MVO Nederland

MVO Nederland - January 2012

What are MVO Netherlands’ key activities and milestones in 2012?

In 2012 MVO Nederland will be developing a number of activities. I just name a few highlights: we have a public responsibility to inform the Dutch business community about CSR. This year the focus is on 3 key topics: supply chain responsibility/sustainable procurement, people (incl. social innovation, labour participation, support for CSR among staff), and transparency.

We will continue implementing a government-funded programme together with over 70 sector associations in order to support them in concretising CSR for their members. Moreover, we feel very excited about two introductions. First of all, the introduction of an updated partnership with more added value for our partners and a further ambitious increase of affiliated companies number, from 1,800 to 2,500. Secondly, the introduction of the MVO Nederland Academy and a CSR hub that is used to expand and professionalise the range of CSR education and training activities and make them transparent.

Another exciting key activity is that we will be developing sub-networks in order for companies to work together to realise sustainability.

And of course we will continue to realise government-funded projects, among others in the area of international CSR and chain responsibility, labour participation and community involvement.

Sustainable Innovation is part of the roadmap of MVO Nederland. Could you please tell us more about it?

Being an organisation that aims at promoting CSR in Dutch business in general (not just for our partners), we promote, on the one side, the normative aspects of CSR: we provide information on OECD guidelines, ISO2600, Global Compact, Ruggie framework etc. We call this the normative framework that companies have to comply to. Compliance is already very difficult and an adventure itself. However, companies that wish to be really sustainable and not just aim to avoid risks, are realising that CSR is all about sustainable innovation. Sustainable innovation covers both technological innovation (e.g. cradle-to-cradle, use of sustainable resources) and social innovation (e.g. investing in people, smart working, etc.). Companies that focus on sustainable innovation provide added value on both People, Planet and Profit aspects.

According to the document Government Vision on Corporate Social Responsibility 2008 – 2011, large Dutch companies serve as international role models for CSR. It is often that these companies raise the ecological and social standards in developing countries. In your opinion, which CSR areas still pose a major challenge for Dutch companies?

We have noticed that challenging topics for big multinational companies are the implementation of human rights according to the Ruggie framework and the implementation of the revised OECD guidelines. Awareness about international supply chain responsibility is increasing and a trend has appeared that companies increasingly join coalitions for sustainability, like for instance multi stakeholder initiatives.

MVO Nederland has published a trend report for 2012 indicating what we feel are the main trends and developments for Dutch businesses in the field of CSR:

The focus on CSR remains strong in the Netherlands(For the time being) CSR appears to be crisis-resistantCSR as a cost item is definitely a thing of the pastStrong increase in the demand for CSR in B2B marketConsumers demand sustainability, but are increasingly criticalEnergy savings: top priority of companiesTransparency: from compliance to innovationPeople: return the responsibility to the shop floorInternational entrepreneurship: CSR less non-bindingInnovation: coalitions for sustainability

2012 is the European Year for Active Ageing. In Western Europe countries, individuals aged 50 and over already represent 20% of the workforce and it is expected for this proportion to rise up to 25% in the coming years. How is this issue being addressed by MVO Netherlands, Dutch companies and policy makers?

Dutch political debate is not so much on active ageing, but more about raising the pension age to 67. Having a relatively low unemployment rate, a high average life expectation and relatively long period of good health, it seems that this issue does not get as much attention as it gets in other European countries.

MVO Nederland does not focus on the ageing of the population as a separate issue, other than expressly putting ‘the people on the shop floor’ and ‘investing in people’ on the agenda in our information and activities. We call this people-oriented entrepreneurship.

For more information about MVO Nederland go here.

 

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