BCSR used to be CEMAC Public Services vzw not so long ago.

We contributed to knowledge building, education, exercises and other miscellaneous services for governmental agencies in the field of crisis & emergency management.

Over the years, characteristics of natural disasters, potentially catastrophic impact of technological events and most recent the threats emerging from terrorism and other forms of aggression by Non-State Actors or war have changed the face and mission of crisis management,

so changes to our organisation were due.

We are now the Belgian Centre for Societal Readiness.

What does that mean ? – What do we do ?

Our initial core business was related to post-event management of a crisis and of its consequences.

Two decades ago, the primary risks were technological (human induced) and natural events, like industrial accidents, floods or utility related business interruption.

Overall, most incidents would only impact geographically limited areas, single corporations or specific population groups.

The COVID-19 pandemic was the first instance where an entire country – well, a lot of countries – came to a temporary standstill and had massive effects on the entire general population.

NOW, we face permanent omnipresent threat that can devastate our national infrastructure, economy, knowledge, national security and harm or kill large numbers of people (security forces and the general population).
Time to focus on more than just trying to manage the aftermath of incidents,

and time to connect more to our own home-turf, Belgium.

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So,

for the Belgian societal fabric (authorities, economic actors, the general population, …) we provide assistance to develop and boost:

1. Robustness
2. Reactivity
3. Resilience

The three together are: READINESS.