.

Electrabel organised a crisis communication drill for its nuclear plant in Tihange with the support of akkanto within the framework of an international audit. During the crisis simulation exercise, Electrabel’s representatives were confronted with the various stakeholders who would potentially be affected by a nuclear incident. These interactions were systematically observed and evaluated.

The annual IBIS Communication Awards reward projects and programs that have demonstrated genuine added value to the stakeholder relations of businesses and organisations in Belgium.

For more information on the IBIS Awards, please visit: www.ibisawards.be

 

akkanto is a partner of the European Business Summit (EBS) - on Thursday 21 and Friday 22 February 2008 - organised by BUSINESSEUROPE and the Federation of Enterprises in Belgium, in close cooperation with the European Commission and the Slovenian EU Presidency.

 

The EBS will take place at TOUR & TAXIS in Brussels.

 

Within the EBS, akkanto has the privilege of holding a parallel session on Public Affairs, entitled: “Finding your way in the Belgian political labyrinth” on Thursday 21 February from 15:30 to 16:45.

 

This parallel session will help participants to grasp the complex Belgian political landscape and to understand the economic and cultural factors which have driven the successive state reforms of the past decades and continue to influence Belgian politics today. The presentation will illustrate how a basic understanding of the Belgian political landscape will help business leaders maximize the results of their political stakeholder relations and avoid pitfalls which might damage their business.

 

More information : www.ebsummit.org

 

On December 21, Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt presented his interim government to the Parliament after 194 days of political paralysis. It marks the beginning of a Belgian government without precedent: this government will last for only 3 months and is the first asymmetric government in Belgian history. During that short period of time, the government will focus on a certain number of topics paying specific attention to safeguarding the purchasing power and off course to discussing institutional reforms.
 

Get an in-depth perspective from our
CS Political analysis: 93 days with Verhofstadt III

  

Political analysis Verhofstadt III - Dutch version
Political analysis Verhofstadt III - French version

 

The Belgian Public Relations Consultants Association (BPRCA) and the Belgian Public Relations Centre (BPRC) have joined forces to organise a special Christmas event on 13 December where the BPRC will announce its new branding and unveil its new visual identity.

Furthermore, for the first time in the industry's history in Belgium, both organizations will also launch the IBIS Communication Awards to reward excellence in the various fields of corporate and brand communication: internal and external corporate communication, public affairs, crisis communication, product communication, etc.

The individuals who have greatly contributed to the development of the profession in Belgium and are recognised as true communication leaders and ambassadors of the profession will receive the title of IBIS Master Communicator. The first of these, designated by the joint Boards of BPRC and BPRCA, will be announced on 13 December.

Likewise, as of 2008, the IBIS Young Communicator Award will recognise the excellent work of one or more young professionals who have made a valuable contribution to the companies they work for and show considerable promise as future leaders of the industry.

Finally, BPRCA and BPRC have created annual IBIS Communication Awards for projects and programmes that have demonstrated genuine added value to the stakeholder relations of businesses and organisations in Belgium. The IBIS Communication Awards will feature a wide range of specialist categories.

More details regarding these three types of IBIS Awards will be revealed on 13 December.

The BPRC and BPRCA are therefore happy to invite you to this unique event, along with the members of both organisations and other communication professionals in Belgium.
See: www.siemens.be/ibisevent

The IBIS Christmas Event will take place on 13 December, starting at 6 pm at BMW Brussels, Bd de Waterloolaan 23-24, 1000 Brussels.
Please confirm your presence before 11 December by e-mail to Daniel De Marto (info@bprc.be)

For more information please contact
 Daniel De Marto: +32 2 414 04 32 or info@bprc.be
or Johan Ral: +32 2 674 22 53 or j.ral@cs-brussels.com

 

The German Crop Protection, Pest Control and Fertilizer Association’s (IVA) “Food for Life!” road show was presented the inaugural Agrow Award for the “Best Public Outreach Programme” by the British Crop Protection Council (BCPC) and the crop protection industry news provider, Agrow, on 16 October 2007. The Agrow Awards are designed to recognise exceptional achievements of the crop protection industry, encompassing its R&D capabilities, new products and the industry's innovation in the form of agricultural biotechnologies.

The "Food for Life!" road show travelled around Germany for 3 years, providing its 211,000 visitors with the opportunity to learn about the benefits of crop protection through novel and interactive exhibits.

European Communication Strategies (CS) was instrumental in the development of this road show, which was designed as part of an outreach programme run by CropLife International, the global plant science industry federation of which IVA is a member. CS coordinated the design and implementation of this outreach programme in Germany, France and Canada.

The IVA road show has been deemed a great success in communicating on behalf of the crop protection industry both domestically and now, through this award, at the international level. To find out more about the "Food for Life!" campaign, visit their website (in German) at: www.food-for-life-brd.de

To find out more about the Agrow Awards, visit their website at www.agrowawards.com

 

"Dankzij het professioneel advies en de efficiënte begeleiding door CS heeft Mattel in België de communicatie over de recall snel in goede banen kunnen leiden."

Frank De Belie, Sales Director & Spokesperson Mattel Belux 

 

CS assisted Mattel in their second and third product recalls for the Belgian and Luxemburg market. Despite the short notice and tight deadlines in both cases, CS organised its teams accordingly in order to be able to optimally serve the client. The communication materials came from Mattel’s Californian HQ, through the European HQ in the Netherlands, and were adapted locally by CS with specific input for the Belgian and Luxemburg market. In some cases, CS took the lead in developing appropriate communication tools for Europe. The CS team was on standby 24h/7 and adapted all communication tools into French and Dutch for retail, consumer organisations, and consumers (via website and media). The standby team also monitored day and night in order to ensure a quick reaction to developments. For the third recall, Belgian and Luxemburg media were informed at 6.00am sharp following a 5.00am news item on the Belgian radio news and a US press release sent out overnight.

 

Read more

What the media says about Mattel's crisis communications

 

CS has a particular interest in developing business in and with China, for Belgian and European companies doing business in the People's Republic and for Chinese companies coming to Belgium and Europe.

 

CS is a member of the Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce and the Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce. In November 2004, Johan Ral, Managing Director, participated in the Belgian Economic Mission to the People's Republic of China and Hong Kong SAR, led by H.R.H. Crown Prince Philippe. During that stay, Johan Ral was a guest speaker at the 2nd International Forum of Corporate Crisis Management organised by CIPRA (China International Public Relations Association).

 

CS also has a partnership with UAMS (University of Antwerp Management School), designing and facilitating tailor-made communication workshops for Chinese managers and students.

 

On June 1, Walter Gelens joined European Communication Strategies (CS) as a partner.

Walter, a 45 years old Commercial Engineer (VUB, Solvay), has held senior positions at Belgacom and Unilever. With Walter, the partnership at CS becomes an even more complete, stronger and unique team.

 

Press release

 

The European Crisis Management Partnership, of which CS is a founding member, has been reinforced with leading UK reputation and risk management boutique, Razor...

  more

 

In an article to be published in the 2007 edition of Hollis Europe, Johan Ral, Managing Director of CS, takes a closer look at industry trends and developments in the Public Relations and Public Affairs landscape in Belgium.

 

Given the geographical and political central position of Belgium and Brussels in Europe and the presence of the European Institutions, the 'Belgian' market offers numerous opportunities for communications professionals.

 

See attachment below

 

Soon in Hollis Europe

 

 

Electrolux has been chosen as a winner of the prestigious Golden World Award for Excellence in Public Relations 2006, granted by the International Public Relations Association (IPRA). The Electrolux Baby Brochure “Enjoy New Life”, developed in association with European Communication Strategies, was selected in the category of most effective and creative printed materials. The booklet was distinguished for its innovative way in which Electrolux successfully communicated with new parents by providing them in-depth and practical advice on household appliance use for their babies.
The program has already reached 19 countries and is continuing to expand.

 

For more information on the Baby Brochure, please visit:
newbaby.electrolux.com

 

 

On October 17, Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt will present the federal budget 2007 to the Parliament. This marks the start of what promises to be a very busy and complex political year. The communal elections of October 8th have changed the political landscape. The two main current majority parties, the Flemish liberals and the Walloon socialists, have lost a fair amount of support, while the christian-democrat opposition has scored well. With only 7 months to go before the next federal elections take place political tensions are rising. Meanwhile, captains of industry are urging the government to concentrate on the real challenge: safeguarding our economy.

Get an in-depth perspective from our
CS Policy Preview 2006-2007.

 

policy preview NL 154 ko

policy preview FR 154 ko