How does stakeholder dialogue help PMV to invest sustainably and future-oriented?

For PMV (Participatiemaatschappij Vlaanderen) — the Flemish investment company that stimulates and finances entrepreneurship — support is therefore not a side issue, but a prerequisite.

In 2022, PMV, together with Route 2030, initiated a process to explicitly substantiate sustainability through a structured stakeholder dialogue .

Why stakeholder dialogue is essential for an investment company

PMV operates at the intersection of policy, economics, and society. Decisions about funding, participation, and support impact:

• entrepreneurs and companies

• employees

• financial partners

• knowledge institutions

• the broader Flemish economy

A sustainable strategy therefore requires not only internal vision, but also external insight : which themes do stakeholders really consider important, and where is PMV expected to take responsibility?

From intention to insight: the PMV and Route 2030 approach

To answer these questions, PMV and Route 2030 developed a two-part stakeholder survey that was both broad and in-depth.

1. Online survey: broad view of priorities

An online survey was conducted among various stakeholder groups. The goal: to gain an initial, representative picture of which sustainability themes are considered priorities—both today and in the future.

This step resulted in:

• quantitative insights

• comparability between themes

• a solid foundation for further development

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2. Deep dive sessions: making sense of the numbers

The survey results were then explored in interactive sessions with a representative group of:

• academics

• entrepreneurs

• employees

• financial intermediaries

Together we went into:

• why certain themes score high

• what expectations are behind it

• what this means in concrete terms for PMV's role and strategy

In this way, stakeholder input was not only collected but also understood and interpreted .

Stakeholder dialogue as a foundation for materiality

The combination of survey and dialogue yielded more than just isolated insights. It formed the basis for an initial materiality analysis : a well-founded overview of the sustainability themes most relevant to PMV and its stakeholders.

Today this analysis serves as:

• starting point for further policy development

• touchstone for strategic choices

• foundation for transparent communication

  
  

What this process yielded for PMV

Thanks to this approach, PMV now has:

• clear insight into sustainability priorities from a stakeholder perspective

• a supported basis for further strategically developing sustainability

• strengthened relationships and trust with a broad and diverse stakeholder base

At least as important: the process created an open dialogue culture , in which sustainability does not remain an abstract concept, but becomes a joint conversation.

The collaboration with PMV demonstrates how stakeholder dialogue is a crucial lever for sustainable and future-oriented investments. This isn't achieved by immediately formulating solutions, but by first creating space for perspectives, expectations, and shared priorities .

Route 2030 helped structure that process — PMV is building on it today.

👉 Does your organization or sector also want to substantiate sustainability through stakeholder dialogue or materiality? Route 2030 guides you from the initial survey to a strategic compass. Contact us for an exploratory meeting.