VDAB conducts organisational audit after managing director resigns due to ethical breach

The board of directors of Flanders' public employment agency VDAB has decided to conduct an organisational audit. The board is doing so after managing director Wim Adriaens resigned from his position following an ethical breach. The scope of the audit will be agreed with the competent minister, Zuhal Demir.

VDAB’s managing director Wim Adriaens unexpectedly resigned on Tuesday evening. “The reason for this is an ethical error I committed in a personnel file, for which I want to take responsibility,” Adriaens wrote in an internal communication to staff. “It concerned the awarding of a fixed-term contract.”

Following a report, Audit Vlaanderen launched an investigation into the recruitment in question. This was a forensic audit, which is an in-depth investigation carried out when there are reports or indications of fraud, corruption or other serious irregularities within an organisation.

The VDAB board of directors met on Friday to discuss the matter. "The chairman of the board of directors explained the violations in this case. We have decided that the VDAB audit committee will look into this in the coming days. In addition, the board has decided to have an organisational audit carried out, the scope of which we will agree with the minister," the VDAB stated.

Opposition party Groen, of the Flemish Greens, welcomes the organisational audit, as requested by the party. “It shows that the board of directors recognises the seriousness of the facts,” said Flemish MP Eva Platteau. “It is clear that this is more than an individual mistake: an investigation is needed to find out who else was at fault and, above all, whether this blurring of moral standards has become part of the general organisational culture.”

^{#FlandersNewsService | VDAB’s former managing director Wim Adriaens © BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK}