Origins
The Foundation began its activities in 1998 and gradually built up its assets through two main sources:
- Allocating 25% of unrestricted donations to the Foundation's endowment
- Capitalising part of the funds generated through Action en Or, a Foundation initiative run in collaboration with Belgium's leading banks to collect blocked or devalued securities in support of our sustainable projects.
Financial Investments Supporting the Sustainable Transition
Capital Management Aligned with Ethical and Sustainability Criteria
The Foundation invests in line with its values and in the interests of future generations. Part of the Foundation's capital is invested in funds that meet its ethical and sustainability criteria.
Direct investments in companies committed to sustainable development
Since its creation in 1998, through its Impact First investment strategy, the Foundation has also chosen to invest part of its capital by taking direct stakes in companies that are "significantly committed" to sustainable development. The Foundation is thus a shareholder or cooperative member of 31 companies that embody a sustainable economy across 7 key sectors: energy & tech - food & agriculture - sustainable finance - fair & social trade - construction & real estate - mobility & transport - support for social entrepreneurship.
In addition, some of the funds hosted by the Foundation invest in sustainable start-up projects selected through specific calls for projects. This is the case for the SE'nSE Fund and the Shinju call for projects, funded by the Shinju Fund.
"Asset Management" Working Group
The Foundation initiated and chairs an "Asset Management" working group within the Belgian Federation of Philanthropic Foundations (FBFP). It provides a forum for foundations to exchange ideas and learn from one another about how their assets can become a lever for action towards more sustainable development. Its work has resulted in two publications, unique in Belgium and Europe:
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The first publication supports foundations seeking to take the next step and incorporate non-financial criteria into the management of their assets.
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The second guides foundations looking to engage constructively with their asset manager.
House of Future Generations ("Maison des Générations Futures")
Since 2021, and on a much larger scale since 2025, the Foundation has invested a significant share of its assets in the House of Future Generations, which is home to the Foundation's headquarters as well as the KOTs de Demain, Namur's first inter-institutional student community project.