Sectoral Partnerships International MVO

Last checked on:

20 November 2024

Published on:

27 September 2023

Pillar 1 is temporarily closed for applications.

Is your company based in the Netherlands, and do you want to make your value chain more sustainable? Are you active in an MVO sector agreement guided by the Social and Economic Council (SER)? Then, you can apply for a subsidy from the Sectoral Partnerships international MVO.

This subsidy scheme aims to make it easier for Dutch entrepreneurs to follow the OECD Guidelines and United Nations (UN) Human Rights and Business Principles. Entrepreneurs can address and reduce the most common risks in their value chains together. This concerns human rights, labour and environmental risks.

By applying due diligence in a collaboration within their industry, companies can:

reduce individual costs;
work on mutual trust;
learn from each other; and
make an impact together.

This also makes it easier to follow future European legislation on international Responsible Business Conduct (RBC).

New subsidy policy framework

Since 2022, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) has carried out Sectoral Partnerships international MVO. After an evaluation in 2023, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs adjusted the subsidy policy framework.

Social and Economic Council (SER)

Since 2024, the Social and Economic Council (SER) has been supporting you in negotiating and guiding international Responsible Business Conduct sector agreements.

The SER:

provides structure within partnerships;
supports the creation and implementation of agreements and governance;
guides Dutch companies working together within the same sector, civil society organisations and the government of the Netherlands to make agreements on international Responsible Business Conduct;
guides partnerships in a collaborative approach to prevent and reduce specific international responsible business risks and abuses in their value chains on human rights, labour rights and environmental rights.

The new policy framework of the subsidy scheme Sectoral Cooperation international MVO offers 2 types of support:

Maatschappelijke organisaties in convenanten (Pijler 2)

Sectoral partnerships - Pillar 1

Temporarily closed for applications.

Pillar 1 focuses on financial support for trade. Partnerships formed through sector agreements with SER can apply for funding to develop their policies and projects that are still in the planning stage.

Companies and civil society organisations join forces to implement one or more of the 6 steps of the due diligence process (in Dutch). In this way, they make their value chains sustainable. Cooperation within your sector also makes it easier to share knowledge and do business according to the OECD guidelines.

Learn more about Pillar 1

Sectorale samenwerkingsverbanden (Pijler 1)

Sectoral partnerships – Pillar 2

Pillar 2 supports civil society organisations in using their knowledge and experience for due diligence during the implementation phase of international Responsible Business Conduct agreements.