Lotus Bakeries hardly needs any introduction. The family business, headquartered in Lembeke, East Flanders, is a world leader in the sector of confectionery such as cookies, pastries and waffles and has a dozen production sites in Europe, South Africa and the United States. At the same time, Lotus Bakeries supports a wide range of charities. The company is even a co-founder of OVO and has therefore supported various projects for many years. According to William Du Pré, Corporate Director at Lotus Bakeries, this cooperation is going optimally. “Both the guidance in choosing initiatives and the reporting make OVO a reliable partner. And we especially appreciate the solid reporting we receive so that we know exactly what is happening with the money. Thanks to an annual evaluation, we can also see what has already been accomplished. We have therefore confirmed that we will continue the cooperation”.
A successful company naturally receives almost daily requests to support charities. It is no different at Lotus Bakeries. William Du Pré: “Although we would love to respond to every request, we consciously choose to support a limited number of projects. That way we counteract the fragmentation of budgets and have a greater impact. For example, through Louvain Cooperation, an NGO partner of OVO, we support a school project in the Congolese region of Walungu. The aim is twofold: to provide young Congolese with vocational training and to strengthen the technical and entrepreneurial skills of their teachers. In total, 4 schools will receive intense guidance in this way, 150 teachers will receive additional training, 350 students will receive support, 50 vulnerable will receive an individualized pathway and 60 young people will receive support to develop their professional activities.”
And Lotus Bakeries is not stopping there. Through Foundation for Education, its own initiative, the company is also giving its financial support to an elementary school near its factory in South Africa, in a multi-year commitment. The goal remains the same: to give young people a better future through solid education.
Contributing to OVO's objectives can be done in many ways: by becoming a core member, by making a donation, by supporting a specific project and also by becoming a volunteer for the organization.
Would you too like to be part of the extensive network of companies that support OVO and make a real difference that way? Would you like to know what OVO's operation can do for your company and employees?
Do not hesitate to contact Karen Peersman (karen.peersman@ovo.be, 0479/912 914)
