VITO assessed the extent to which its services answer the expectations placed by industry. One third of the respondents spontaneously referred to VITO as a possible research partner. For one fourth, VITO was already ‘top of mind’. The Flemish business world associates VITO in the first place with high quality knowledge and expertise, technological innovation, competent employees and independence and objectivity. With respect to the expectations regarding technological support: high quality knowledge and expertise as well as practically applicable solutions are at the top of the list. Existing customers cite precisely these elements as the added value VITO provided them in the performance of their work. They are also quite prepared to recommend VITO, which is also a measure of the quality of the work delivered and validates the trust placed in VITO. The study also indicates that in its external communication, VITO should pay more attention to the specific content of its activities.

VITO is also synonymous with reliable results in policy support research commissioned by local, Flemish, federal and European governments. In this, VITO is also a preferential partner for the government and it contributes to the economic and social feasibility of policy.