In 2025, slightly more than 173,000 people died in the Netherlands (2024: 172,000). We had the honour of providing almost 42,000 funerals and some 45,000 cremations.

At about 112,000, the number of deaths in Belgium in 2025 was the same as in 2024. We had the honour of providing almost 13,000 funerals and nearly 7,100 cremations. The funeral business in Belgium primarily provides services for individuals who are not insured with us. We are committed to greater cross-pollination with the insurance business, as we are keen to provide funerals for our policyholders as well.

In 2025, the improvement of collaboration between different departments in the Netherlands was given extra impetus. We have ensured that the priorities in the chain are more even. Employees have been engaging in dialogue with each other more often and working together on points for improvement. This improved collaboration translates directly into more consistent and customer-centric support for bereaved families. By sharing knowledge, learning from each other, and investing together in quality, we create not only a greater sense of connection internally but also more value for families.

Thanks to this vision of continuous development, the VUIST programme (steps to becoming a skilled funeral director) was expanded. In the period under review, great steps were taken to keep our skills up to scratch, both for new employees and colleagues who have been with DELA for longer. By placing a strong focus on training and development, we create an organisation where skills not only are retained but also continue to grow. This gives our employees confidence and peace of mind while assuring bereaved families that they will always have the support of skilled and committed professionals. In Belgium, we continued to focus on the development of our colleagues through leadership programmes and the Funerals Academy, where we target the autonomy, solidarity, and competence of all employees.

In an emotionally difficult period, clarity and having everything under control are invaluable. Bereaved families can use an online environment to prepare themselves before discussing things with the funeral provider, which ensures greater clarity and less uncertainty. This gives bereaved families access to the appointments they have made and information around the funeral all in one place – instead of in a pile of letters or emails.

In recent years in the Netherlands, we have seen a trend among bereaved families towards saying goodbye in an intimate and informal atmosphere, where personalisation comes even more to the fore. So we offer bereaved families the possibility to use the spaces in our funeral locations as they see fit. They can still arrange a traditional funeral with a service followed by coffee and tea, but at some locations people can move between a small ceremony hall and the nearby cafe at their leisure. For example, at Elzenhuis everything happens in one and the same space, comparable to a sitting room: the ceremony, being together, and the catering are all in one space. This concept is highly valued.

We also take account of the need for small, intimate spaces for services when redesigning our locations. These spaces give bereaved families an opportunity to say goodbye in a relaxed, cosy atmosphere. Cafes and brasseries are also included when redesigning our locations. These spaces are increasingly flexible: they can be used not only for catering but also as a location for a funeral service with a eulogy followed by a get-together. Consequently, catering has come to play an increasingly important role at a funeral. We key into that with innovative options for food and drink.

In 2025, four services were developed and launched in the Netherlands. They are now being rolled out on a small scale so that any necessary additional adjustments can be made:

• Ode to Life: this is a warm gathering for people who know the end is near so they can be together with their loved ones and everyone can share memories, express their gratitude, and consciously be together one more time. DELA provides support by organising and running the event.
• Grave maintenance: with grave maintenance, we take over caring for the grave of a loved one. We ensure that the grave is kept neat and clean. This gives bereaved families the opportunity to outsource maintenance so that they do not need to worry about the condition of the grave.
• Online Rouwsupport: Online Rouwsupport is an online grief support platform for young people aged 18 to 26 who have lost someone. Young people can find support and acknowledgment on this platform in the form of a well-being scan, stories from others in the same situation, and online coaching, among other things.
• Estate Arranger: the Estate Arranger is a service where bereaved families can outsource the entire settlement of an estate. From paperwork to inheritance tax, everything is handled by one dedicated representative. That keeps everything manageable and gives people peace of mind in an emotionally difficult period.

Services are under further development in Belgium as well, with several initiatives:

• Rouwwijzer: a public mourning platform to help you and others understand the mourning process better.
• 3D printed urns: two types of urns, one of which is made of sustainable bioplastic.
• Mijn laatste wensen: the new online version of 'Mijn laatste wensen' (My last wishes) went live in September. This free tool, which is safe and accessible to everyone, helps us create a stronger connection between funeral insurance and funeral services. Visitors to the website find it easy to fill in their wishes thanks to the intuitive interface; inspiration and useful tips are offered every step of the way. The safe environment makes it possible for people to record and save their wishes and to share them with family or a DELA funeral director.