1. A model for multi-actor collaboration for an effective and efficient social protection system Frank Robben & Jean-Marc Vandenbergh Crossroads Bank for Social Security (CBSS) Belgium
ISSA Regional Social Security Forum for Europe
14–16 May 2019 | Baku, Azerbaijan

2. Summary of the good practice (1/2)
thanks to a huge business process re-engineering between actors in the Belgian social sector
a maximum number of social benefits and subsidiary rights are automatically granted without citizens or their employers having to make declarations anymore
the administrative burden for citizens and companies has been drastically reduced
based on a common and concerted vision, the actors in the Belgian social sector benefit from the new technologies to improve and re-organize radically their mutual relationships and processes

3. Summary of the good practice (2/2)
the electronic data exchange amongst the actors in the social sector and between those actors and the companies and citizens
takes place by way of an integrated functional and technical interoperability platform
which complies with strict security standards
and is based on modern technologies such as
service and object orientation
component-based development
multi-channel service provision
open standards
reutilization
cloud computing
ICT synergies within social security institutions

4. Challenges addressed and main objectives (1/2)
effective social protection
promoting social inclusion, a.o. by automatically granting benefits
integrated services across government levels, public services and private bodies
delivered at key life events (birth, going to school, starting to work, moving, illness, retirement, starting up a company…)
addressing citizens’ individual situation, personalized and user oriented

5. Challenges addressed and main objectives (2/2)
self-service, multichannel, user friendly (online, mobile…)
minimal costs and minimal administrative burden for all parties involved
reliable, secure and permanently available services
protecting users’ privacy
appropriate policy support
avoiding and fighting against fraud

6. Innovative approaches and measures taken (1/2)
secure network for electronic information exchange between all 3,000 social sector actors, employers and citizens
process optimization resulting in electronic services form application to application, for all social sector actors, employers and citizens
unique identification key for every citizen and company
clear assignments in and outside the social security sector on data collection, validation, information management and electronic storage in authentic data sources
data warehouse with statistical information on social security and labour market

7. Innovative approaches and measures taken (2/2)
integrated portal website ( containing
electronic transactions for citizens, employers and professionals
simulation environments
information about the social security system
a harmonized information model and instructions
a personalized view for each citizen, company and professional
use of online as a preferred channel for communicating with citizens, including personalized electronic transactions ( such as
multimodal contact centre and CRM tool for end user support

8. Impact and evaluation of results
saving > 1 billion EUR annually for employers
turning 800 paper forms into 220 electronic processes
> 1,1 billion electronic messages are exchanged annually between social security actors => all direct or indirect paper-based information exchanges between social security actors have (nearly) been abolished
50 social security declaration forms for employers have been abolished; 30 remaining declaration forms went fully electronic while reducing the number of fields to one third
220,000 employers make >25,000,000 electronic declarations annually, 98 % of which fully automated, directly from their internal HR applications

9. Impact and evaluation of results: efficiency gains
services are delivered at a lower total cost, due to
single information collection, common information model & administrative instructions
electronic information exchange instead of re-encoding
functional task sharing on information management, data validation and application development
less administrative burden
more services are delivered: available anytime, anywhere on several devices, with integrated delivery following the users’ logic
services are delivered faster: benefits are allocated sooner as information is available faster, with less waiting and travel time, and direct interaction with real-time feedback between users and social security institutions

10. Impact and evaluation of results: effectiveness gains
higher service quality standard at equal cost, in equal time
new types of services
automation of benefit grants
active take-up monitoring using data warehousing
personalized information management
better policy support
increased capability for fighting social fraud
better inclusion through automatic grants of conditional benefits

11. Conclusion and lessons learnt (1/5)
common vision, trust and co-operation
common vision on electronic service delivery, information management and information security between all stakeholders
long term vision combined with continuous delivery of new services
trust of all stakeholders based on mutual respect, mutual agreement, transparency
support of and access to policymakers at the highest level
focus on more efficient and effective service delivery and on cost control
reasoning in terms of added value for citizens and companies rather than in terms of legal competences
respect for legal segregation of competences between actors
co-operation based on task sharing, rather than centralization
continuous detection of synergy opportunities

12. Conclusion and lessons learnt (2/5)
appropriate corporate culture
from hierarchy to participation, communities and team work
meeting the needs of the customer, not the government or the social security institutions
empowering rather than serving
rewarding entrepreneurship
ex post evaluation on output, not ex ante control of every input
appropriate balance between efficiency on the one hand and information security and privacy protection on the other
adaptability to an ever changing societal and legal environment
sufficient financial means for permanent change and innovation: agreed possibility to re-invest efficiency gains in innovation

13. Conclusion and lessons learnt (3/5)
solid ICT architecture and permanent innovation
service oriented architecture
common hybrid cloud services for all actors, combining
public cloud, for non sensitive information and applications
with a community cloud designed and managed by the public sector
initiative of all actors to share ICT infrastructure, platforms, applications and expertise in order to reduce costs, increase reliability and speed up time to market
technology watch
latest subjects of investigation are blockchain , chatboxes, artificial intelligence in the social sector
CBSS follows the evolution of laws and the politics in the fields of social security, new technologies, and cyber security, and is recognized as pioneer in law making on new technologies and in implementing new projects based on these technologies

14. Conclusion and lessons learnt (4/5)
avoiding loss of confidence due to information security incidents
security, availability, integrity and confidentiality of information is ensured by integrated structural, institutional, organizational, legal (GDPR), HR, technical and other security measures according to agreed policies
access authorization to personal information is granted by an independent Information Security Comittee, designated by Parliament, after having checked whether the access conditions are met
the access authorizations are public
every actual electronic exchange of personal information has to pass an independent trusted third party (TTP) and is preventively checked on compliance with the existing access authorizations by that TTP
every actual electronic exchange of personal information is logged, to be able to trace possible abuse afterwards

15. Conclusion and lessons learnt (5/5)
designating an institution that acts as a driving force is useful
multidisciplinary approach
business process re-engineering within and across actors
enabling all social security actors to use and offer effective and efficient electronic services in the best conditions
being a mediator and enabler setting out a long term roadmap for e-services
proactively looking for opportunities in technology and innovation to benefit citizens and enterprises
ensuring continuous delivery of shared ICT services and the retention of crucial skills
program and project management
co-operative governance

16. Q&A