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Amsterdam Centre for Business Innovation ACBI

Unprecedented levels of innovation, but climate ambitions lose ground

27 October 2021

The results of the Dutch Business Monitor reveal that the Dutch business sector is very optimistic about economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic, and there is ongoing digital transformation at companies with unprecedented levels of radical innovation. The majority of Dutch companies is focussing on the long-term and businesses are investing significantly in R&D and ICT.

But at the same time, climate ambitions are becoming more polarised: even though there are more companies leading the way in achieving climate goals, many more companies are abandoning their climate ambitions. These are some of the findings in 2021 Dutch Innovation Monitor (Nederlandse Innovatie Monitor) prepared by the UvA’s Amsterdam Centre for Business Innovation (ACBI). The report was published on 25 October.

No less than a quarter of companies expect that they will not be able to meet the climate ambitions in this century. ‘Dutch companies are putting economic goals ahead of societal goals; profit is still the most significant driver’, says research director Henk Volberda. 'Even though corporate social responsibility is important to many in the Dutch corporate sector, more can be done in the area of formal diversity policy and reducing harm to the environment and people.'

Optimism and an active role for the government

The key themes in this edition of the Dutch Innovation Monitor are the economic recovery after the pandemic, digital transformation, and corporate social responsibility. The report lists 8 main conclusions:

  1. Prevailing optimism for economic recovery after the pandemic;
  2. Ongoing digital transformation process in the Dutch corporate sector;
  3. Market conditions drive unprecedented levels of innovation;
  4. Dutch companies focus on long-term and investing more in R&D and ICT;
  5. More polarisation in climate ambitions: 25% of companies not able to meet climate goals;
  6. Corporate social responsibility still a priority, but more needs to be done for the environment and in the area of diversity policy;
  7. Dutch companies prioritise profits above contributing to society;
  8. Majority of companies expect the government to take on an active role in economic recovery.

More details on each of the conclusions, including tables and charts can be found in the research report summary.

Dutch Innovation Monitor summary (in Dutch) Download the full 2021 report (in Dutch)

About the Dutch Innovation Monitor

The 2021 Dutch Innovation Monitor (Nederlandse Innovatie Monitor) is one of the largest annual survey-based studies on innovation in the Netherlands. The monitor is an initiative of the Amsterdam Business School’s Amsterdam Centre for Business Innovation. The survey is conducted by SEO Amsterdam Economics and coordinated by Henk Volberda, Professor of Strategic Management and Innovation at the Amsterdam Business School. Volberda is also director of the Amsterdam Centre for Business Innovation. Approximately 600 participants, mostly senior managers from a wide range of business sectors, took part in the survey.

2021 Dutch Innovation Award

The winner of the 2021 Dutch Innovation Award is the company ASML. The company was chosen based on the results of the Monitor, and the award was presented during a broadcast of the television programme De Wereld van Morgen on 25 October.