Spadel’s purpose-driven transformation

Founded over 100 years ago, Spadel found themselves on the cusp of an industry-wide sustainability revolution. As Belgium’s leading mineral water company, they recognised the need for a clear direction amidst rapid changes. The timing was right to get the roots of the company and define a purpose that would serve as a compass for the years to come.

Adaptation alone wasn’t enough: Spadel needed a raison d’être that would resonate across the organisation. They turned to Cartoonbase for guidance on this transformative journey. 

How to set a purpose that’s both inspiring and unifying, resonating with the entire company and beyond?

Deep introspection and alignment at all levels were required to get everyone on board the transformation process and find a shared sense of meaning that would act as a guiding force in an ever-evolving landscape.

We accompanied Spadel on each step of their purpose-finding mission, leveraging our co-creative approach to change management.

A purpose is not something you can make up: it needs to be authentic. To ensure our work captured all voices and aspirations, we listened to the entire organisation.

Workshops, focus groups, and surveys gathered valuable insights into the company’s culture and aspirations. Meanwhile, “mirror sessions” with leadership ensured alignment between values and evolving goals.

To distinguish the purpose-setting process from everyday work, we created a unique visual identity that sparked excitement and helped teams align on a common vision.

Three main themes emerged:

The co-creative process combined these into an authentic new purpose that truly connected with everyone at Spadel:

“We connect people and nature, for a healthier life, today and tomorrow”

The purpose journey

We designed a step-by-step process to guide Spadel in crafting its purpose.

• Visualising: Creating a unique visual identity for the project to make it stand out and foster convergence.
• Listening: Collecting insights from all levels of the organisation to engage diverse perspectives from the start.
• Aligning: Enabling leadership teams to define common goals that resonate deeply with them and set the tone for the process.
• Shaping: Developing an authentic, meaningful purpose through an iterative, co-creative process.
• Bringing to life: Working with teams to integrate the purpose into daily actions and ensure it guides decision-making.

Once defined, this purpose became a living part of the company. 

Together with Spadel’s teams, we integrated it into internal communications and daily operations. By providing tailored tools – including a purpose manifesto, an explanation deck, and a video – we ensured it was fully embraced across the organisation. 

Today, Spadel’s purpose guides decision-making, strategy, and daily actions, ensuring continuity in a changing environment.