The Philippe de Woot Award Ceremony 2012
Results
The second Inter-University Philippe de Woot Award ceremony was held in Gent on February 16, 2012. Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School has a strong focus on research close to business, a growing international reputation and a solid strength for many years in teaching corporate responsibility and sustainable development as a basis for innovation and change.
Created in 2010, the inter-university Philippe de Woot Award aims to promote Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) by rewarding, every two years, a Master thesis that constitutes an original contribution to the understanding and thinking about Corporate Social Responsability.
During the ceremony, the award for the best Master thesis on Corporate Social Responsibility went to Stefan Maas, who graduated from Antwerp University. His thesis, « Development of an innovative CSR management system framework: Theoretical development and aqualitative assessment in Flanders », was assessed by the jury as the one providing the most relevant contribution for the awareness of sustainable entrepreuneurship.Â
The winner received a prize of 4 500 euros, from which 1 500 euros will be offered to a environmental or social project of his choice.
Victoria Jadot, who graduated from the ULB, received the Special Academic Jury award for her thesis entitled « Corporate responsibility as a driver of strategic change: The case of Umicore ».
Jury & nominees
They selected master theses have been examined by the following academic jury:
- Annick CASTIAUX â UniversitĂ© de Namur, Belgium
- Nathalie CRUTZEN – HEC ULiĂšge, Belgium
- Brigitte HUDLOT â ICHEC, Belgium
- Kevin JACKSON – Solvay Business School, Belgium
- CĂ©line LOUCHE –Â Vlerick Business School, Belgium
- ValĂ©rie SWAEN – UCLouvain, Belgium
Among the 35 submitted master’s thesis, the academic jury selected the 5 following dissertations:
Project 1
Victoria JADOT
Corporate responsibility as a driver of strategic change: The case of Umicore
Victoria JADOT – UniversitĂ© Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
This study contributes to the development of theory regarding organizational change towards strategic CSR, and the roles and beliefs of change agents in light of this change. It explores the case of Umicore, a company that successfully transformed its business model to embed sustainable development in its strategy.
Project 2
Justine GUYON de MONTLIVAULT
Socially responsible communication: Study of the opportunities and risks in a crisis perspective
Justine GUYON de MONTLIVAULT – Louvain School of Management, UCLouvain – Belgium
The analysis explores the opportunities and risks of CSR communication. It brings new elements to these issues by examining the consumersâ reactions to a crisis involving a firm.
Project 3
Development of an innovative CSR management system framework: Theoretical development and a qualitative assessment in Flanders
Stefan MAAS –Â University of Antwerpen, Belgium
The study deals with the creation of a conceptual sustainability management system inspired by ISO 26 000. The framework called âSus5â contains five inherent and consecutive features of sustainability. The framework has been tested empirically on twelve Flemish organizations.
Project 4
Justine JEROME
Corporate social responsibility and internal control: convergences and divergences
Justine JEROME – Louvain School of Management, Belgium
This thesis explores the integration of CSR practices into companiesâ internal control system. Ten CSR organisations in Luxembourg were studied to find out that there are more convergences than divergences especially at a strategic and operational level.
Project 5
Pieter DEMAEGHT
Sven LEEMANS
Corporate social responsibility in the port of Antwerp
Pieter DEMAEGHT & Sven LEEMANS – Antwerp Management School, Belgium
The study explores the effects of CSR on a large cluster of companies, ranging from industry to logistics, and the port of Antwerp as a whole. The results show that CSR is and will be an essential part of the future strategy for the port of Antwerp and its surrounding area, so it can continue to be a driver of growth.
Program & press release
The program of the Philippe de Woot Award 2012 ceremony
To view the press article published in La Libre Belgique on February 17, 2012 (in French)
2012 Award's partners
Academic partners
Corporate partners & contributors
Are you interested in the Philippe de Woot Award?
The next edition will be organized in 2026
Any graduate student from a university or business school with a Master’s degree whose dissertation deals
with CSR or sustainable development defended during the academic years 2023-2024 & 2024-2025 can apply for this award.
