Sustainability shapes every step we take

The name says it all: the Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard for non-listed SMEs (VSME) is designed for voluntary sustainability reporting by small and medium-sized enterprises. So why is a large organization like Helan getting involved? CEO Tom Coolen explains.

Helan is best known as Helan Independent Health Insurance Fund but also includes organizations like Helan Childcare and Helan Household Assistance. “We’re not obligated to report on sustainability,” says Tom Coolen. “But as a welfare organization partly funded by public resources, we do feel a strong sense of social responsibility.” The voluntary nature of the reporting is, in fact, a strength, Coolen believes. “It shows we’re not doing this to greenwash or tick a box, but to genuinely create added value.”

At Helan, sustainability and making a positive social impact are deeply embedded in our mission. “Health and well-being are central to everything we do, from the moment of birth to the end of life. For us, sustainability is essential to building lasting relationships with our clients. It’s a topic that actively shapes discussions at our board meetings,” explains Coolen.

“Principles like diversity and equal treatment of our approximately 6,500 employees are a given for us.” But employer branding and future-proof business practices also matter: “For younger generations, it’s simply unacceptable for an organization not to engage with ESG,” Coolen points out.

For all these reasons, there was a need to make ESG more tangible and identify potential blind spots. Coolen is enthusiastic about the VSME framework. “It’s built in a modular way, allowing us to grow step by step. Moreover, the language is relatable. Concepts like inclusion, health, and mobility are clear and tangible.” 

At the time of the interview, Coolen had not yet received KPMG’s final VSME report, but he wasn’t expecting any major surprises. “We already have many things in place,” he says. “Gender balance isn’t an issue for us, and we follow a fair, transparent, and results-driven approach to compensation. Our organization is also culturally diverse, especially among our household staff.”

While much is going well, there are still areas where Helan sees room to grow. “Making healthcare accessible and affordable is crucial to us,” says Coolen. “And that goes beyond pricing, it’s also about empowering people with knowledge, for example in digital health literacy. That’s a space where we can offer even more support.”

Coolen also underlines the importance of employee well-being and development at Helan.

“We’re already doing a lot in this area, but we want to place even more emphasis on talent development as a source of intrinsic motivation. Giving employees the opportunity to grow is vital — both for their personal development and for the long-term resilience of our organization.”

Coolen is very positive about the collaboration with KPMG throughout this process.

“They bring structure to a complex domain and offer an external perspective that’s extremely valuable to us. They connect the dots between our entities and share examples from other sectors.”

But the real work begins after the report. Based on the priority themes, Helan will define a limited number of targeted initiatives for the coming years. “These actions will be integrated into our policy plans, so that sustainability doesn’t stand alone but becomes the common thread running through our strategic choices.”

KPMG supports organizations in applying the VSME standard with tailored guidance based on their level of maturity. “It’s not just about delivering a report, but about strengthening internal knowledge,” says Elizna Senekal, who led the project at Helan. “Knowledge transfer is key — so that organizations can continue their ESG journey independently.”

Although Helan is not subject to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the organization deliberately chose to engage in voluntary reporting. “They saw this as an opportunity to build stakeholder trust and link their mission to long-term impact,” explains Senekal.

For other organizations considering a similar path, her advice is clear: “Start with a double materiality assessment to identify your key ESG topics, and treat reporting as a strategic tool.”

This article was created in collaboration with De Tijd and L'Echo.