Bank-insurer KBC Group employs 42,000 people worldwide, all dedicated to serving 13 million customers. In everything KBC does, the customer takes center stage — and that begins with its own employees. “KBC has a strong corporate culture. We want to be a top employer, and Arteel’s solutions help us achieve that,” says Frank Noten, HR Director at KBC Group.
Annual Celebration for Long-Serving Employees Becomes a Total Experience
Since 1947, celebrating employee milestones has been a solid tradition at KBC. Frank explains that every year a large celebration is held for employees reaching a seniority milestone — always accompanied by a unique gift.
“Originally, the event celebrated 62 employees; today, we honor more than 800 colleagues each year,” Frank says proudly. “In the early years, the gift was a gold watch, but today it has to be unique, creative, and personalized.”
Arteel provided a scalable solution through a digital platform that enables a total experience.
A Gift as an Experience That Lasts
To elevate the gift selection, KBC enlisted Arteel’s help. The concept of the gift had to become more creative — no longer just physical items, but also experiences offered as vouchers in an online catalog. Frank gives an example from the Arteel catalog: a hot air balloon ride for the whole family.
“We often notice that the entire family gets involved in choosing the gift because the selection is so wide and appealing — which in turn gives a strong boost to employer branding.”
— Nathalie Arteel
KBC also needed a platform where employees could view their personal invitation to the celebration and make their gift selection from a broad range of options.
“Managers can add a personal message to the colleagues receiving a gift. That makes it truly special.”
— Frank Noten
Finally, the platform also features a video message from CEO Johan Thijs, who addresses employees directly. This makes the experience even more personal and impactful — the message often extends beyond the workplace, with families watching it at home, deepening the emotional connection with KBC.
“It’s All in the Details”
Nathalie Arteel asked Frank how KBC experienced the transition to a more high-performing system for employee appreciation and gifting — since efficiency and measurable results are key objectives in such a large organization.
“We found in Arteel the ideal partner — one that completely unburdens us throughout the entire process: setup, selection, delivery, and follow-up, all through their digital platform.”
— Frank Noten
“The CEO of KBC sets the bar very high, and every detail matters,” says Nathalie Arteel. “That’s why we, as a family business, are extremely proud to be KBC’s partner.”
KBC is known for being very selective when it comes to onboarding new suppliers. Their professional procurement team conducted an in-depth analysis of potential partners on the market — and ultimately, Arteel was chosen.
As the saying goes: “The proof is in the pudding.” KBC cannot afford for anything to go wrong in the process. And if something does, it must be resolved immediately. Because Arteel manages and executes the entire process from A to Z in-house, they can respond and make adjustments instantly. Discover here how Arteel makes this happen behind the scenes.
“When you want to thank employees who have been with your company for 25, 30, or even more years, everything has to be perfect — there’s no room for mistakes.”
— Nathalie Arteel
Thanks to Arteel’s market leadership, the company has succeeded over the past 30 years in building sustainable partnerships with its suppliers.
This enables Arteel to pass on attractive discounts to its clients — resulting in greater purchasing power, a richer experience, and a stronger sense of appreciation.
