Materialise Marks 30 Years by Giving Back: A Sustainable Anniversary Gift

2020 marked a pivotal year worldwide, and for Materialise it was even more significant: we celebrated 30 years of innovation. This milestone would not have been possible without our dedicated team.

People form the backbone of Materialise – our employees, collaborators, and the innovators who continually inspire groundbreaking designs. To honor this anniversary, we chose to give back on their behalf, reflecting the shared values that define who we are.

Materialise believes that creating a healthier, more sustainable world requires looking beyond our immediate region. Our sustainability program incorporates social engagement, and for this milestone we made a donation that extends beyond the company.

On behalf of the employees who have helped grow our community, we donated a banana plant in each of their names to the Foundation Hubi & Vinciane to help nurture a new community.

A Banana for Every Woman project

The Bananas for Every Woman initiative began in Benin with the goal of improving nutrition and empowering women financially. A recent UNFPA report highlights that inequality fuels poverty, noting that 75% of women remain financially dependent on their husbands.

Benin also faces chronic undernourishment. While distinct challenges, the project tackles both by equipping women with cultivation skills and the means to achieve independence, thereby boosting community nutrition.

The program follows a multi‑stage approach. Women first attend training sessions where they learn banana cultivation basics, crop care, and processing techniques.

The Bananas for Every Woman project, launched by the Hubi & Vinciane Foundation, provides food for families and enhances women’s financial autonomy.

Bananas are perennial, rich in Vitamin B, Vitamin C, and potassium, and highly versatile—used for flour, chips, and more. These traits make them ideal for both self‑sufficiency and market sale. The program also trains women in budgeting and sales, enabling them to bring banana cuttings back to their villages for planting.

But the initiative doesn’t stop there.

Foundation Hubi & Vinciane ensures program success by GPS‑tracking each plant, guiding participants to plant shoots near homes and latrines so that domestic wastewater can irrigate them. Partnerships with local schools and hospitals spread knowledge of banana cultivation and nutrition throughout the community.

Since its 2017 launch, the program has exceeded expectations. In the past three years, participants sold over 575 tons of bananas—worth approximately €250,000 on the local market. With Materialise’s donation, we’ve supplied enough plants to cover another hectare, removing 80 tons of CO₂ and delivering long‑term nutrition to Beninese families.

As Pascale Van Assche, Managing Director of Foundation Hubi & Vinciane, says: “Thanks to Materialise’s support, we can significantly expand the program. The power of this initiative lies not only in providing essential food but also in planting the seed of autonomy and empowerment for the women who nurture these plants.”

Meet some of the participants of the Bananas for Every Woman project.

Partnerships for progress

Materialise’s partnership with Foundation Hubi & Vinciane began nearly a decade ago when co‑founder Hilde Ingelaere visited the foundation in Benin. A bio‑engineer, Hilde recognized that bananas—an immensely valuable crop—had yet to be cultivated locally, sparking the initiative that thrives today.

Inspired by the potential for sustainable growth, Materialise and the foundation launched the Benin Summer School, offering mentorship to young entrepreneurs, university scholarships, and support for projects that stimulate the local economy and social progress. Notable outcomes include Baobab Express, a transportation company that recently achieved B Corp status, and a network of gardens integrated into hospitals and schools.

These collaborations demonstrate Foundation Hubi & Vinciane’s commitment to creating structural improvements that treat all parties as equals, aligning closely with Materialise’s mission to build a better world for everyone. Re‑uniting with the foundation for our anniversary donation felt like a natural fit.

“I’m always moved by CEO Fried Vancraen’s enthusiasm and his ability to inspire his employees,” Pascale notes. “We constantly seek synergy with Materialise’s investment, ensuring it’s not wasted. By building a community of Summer School alumni and supporting Benin’s local team, young people now have a tangible example that academic excellence leads to a brighter future.”

The impact extends to women in the banana program. Their earnings enable them to purchase school supplies, books, and essentials for their children, fostering academic success. Coupled with the existing informal support in Benin, the knowledge gained spreads throughout the community, ensuring sustainable health and prosperity.

Thanks to Materialise’s support, the fruit is not only a staple in families’ diets but also a symbol of autonomy and emancipation for the women who nurture it.
- Pascale Van Assche, Managing Director, Foundation Hubi & Vinciane

Social engagement is integral to sustainability

After four decades of advancing 3D printing, Materialise has built a reputation for efficient, reliable, and scalable additive manufacturing. Now, as AM matures into a mainstream technology, the global push toward sustainable systems will be a key driver of wider adoption.

Materialise is dedicated to continually improving the sustainability of our operations while empowering others to choose sustainable solutions. This commitment goes beyond product innovation; it encompasses understanding the impact of our products and processes on people and the planet.

As a signatory of the UN Global Compact, we aim to lead by example, demonstrating that job creation, economic and technological development can coexist with environmental stewardship, resulting in truly sustainable systems that benefit all.

Hilde explains: “From the outset, Fried and I believed in giving back beyond monetary donations. By sharing our expertise with struggling communities and co‑creating solutions, we empower local people with the skills to continue improving and growing.”

Time for reflection

Our 30th anniversary is both a celebration and a moment for reflection—on our achievements and on the goals we still aim to reach. It prompts us to push new boundaries and explore fresh opportunities.

We must consider how our commitment to sustainability will evolve over the next 30 years and how best to realize it.

As we step into a year of uncertainty yet unprecedented innovation and hope, we look forward to collaborating with our people and communities to make the next 30 years as rewarding and memorable as the first. Cheers to 30 remarkable years!