At the start of the twenty-first century, social trends in the Netherlands are worrisome. On 6 May 2002, Pim Fortuyn was murdered at the Mediapark in Hilversum. On Tuesday morning, 2 November 2004, Theo van Gogh was murdered on Linnaeusstraat in Amsterdam. Two sad milestones during a turbulent period in the Netherlands.

Four years later, the debates have not changed. They may even have become fiercer. Geert Wilders presented his film, Fitna, on the internet on 27 March 2008. It is even more over-simplified and intolerant than what preceded it, advocating a zero-tolerance policy on cultural differences, in which achieving polarisation seems more important than finding solutions to the challenges we are facing. As insults are exchanged, the downward spiral continues.

The debate, which has on the whole has been lacking nuance, is not only taking place in political circles. It is a social debate which also takes place in the community, between people, and therefore also at work. The best known example is the debate on headscarves. As a representation of society as a whole, the corporate sector should address many more aspects of social trends affecting us now and in the future. These include issues such as diversity (both in cultural terms and in terms of gender relations); understanding between cultures and cultural integration on the shop floor; labour integration; and the insight that the shop floor can present a positive example to society as a whole. The outside world does not stop at the office entrance.

Doekle Terpstra presented a pamphlet in late November 2007, which lead to a vociferous political debate. On 3 January 2008, instead of writing a pamphlet, Doekle Terpstra, joined by 3612 others, both celebrities and ordinary Dutchmen, made an appeal: “We want to help people in giving expression to the social problems they are experiencing in addressing and solving these problems, so that citizens can connect with each other. We also want to focus attention on those areas in which people from different backgrounds are relating well to each other. We see fantastic examples of this in all sectors of social life: culture and the arts, sport, science, education, the corporate sector, philosophy and politics.

Dutch culture has always been known as open and tolerant. In recent years, this culture has come under pressure. In the past, we had a tendency of excessive toleration. Now, intolerance is threatening to predominate. It is time to return to the roots of the Dutch tradition and find a new balance between the values of the past and the values of the present.”
It is time for the corporate sector to actively take on the important social role it has when it comes to finding this balance.

Furthermore, in addition to the social unease outlined above, the Netherlands is facing other social challenges. The Netherlands is struggling with the problem of large groups of youngsters who drop out from education and therefore lack entry-level qualifications for the job market. The decrease in younger age groups and the ageing of the population continue unabated, while there is increasing scarcity on the labour market. The increasing trend towards individualism and the ageing population have an impact on other social issues such as social isolation, which will continue to increase in the coming years. Large groups in Dutch society are struggling with debt and suffer from silent poverty. The gap between rich and poor only appears to be set to increase in the coming years.

It is evident from the ‘21minunten.nl’ research that was carried out by consulting firm McKinsey & Company in cooperation with NRC Handelsblad in 2005 that the Dutch are worried about the prospects of the next generation. They have little confidence that the government can solve the problems identified. The government in general is ineffective, reacts slowly to developments and involves citizens too little when it comes to decision making. Confidence in the government has dropped to a dramatic low point. All things considered, the situation appears critical, but nonetheless the majority of Dutch people are satisfied with the quality of Dutch society.

From the Mckinsey research as mentioned, it appears that there is also the possibility of a shift in society. 60 percent of the Dutch people who want to see change choose for more solidarity and less individualism. Only three percent want a more individualistic society. The choice for greater quality of life, and not more material success, is almost just as unanimous. More restraint in place of overassertiveness; more equality in place of inequality. Citizens are willing to put in quite an effort towards achieving this desired society. They do not mind if the economy would show somewhat lower growth. More than 85 percent of the population are happy with this. Research also shows that the ‘get-on-with-it-mentality’ from the post-war reconstruction period has made a comeback. Three-quarters of all Dutch people perceive themselves as go-getters, two-thirds say that they transform their aims and ambitions into actions. Furthermore it appears that there is a large desire to make sacrifices for a better future.

How about your willingness to make sacrifices? Are you prepared to make personal sacrifices? What is your vision for a social and liveable Netherlands? A better world does not happen automatically, it is something that you have to take responsibility for yourself.