The front cover of this 2024 annual report showcases a statue by artist Luk van Soom called ‘Hermes, the Cloud Bearer’. This remarkable piece is located close to the large hall at our Crematorium Maaslanden in Vlijmen (NL). It depicts Hermes as a messenger between heaven and earth, the god of sleep and dreams. Van Soom speaks passionately about his artwork: "I like to imagine that every cloud carries knowledge and wisdom from our deceased ancestors. Whoever places their head in such a cloud gains the tools to answer questions and find solutions. How wonderful it is to imagine that the knowledge of our ancestors has freely drifted around for centuries? How beautiful it is to think that you can travel with them and the clouds.”

DELA celebrates its 88th anniversary this year and our predecessors have firmly anchored their wisdom in our cooperative structure. It is a source of pride that continues to guide us each and every day. Just as in 1937, the interests of our members and customers come first. We are focused on the very long term, with insurance obligations that stretch into the next century. In this future we will need to ensure we stand firm as a modern organisation that has kept pace with the times. Continuous renewal and development are therefore crucial.

This year saw us take our seats for the first time on the new DELA-wide Executive Board. We are constantly seeking to connect with our colleagues in the DELA network in order to fully benefit from their collective wisdom and expertise. 

We would like to express our gratitude to our colleagues, members, customers, suppliers, partners and fellow funeral directors who utilise our locations. Together, we continue to build a strong, reliable, future-proof and people-centred organisation.

And, just as Hermes carries clouds, together we are bearing the wisdom and values of our cooperative into the future.

Eindhoven, 7 May 2025

The Executive Board
Sandra Schellekens - Lyppens, CEO
Godelieve van Velsen, CFRO
Tom van der Spek, CTO
Geert Deschoolmeester, Groupwide director insurance

The DELA cooperative (in brief, DELA) is an international insurance company and funeral organiser.

We have remained true to the core of our origins and, 88 years later, still provide financial security and support to those saying farewell to their loved ones. At the same time, we are constantly evolving and building a strong and committed cooperative together with our customers and members.

This cooperative character is at the heart of the company: the profit we make is used among other things to limit premium increases and reinforce our solvability. Our members have an important voice via the general meeting, are involved in key developments and actively contribute their ideas. We continuously build and grow, always with the common interest at heart.

Our professionals are always ready in word and deed for our members, policyholders, bereaved families, guests and fellow funeral directors. Personal care and attention are key as they listen carefully to specific wishes and needs in order to better tailor our activities and services. We respond flexibly to changing demands and circumstances and demonstrate what DELA means for society.

We are active with our insurance products in three countries: the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. In the Netherlands and Belgium, we also provide funeral services from our own locations. DELA has a number of funeral homes and crematoria in the Netherlands while in Belgium we ensure a dignified farewell with funeral homes, crematoria and a repatriation centre. DELA Germany does not have funeral locations, exclusively offering insurance policies from its office in Düsseldorf and beneficial aftercare services to members via partners.