Unilin wins Data Maturity Award, presented by delaware & Madison.Partners

Data is the new gold – a fact that is nowadays widely acknowledged by every entrepreneur. However, companies don't always know how to reinvent themselves in the digital landscape. Seven years ago, Unilin embarked on the implementation of their vision of becoming a data-driven company. Last week, they were honored for their efforts with the very first Data Maturity Award, presented by delaware and Madison.Partners.

Stijn Lioen, Data & Analytics Domain Architect at Unilin, stated, "Of course, we are extremely pleased with this recognition and the fact that we stand out in the field of data, compared to other companies. The Data Maturity Assessment was a valuable test and benchmark for us to gauge where we stand and what still needs to be done, as we see plenty of opportunities to further grow and extract more value from our data."  

Stijn Lioen continues, "Participating in the Data Maturity Assessment track has provided us with several insights. Nonetheless, it's the entrepreneurial spirit of our people that truly makes the difference.. This is also an important aspect in the recruitment process: being data-savvy is one of the qualities we look for in new hires. Each year, many new young graduates join us, and they all follow a data & analytics training program. In this program, we provide them with training to familiarize them with our set of tools. Additionally, they work on a specific data-driven case within their department, where they can create added value in a short time. This way, we continue to innovate and foster this data-driven mindset from the very beginning. Our mission for the coming years is to evolve from decision support to decision augmentation and automation – from insight to impact."  

The Data Maturity Award is an initiative from data strategy consultant Madison.Partners and delaware Belux to promote the sharing of knowledge about data-driven transformation. Over 40 companies completed an online quick scan that assessed the importance and use of data within the participating organizations. The best cases received an extensive assessment which resulted in a new score that determined the ultimate winner.  

Luc Burgelman, founding partner at Madison.Partners, commented, "It was interesting to see the scores that the Belgian companies achieved in the assessment. Their challenges matched those of companies in a similar phase of data transformation. Most participants were aware of the various pitfalls in their data transition journey. The previously implemented use cases were often not sufficiently integrated into the organization to create a significant impact. ’ Many of them still lack comprehensive data profiles across the organization, hindering the feasibility and acceptance of data-driven decisions. Fortunately, all of these issues can be resolved through a well-crafted Data Strategy Roadmap."  

Edel Boone, Data Management specialist at delaware Belux, concurred: "We notice the same pattern among our clients: fostering a data culture at every level of a company is crucial to maximize the value of data. Once that higher data maturity is achieved, it leads to better organizational performance and ultimately has a positive impact on the bottom line. Our team of 170 Data & AI consultants assists organizations in their journey to become data-driven enterprises. Our process begins with developing a shared vision and outlining a data strategy in collaboration with our clients."  

Luc Burgelman explained why Unilin received the first Data Maturity Award: "Unilin pleasantly surprised us with their approach! They invested in their data transformation at all levels and are now ready to reap the rewards of these efforts. It was great to see how Unilin shared their successes and failures with the other participants in the competition. This willingness to share knowledge stood out during the journey and the event. This sharing of knowledge will become increasingly important for the 2024 Data Maturity Award, as it allows us to truly create a community that pushes each other further on the Data Maturity curve. We are eager to contribute to this together with delaware."  

Curious to see how your company scores on the Data Maturity curve? Take the test for free!  

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