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Sectoral Partnerships Pillar 2

The content of this page has been checked on 2 November 2026

Is your civil society organisation based in the Netherlands? Do you participate in agreements on international Responsible Business Conduct under the guidance of the Social and Economic Council (Sociaal-Economische Raad (SER))? Or do you represent an approved supporting organisation? The Sectoral Partnerships subsidy Pillar 2 aims to support your participation in a Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) sector agreement. 

This subsidy programme will open soon for applications. The second application round runs until 1 November 2027, 12:00 Central European Time (CET).  

If you would like to apply, please email sesam@rvo.nl and provide a contact email address. We will then inform you about the application procedure. See the updated information below.

Please note: The subsidy amounts and conditions for Pillars 1 and 2 have changed for the second application round. Check the new maximum subsidy amounts.

Budget

Total budget:
€1,236,414

The subsidy is for civil society organisations to contribute their knowledge and experience to due diligence during the implementation phase of RBC sector agreements. Civil society organisations can also apply for subsidies in partnership with companies for projects that focus on actionable perspectives arising from the RBC due diligence process.

New subsidy policy framework

RVO has been carrying out the subsidy programme Sectoral Partnerships since 2022. After an evaluation in 2023, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs updated the subsidy policy framework. The minister shared the evaluation results and advice in a parliamentary letter. The letter states that:

  • The Social and Economic Council of the Netherlands (SER) will play a role in preparing businesses for international Responsible Business Conduct (RBC);
  • The assessment criteria and threshold requirements for applicants will be lowered; and
  • New partnerships must last 5 years. This will allow the subsidy policy framework to fund projects until 31 December 2029. 

See publications below for the policy frameworks published in the Government Gazette.

Sectoral Partnerships

With this programme, we aim to make it easier for Dutch entrepreneurs to meet OECD guidelines and the United Nations' human rights and business principles. This way, entrepreneurs can address and reduce the worst risks in their value chains together. These risks include human rights violations, child labour and environmental hazards. By carrying out due diligence with companies in their sectors, entrepreneurs can:

  • Lower 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.

For whom

This subsidy is for civil society organisations participating in a Responsible Business Conduct sector agreement or those involved herein as an approved supporting organisation. These organisations work to reduce the risks associated with responsible business conduct in international value chains. The activities of civil society organisations should align with their core activities. If you are interested in an initial, no-obligation consultation with one of our advisors, please contact sesam@rvo.nl.

Budget and duration

The maximum subsidy amount for this round is €1,236,414.

If you applied for a subsidy or received one before the new rules began, the previous rules will continue to apply to you.

For agreements with 51 or more parties, lead applicants who have already received a subsidy for 2027, 2028 or 2029 may apply for extra funding up to the applicable maximum.

If more parties join the project, you may qualify for a higher subsidy category. Then the lead applicant can send a new application for the rest of the period.

For the second application round, the maximum subsidy per international RBC sector agreement depends on the number of parties. The maximum applies to the remaining programme period, ending no later than 31 December 2029:

  • €300,000 for 30 or fewer parties;
  • €450,000 for 31 to 50 parties;
  • €600,000 for 51 or more parties.

Apply separately for each type of eligible activity. For activities lasting less than 1 year, we calculate the maximum as a portion of the number of months.

Activities must start within 6 months of submitting your application and be completed within 5 years, unless the sector agreement ends earlier. All activities must be completed by 31 December 2029.

There are 2 types of eligible activities:

  • One-time, overarching activities per partnership, such as active involvement in a steering committee, communication and reporting;
  • Thematic activities, such as time invested in working groups and other project-related activities.

You can download the Sectoral Partnerships IMVO Pillar 2 activity plan and budget documents below:

Terms and conditions

The terms and conditions are only available in Dutch. Please visit the Dutch Sectoral Partnerships Pillar 2 webpage to read all terms and conditions and how to apply for a subsidy.

Responsible Business Conduct (RBC)

Your project must follow the international Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) guidelines. We take RBC into account when assessing your funding application. We ask you to:

  • follow OECD guidelines;
  • show how you conduct your operations following these OECD guidelines;
  • carry out a proper risk analysis of social and environmental risks;
  • state the measures to prevent and reduce these risks.

During the project, you must report on RBC risks and state the measures you are taking or plan to take to prevent and reduce these risks.

Dutch companies must complete an RBC self-assessment as part of the application process. The Dutch government uses this scan to check whether a company is aware of and follows the OECD guidelines. This assessment is a requirement for approval of your project.

On our website, you can read more about RBC and due diligence.

SEAH conditions

To be eligible for subsidies, SEAH conditions apply. RVO expects you to have your own integrity policy as well as procedures to implement this policy. In addition, you are required to report any incidents of (sexual) misconduct or abuse of power during RVO-funded projects. For further details, please visit Sexual misconduct and abuse of power | RVO.nl.

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Commissioned by:
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Is part of:
International business and export
,
Development cooperation

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