On 14 March 2025, around 20 union members from the joint union front of ABVV, BBTK, ACV, and ACLVB protested against BNP Paribas Fortis' outsourcing plans at the Flagey building in Brussels - Ixelles (Brussels), opposing the bank's decision to outsource nearly 5% of Belgian jobs, including 580 positions in the Belgian customer service department, to the American company Accenture.

Summary

On March 14, a union coalition held a small peaceful protest in Brussels, Belgium, opposing BNP Paribas Fortis bank's outsourcing plan to US-based Accenture. The protest was against the decision to relocate approximately 5% of Belgian jobs overseas, including 580 customer service positions. The direct supply-chain disruption risk is low.

Supply-chain impact

• Financial services operational continuity: Potential temporary service delays due to bank customer service outsourcing
• Brussels business hub function: Labor-management conflicts in the EU headquarters' financial center indirectly affecting multinational corporate operations
• IT services supply chain: Intensifying conflict between global IT service providers like Accenture expanding European operations and local resistance

Watch points

• Whether additional Belgian financial institutions make outsourcing decisions and union responses spread
• Trends in EU-level job protection policy strengthening or outsourcing regulation discussions
• Possibility of chain protests when Brussels-based multinationals announce similar restructuring plans