The Netherlands can generate international exposure for itself as an innovative country that promotes sustainable business practices. This is what Hans de Boer, President of the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers, VNO-NCW, wrote today in a column about the UN Climate Summit in New York. At this summit, the Dutch Sustainable Growth Coalition, a coalition of eight CEOs of sustainable Dutch multinationals, will present a concrete approach to the worldwide climate change issue early this evening (Central European time) in the presence of Prime Minister Rutte.
Gold and green
At the United Nations Climate Summit, the Dutch industrial sector offered to ensure further reduction of CO2 emissions, while Dutch banks offered to finance projects in this field, and the Dutch water management sector announced its commitment to look for solutions to problems arising as a result of climate change, wherever they may arise. These are opportunities that are as green as they are gold, according to VNO-NCW President Hans de Boer in his column.
Additional opportunities for growth
Many Dutch companies, from multinational corporations to SMEs, have identified opportunities in sustainability for a fair number of years now, as De Boer argued. He feels that the Netherlands has made a very successful effort to establish a lucrative link between the economy and the environment and their respective interests. He holds the view that the Netherlands can benefit from additional opportunities for growth in this area, for instance by investing more in the marketing and commercialization of energy-efficient solutions, a field in which the Netherlands excels.
Global arena
The Dutch business community has successfully established a reputation for itself in the global arena, as proven by the members of the Dutch Sustainable Growth Coalition, supported by the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers, VNO-NCW. After all, many of these multinational corporations have dominated the global Dow Jones Sustainability Index for years on end.
