family

Centre Family Business Governance

In family businesses, strong companies are built on a strong family foundation. That is why GUBERNA believes that good governance at company level goes hand in hand with that of the family. 

The Centre for Family Business Governance guides, informs and advises individuals and families so they can successfully build on and enjoy the fruits of their life’s work. The emphasis lies on building professional relationships between families and family businesses. This is achieved by developing solid governance foundations and professional family governance from an intergenerational perspective. In addition, the family council, the family forum and the family charter are essential building blocks in family governance. By applying different methods and initiatives we better understand the dynamics and characteristics crucial to family business governance. 

For who?

We not only have special attention for the individuals at the wheel of the organisation, but also for family members who may, from a greater distance, benefit equally from staying in a stable course. Both individuals and organisations can join GUBERNA. 

What we offer you

The Centre for Family Business Governance guides entrepreneurs and families with tailor-made solutions, giving them the chance to exchange experiences with peers and to become inspired. 

GUBERNA has guided numerous family businesses. You will find more information about the services we offer below: 

  • Preparing the ‘next gen’ and future board members

  • Providing guidance in setting up an appropriate governance structure

  • Sounding board on charters and house rules 

Review of existing governance structures 

Evaluation of the board of directors/family governance:  
We are happy to make you a tailor-made offer, taking your specific governance needs and into.

Contact us
 

Incompany education tailor-made for (family) governance 

Next to our tailor-made education programs, (future) family board members can also follow our open education programs. 

Our objectives for 2022

Partners Centre Family Business Governance

  • BNP Paribas Fortis
  • EY
liesbeth

Questions or a tailor-made proposal? Contact us!

Liesbeth De Ridder

liesbeth.deridder@guberna.be

Tel +32 9 210 98 91

Research and Development

GUBERNA works closely with the Research Centre for Entrepreneurship & Family Firms (RCEF, UHasselt) lead by prof. dr. Wim Voordekkers, and the Expertisecentrum Familiebedrijven VKW-Limburg lead by Koen Hendrix. Our research and expertise is unique, combining important insights and experiences from the perspective of family businesses themselves. Where appropriate, we also use these persepectives to make the political world more aware of the specific challenges facing family businesses.  ​​​​​​

  • UHasselt
  • vkw limburg

Family Business Award of Excellence

Every year GUBERNA, together with EY and FBNet Belgium, in a partnership with BNP Paribas Fortis and De Tijd/l’Echo awards the Family Business Award of Excellence to a family business. By way of this initiative, we want to encourage family businesses to use ‘best practices’, to share them with each other and to recognize the yearly laureates.

  • de tijd l'echo

Publications about Family Business Governance

Cyber-Risk Oversight

The ISA’s cyber-risk handbooks are an attempt to provide Board members with a simple and coherent framework to understand cyber risk, as well as a series of straight-forward questions for Boards to ask management to assure that their organisation is properly addressing its unique cyber-risk posture.

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Urgenda: how urgently should climate change be put on the agenda of the board?

On our first digital member forum onthe 21st of April we will reflect upon the impact of the Urgenda legal case on the accountability of companies. But what/who is Urgenda? Why is a court ruling on climate change against the Dutch government significant for Belgian companies? Which lessons can a board of directors take away from this case? And what will be the impact of the current COVID-19 crisis on the climate debate?

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Spouses of leaders, first transmitters of the entrepreneurial spirit

A long tradition of entrepreneurial research has repeatedly highlighted the importance of the family in the genesis and transmission of entrepreneurial skills and behaviors. Some researchers have attributed this effect to the phenomenon of role models, which explains how, within a family, parents are observed and then imitated by children, which affects both children’s goals, once they become adults, as well as their aspirations and attitudes.

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"Male, pale & stale” is dead, long live diversity!

The 'glass ceiling' is familiar to us all, as are the quota laws, because they are supposed to bring solace. For GUBERNA, however, this is not the focus. We are indeed a great advocate of more women in managerial positions and especially on boards of directors. It is not for nothing that we have been addressing this topic in our operations for a long time. The successful mentoring programme is one example of this. But gender is only one piece of the puzzle. 'Diversity' is the greater goal for GUBERNA.

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