Annual Report 2023

In June 2023, D’Ieteren Group hosted its very first Group-wide event gathering the top management of each of its businesses, called DIGathering. During this two-day event, the Group set seeds for best practices exchange through presentations made by the businesses themselves. Collaborators from different businesses could meet each other and explore synergies whilst celebrating together key achievements of the D’Ieteren Group family of businesses.

Skipper Denis Van Weynbergh and D’Ieteren Group have joined forces to fly the Belgian flag at the next Vendée Globe, a solitary, uninterrupted, and without assistance round-the-world sailing race taking place in November 2024. This sporting challenge is above all a human adventure carrying the Group’s values that the Group intends to promote internationally among its employees.

Detour, the traveling exhibition curated by Moleskine, featuring decorated notebooks by internationally recognized artists continued its journey from Shanghai to Paris, to New York and finally to London in 2023. The display featured 100 author-made notebooks from the Moleskine foundation Collection.

In light of PHE’s robust operating performance, S&P has upgraded PHE’s credit ratings to BB- from B+, outlook stable. Moody’s has affirmed the B2 credit rating, and upgraded the outlook from stable to positive.

Belron’s near and long-term greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative. These targets include a 42% reduction across scope 1 and 2 (direct and indirect) emissions by 2030, a 25% reduction across scope 3 (supply chain) emissions by 2030 and a 90% reduction across scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions by 2050. In addition, Belron commits to reach net-zero GHG emissions across its value chain by 2050.

As growth comes with the need for expansion and added system capacity, in 2023 the company met the delivery of their automated and extended warehouse called WB3 located in Waregem, going from 350k to 700k totes capacity, and two additional picking floors.

As an integral part of D’Ieteren’s ambition to build a low carbon mobility ecosystem, project ZERO is the ambitious plan which will guide the company’s strategy towards a net zero emission target by the year 2050.

D’Ieteren Immo launches the construction of the D’Ieteren House in Erps-Kwerps, the new center of gravity for all D’Ieteren Automotive’s brands.

Edouard Janssen has been appointed as D’Ieteren Group’s Chief Financial Officer, in September 2023 taking responsibility over the Group's financial operations, management and joining several of the Group companies’ boards.

Supported by its strong operational performance, Belron distributed approximately €1.5bn of dividends to its shareholders following a refinancing in April 2023 and the ordinary interim dividend paid in December 2023. D’Ieteren Group’s share represents €761m, which will enable the Group to pursue its long-term investment strategy.