Ecosystem mapping : Country factsheet
Netherlands 🇳🇱
Key facts
Population
Current population of The Netherlands –
17,533,044
Data supplied by the World Bank
GDP
Current GDP of The Netherlands –
57,767.9 ($ millions)
Data supplied by the World Bank
World Happiness Index
The Netherlands currently ranks 7.415 out of 10.
Since 2002, the World Happiness Report has used statistical analysis to determine the world’s happiest countries. To determine the world’s happiest country, researchers analysed comprehensive Gallup polling data from 149 countries for the past three years, specifically monitoring performance in six particular categories: gross domestic product per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make your own life choices, generosity of the general population, and perceptions of internal and external corruption levels.

Read The European Social Enterprise Monitor Report, 2021 – 2022
The European Commission is proud to support this year’s European Social Enterprise Monitor (ESEM), the second edition covering the period 2021- 2022. This report builds on the seminal work of the first ESEM 2020-2021 and has impressively scaled from eight to 21 countries in just one year across the EU and the wider European neighbourhood. It provides key data and insights for policy-makers, investors, support organisations, academia and social entrepreneurs themselves.
Country factsheet: The Netherlands
(Source: ESEM)
Perceived Political Support Grade
- 45.5% perceive national political support for social entrepreneurship to be low, very low or non-existent
Top 3 Business Sectors (UN ISIC)
- Human health and social work activities (22.7%)
- Manufacturing (13.6%)
- Wholesale and retail trade; and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (11.7%)
Company Size
- Micro enterprises 61.0%
- Small enterprises 24.7%
- Medium enterprises 9.1%
- Large enterprises 4.5%
Top 3 UN SDGs
#8 – Decent work and economic growth (63.6%)
#3 – Good health and well-being (58.4%)
#10 – Reduced inequalities (48.1%)
Impact Management & Measurement
- 66.9% currently measure their social/environmental impact; 18.2% plan to do so
- 38.9% refer to the UN SDGs in impact reporting; 16.9% plan to do so
Top 3 Beneficiaries (Persons)
- Individuals with mental illness/health problems/psychological/neurological disabilities (27.3%)
- Long-term unemployed (26.0%)
- Individuals with very low income/debts/in poverty (22.1%)
Top 3 Sources of External Financing
- Public financing (31.2%)
- Foundation funding (21.4%)
- Impact investment (12.3%)
Funding Gap
On average, Dutch ESEM SEs only managed to secure enough funding to meet 76.1% out of 100% of their financing needs in the past 12 months. Gap = 23.9%.
Top 3 Key Barriers
- Poor understanding/awareness of social enterprises among the general public and customers (40.9%)
- Poor understanding/awareness of social enterprises among banks, investors and support organisations (37.7%)
- Difficulties in maintaining or attracting customers (30.5%)
READ FULL NETHERLANDS FACT SHEET
Key Stakeholders & Members
Social Enterprise NL
Type of organisation: National Network for Social Enterprises/Enterpreneurs
Website – www.social-enterprise.nl
Social Enterprise NL is the Dutch national network for social enterprises. As a national membership body, Social Enterprise NL represents, connects and supports the growing community of social enterprises in The Netherlands.
Social Enterprise NL aims to increase the visibility of social enterprises by:
- Providing support to its members: business support programs, accelerators and network events;
- Facilitating a favourable business environment: influence government, public bodies, corporations, and investors to break down barriers for success of social enterprises;
- Inspiring social and entrepreneurial action: encourage more research and education on the topic of social entrepreneurship, and by endorsing social entrepreneurs and their enterprises.

Forward Incubator
Type of organisation: Social Incubator and Accelerator
Website: www.newcomersforward.com
Forward Incubator is a social incubator devoted to helping newcomers pursue their
entrepreneurial dreams. ForwardInc does this by empowering them to launch, grow, fund, and sustain their own businesses.

Other Stakeholders
Incubators/Accelerators
Coming soon
Funders
Coming soon
Universities/Research Centres
Coming soon
Key Policies
Key Legal and Policy Framework Overview
Introduction
Dutch Civil Code
Public Procurement Act (2012)
Financing and Support Measures
Key policy documents
Relevant Resources
Relevant Research Experts
News
Coming soon
Events
Coming soon
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