ESG Rapport

TCM Belgium moved in 2022 to Foodport in Tienen, an energy-efficient building. As a result, we save a lot of energy and costs. The office has a heat pump and solar panels. The E-level of the building is 98, the K-level 40.

Our employees are committed to sorting waste and we try to ensure that we produce as little waste as possible. This includes using tap water and limiting the use of plastic packaging.

To reduce emissions, it is possible to work from home. Many of our employees work 2-3 days at home.

We are building a hybrid/electric vehicle fleet to reduce emissions. We also offer bicycles and a bicycle allowance to encourage our employees to bike to work and go to town.

We work by mail as much as possible. Whenever possible, we send reminders to debtors by mail, and we also send our invoices to our customers by mail. We also offer online payment options through a payment link or QR code, by mail or text message.

TCM Belgium encourages its employees to take (and give!) internal and external training courses and attend seminars and congresses at home and abroad. In this way, we encourage our team to get the best out of themselves.

We offer a very competitive salary, with many fringe benefits on top of the gross salary (cell phone, cell phone subscription, car, bicycle, laptop, hospitalization insurance, pension savings, meal vouchers, eco vouchers, year-end bonus, vacation pay, bonuses, vacation days linked to seniority).

To improve work-life balance, it is possible to work from home. Many of our employees work from home for 2-3 days.

Flexible hours, which may vary from week to week, are allowed to improve employees’ work-life balance.

Work hard, play hard! We do monthly (if not weekly) team building events ranging from dinners at the office or restaurants, bbqs at home, weekend retreats, (food) festivals, sports activities,…. . . In this way, employees are thanked for their efforts and bonds between them are strengthened.

It is possible for employees to grow to their full potential and pursue a lifelong career at TCM Belgium. Doing the same job for years or trying out different positions, it all depends on the employees and how they want to develop. Many of our employees have been working for us for 10 years.

We want to offer employees a warm and open environment where everyone feels welcome. We give all our employees the space to be themselves and give them opportunities, regardless of their history, education, origin, gender, religion,… . We are affiliated with an international group, making the DNA of our company very worldly, diverse and open minded. We work with a very diverse team, in which both men and women hold management positions.

We give young people a chance to get a taste of professional life through internships and student jobs. Students are involved in both work and team building.

We try to support our employees in as many areas as possible and try to make the work environment as comfortable as possible. We have invested in ergonomic furniture, such as ergonomic PC screens and office chairs, which can be adjusted to the needs and wishes of the individual employee. We also have an adjustable desk, treadmill and desk bike available. We offer complimentary fruits and drinks, as well as other refreshments. Many plants are also available to brighten up the workplace.

We listen to employees’ wants, needs and expectations both informally and formally (through evaluations). Employees are heard when both important and day-to-day decisions are made.

A first responder has been designated, as well as an advisor to whom employees can turn if they feel uncomfortable, or have questions about organizational policies.

TCM believes in its economic and social positive contribution. We are the cheapest solution for collecting unpaid bills for financially vulnerable people. We make every effort to settle a case amicably, sensitizing both parties to the most appropriate solution. Debtors never have to pay for our actions to collect unpaid bills. Only contractual/legal fees and interest for late payment of invoices are collected. No collection fees (prohibited by law), procedural fees or further costs. We advise debtors on options such as a payment plan and advise on amicable collection.

We engage in dialogue with politicians, policy makers, anti-poverty organizations, citizens, … to ensure that there is a correct understanding about our activities and how we can contribute to the solution for unpaid bills. This dialogue is very necessary because not only the government and politicians, but also anti-poverty organizations and citizens are not sufficiently informed about how we work towards an amicable solution. A solution that benefits all parties because amicable collection is the most cost and time efficient solution without burdening the customer relationship.

We have built partnerships with all the major professional federations in Belgium, as well as with credit insurers and accounting firms. Thus, we have established links with all sectors and experience in all economic fields. TCM Belgium stands for cooperation and knowledge sharing.

We not only raise awareness, we provide training to clients, schools, universities,… on the broader topics related to debt collection. We provide sessions on the right way to track debtors and how to minimize unpaid invoices and DSO, on how to maximize cash flow, on correct and opposable general terms and conditions of sale, on changes in legislation, on answers to complex international issues,… .

We are part of the international debt collection network TCM Group, giving us a local presence in >100 countries. The TCM Group is a center of knowledge and experience. All partners within this network subscribe to the same code of ethics and conduct, ensuring ethical collection worldwide.

Every collection agency in Belgium is required to register with the FPS Economy.

We are also affiliated with several umbrella organizations that act as both controlling bodies and knowledge centers.

We are proud members of:

• ABR-BVI (Belgian Association of Collection Companies).
• FENCA (the European Federation of Collection Agencies).
• ACA International (the U.S. equivalent)

We use a separate bank account to which all payments from debtors go and which TCM Belgium does not touch for internal use. Because collection agencies are not required to work with such a separate account, this is unique in our industry. Overpayments are immediately refunded.

We guarantee (through 2 insurance policies: Axa insurance and TCM Group guarantee fund) that the money raised by us and our partners around the world will actually appear in your account, regardless of geopolitical obstacles. Unique within our industry!

We support various social projects in different areas. During TCM Group’s annual AGM week, it is tradition to organize a charity auction. In 2023, we chose the French organization “Lazare,” an initiative to help homeless people reintegrate into society.

We also supported the Make-a-Wish foundation (for children with critical illnesses) and TADA (network that mentors socially vulnerable youth in Brussels).

We work together with a sheltered workshop (Blankedale vzw) that gives work to socially vulnerable people. Blankedale vzw ensures that our office is cleaned.

As a data controller, but also because of the sensitive information we interact with, it is extremely important that all of our data and all of our online processes are highly secure. This is why we regularly request independent penetration tests and external audits. We work within an online secure platform, into which new files and data can be uploaded.

To properly handle personal data and work in compliance with the GDPR, our employees receive annual training in this area.

Registration of complaints is possible through the FPS Economy, the ABRBVI (Belgian Federation of Collection Agencies) and TCM Belgium (through compliance@tcm.be).

Employees must sign a charter in which they commit to working to reduce TCM Belgium’s footprint and that they will treat correctly, ethically and with sensitive data they come into contact with correctly, both ethically and in terms of GDPR.