Can you give us a brief overview of Social Enterprise Netherlands and its core mission? How does it support social entrepreneurs in the Netherlands?
At Social Enterprise Netherlands, we're currently a team of 12, dedicated to supporting and empowering social enterprises across the country. Our core mission is to realize a radical system improvement. We work closely with social entrepreneurs, offering various programs and resources to help strengthen their businesses. This includes organizing training sessions, networking events, and political advocacy to ensure the growth and recognition of social enterprises.
We provide a range of services to help social enterprises scale up and thrive. For instance, one of our current programs focuses on how these enterprises can leverage AI to enhance efficiency, simplify tasks, and scale operations more quickly.
A part of our work involves lobbying for the establishment of the BVm legal status for social enterprises. In the Netherlands, a business can be set up as a BV (besloten vennootschap or private partnership) or a foundation. While a foundation exists for social purposes, it's not considered a business. Social entrepreneurs often find themselves caught between being a regular enterprise and fulfilling a social mission, which can lead to the creation of both a company and a foundation—resulting in double the administrative burden. To address this, we are advocating for the BVm legal entity, which would combine the characteristics of both a business and a social enterprise.
Photographer: Gijs de Kruijf
Our Membership Program offers training, fosters connections among social enterprises, and promotes them through various platforms. We use both online and print media to highlight their work, and we manage a BuySocial program to promote social procurement. This includes online and offline events such as "Meet the Buyer" and a "Scale your impact” event where we connect social enterprises with larger companies interested in socially responsible purchasing.
What challenges do social entrepreneurs face in the Netherlands, beyond the legal framework?
One major challenge is the perception of quality. Clients sometimes doubt whether social enterprises can deliver the same level of service or quality as regular businesses because of their focus on social impact. Additionally, social enterprises often face higher operational costs, which makes competing on price difficult—especially when bidding for contracts where price is a major factor.
Another challenge is the complex legislation around public procurement. While there are requirements to allocate a portion of government contracts to social enterprises, the rules differ by region, making it difficult for companies to navigate.
Can you share some success stories of social enterprises in the Netherlands?
We are proud to have over 400 social enterprises in our network. One inspiring example is The Good Roll, a company that produces sustainable toilet paper and uses its profits to build toilets in Africa. They've recently scaled up significantly after one of the Netherlands' largest supermarket chains began selling their products.
Seepje, a soap company that uses natural ingredients and avoids microplastics, has also expanded rapidly after securing deals with major supermarkets.
Nelis Company is another inspiring example. It started by offering window-cleaning services while employing disadvantaged youth. Over time, they secured a contract with one of the largest banks in the Netherlands, ABN AMRO, and have since merged with a larger facility services company, allowing them to expand nationwide.
Another inspiring initiative is The Chocolate Makers, a company dedicated to producing ethically sourced chocolate. Similar to Tony's Chocolonely, also a social enterprise and an inspiring initiative, which was founded by journalist Teun van de Keuken, The Chocolate Makers are committed to creating a fair and slavery-free chocolate supply chain.
Teun van de Keuken started Tony’s Chocolonely after uncovering widespread slavery in the chocolate industry. He took an extraordinary step—he filed a lawsuit against himself. He went to the police, declaring that by purchasing chocolate made with slave labor, he was complicit in violating international law, effectively asking to be arrested. This bold move sparked significant attention and encouraged other companies to join the fight for slave-free chocolate.
The Chocolate Makers share this mission but take it even further. Not only do they ensure their chocolate is ethically sourced from South America, but they also minimize their environmental impact by transporting the cocoa beans on a sailing ship called Tres Hombres, rather than using container ships. This eco-friendly vessel sails from South America to Amsterdam once a year, carrying the precious cargo. The arrival of the ship in Amsterdam is a major event, drawing crowds who gather to witness the arrival of chocolate transported in the most sustainable way possible.
What are the future goals of Social Enterprise Netherlands, and how do you see social entrepreneurship evolving?
Our primary goal is to raise awareness about the importance of social entrepreneurship across all sectors in the Netherlands. We also aim to encourage more social procurement, not just by large organizations but also among social enterprises themselves. Collaboration is key, and we're working to strengthen the network to enable smaller businesses to join forces and compete for larger contracts.
In terms of legal recognition, we’ll continue advocating for the establishment of the BVm and clearer regulations that support the sector. Globally, I see social entrepreneurship becoming more mainstream, as more companies and governments recognize its value in addressing social and environmental challenges (for example, EUDR, the European Union Regulation on Deforestation-free products, and CSDDD, the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive).
Do you believe all businesses can, or should, become social enterprises?
No, I don’t think all businesses will become social enterprises, nor do they need to. Not everyone is motivated to focus on social impact, and some may lack the passion or talent required to balance running a business with making a meaningful difference. That said, as more regulations push traditional businesses toward social responsibility, social enterprises will have a significant role to play, filling the gaps where mainstream businesses fall short.
What role does procurement play in advancing social entrepreneurship in the Netherlands?
Procurement plays a huge role. Government and large organizations often mandate that suppliers allocate a portion of their contracts to social enterprises. However, the system currently lacks oversight. There’s no mechanism to ensure compliance, which is something that needs to change.
At Social Enterprise Netherlands, we help streamline the procurement process through our Buy Social platform. It acts as a shop window where businesses can easily find and filter social enterprises based on location or type of impact. We also collaborate with non-governmental platforms, financed by local governments, to simplify access for larger companies.
We’re always looking for ways to step outside our own "bubble" of companies that are already engaged in social procurement. For instance, this year we will organize a “Scale your impact” event together with SEWF partners in the Netherlands, and in 2026 we plan to showcase social enterprises at major industry events, like the upcoming national facility management convention. By doing so, we aim to reach businesses that may not be familiar with the benefits of working with social enterprises, expanding the network and influence of the sector.
________________________________________________________________________________
Join BuySocialEurope B2B
- If you are a Procurement/CSR Professional - Check out Social Procurement Support for Corporate Managers and Procurement Professionals
- If you are a Social Enterpreneur - Join the Social Procurement Training and the Buy Social Europe B2B Movement