‘We benefit from the prosperity of this region, that also gives responsibilities’
The success of the Brainport region is leading to significantly more jobs and residents in the coming years. The region is gearing up for a jump in scale, but that also puts pressure on society. Every inhabitant of the region should be able to participate, but that will not happen automatically. In addition to support from the government, the business community is investing in measures in the areas of talent development, accessibility, housing, facilities, equal opportunities and social cohesion through the Brainport Partnerfonds. VB Group is one of the companies that have joined the fund. CEO Robert van Boldrik: ‘The foundation of our success lies in the combination of business prosperity and Brabant conviviality.’
VB Group, a cluster of eight nationwide family-owned development and construction companies, is proud to participate in the Brainport Partnerfonds. CEO Robert van Boldrik had long been looking for opportunities to become more structurally active for the broad prosperity of the region. ‘Then the Brainport Partnerfonds came along and it fitted perfectly with our mission and motivation.’
The core of engaged entrepreneurship
For VB Group, a core healthy company with a turnover of 300 million and over 400 employees, participation in the Brainport Partnerfonds is a logical step. ‘As a family business, corporate social responsibility is in our DNA. You are there for each other and for society. We have been fortunate to benefit from the prosperity of this region; that also brings with it a responsibility. Society should expect us to give something back.’
Of the themes the Partner Fund focuses on, Van Boldrik gets ‘the warmest feeling’ with equity and social cohesion. ‘In line with the objectives of Brainport voor Elkaar, we can ensure that no one is excluded and that we face challenges together. After all, that is the core of what makes Brainport unique.’
Not all themes of the fund are equally easy to address from an individual company's perspective. ‘Take accessibility. That is one of the biggest challenges for the region, but we as a construction company cannot contribute to it directly. That is precisely why the fund is so powerful: it enables that broad approach.’ For VB Group itself, housing construction is an obvious theme, but Van Boldrik stresses that this was not a driving force in deciding to participate in the fund. ‘The task is huge, and it is logical that we already play our part in it every day. But what appeals to us most is the fund's broader social agenda.’
Collaboration is at the heart of Brainport
One of Brainport Eindhoven's great strengths is the naturalness with which companies, knowledge institutes and governments cooperate. ‘Short lines of communication and open communication are crucial,’ says Van Boldrik. He mentions the structural consultation with the municipality and examples such as internships and workshops offered by VB Groep in cooperation with educational institutions such as Summa College and Fontys Hogescholen.
But cooperation goes beyond big projects. Van Boldrik proudly talks about small-scale initiatives that VB Group supports, such as making a community centre of the Stichting "IK WIL" in Eindhoven wheelchair-accessible. ‘Together with our subcontractors, we simply took care of that. Everyone was proud of what we had achieved together. Projects like that show who we are as a company and as a region.’ Another example: every VB Group employee is given budget to sponsor a youth team of the local sports club. ‘Super cool to see those kids then walk around with their training jackets all week,’ he says.
Challenges and solutions: ‘Just do it’
Brainport's growth also brings dilemmas. Van Boldrik sees that not everyone is convinced of the desirability of further expansion. ‘These are mainly growth problems we're talking about now, so it's logical that some people don't see their solution in even more growth. But I am convinced that it is better to solve problems from abundance than to wait until we are in a real crisis. That growth must be broadly supported. That means we have to give each other something and find the solutions together.’
A concrete example is the housing market. ‘Everyone sees that more housing is needed, but as soon as those plans come into your own backyard, it becomes difficult. Both sides are right, so we have to find a way together. It's literally about giving each other space.’
At the same time, Van Boldrik argues for more decisiveness and less bureaucracy. ‘Too much talking, too little doing, that's what sometimes gets in our way. We just have to start doing it, taking a small step every day. Not everything has to be solved at once. Acting consistently and reliably is what counts. And then I also look at government. At local level, we cooperate very well, but the national government and Europe still sometimes surprise us with policy changes, while we need clarity and reliability.’
An example to the world
According to Van Boldrik, Brainport is not only important for the Netherlands, but also for Europe and the world. ‘If you see how technology and society are interwoven here, it is unique. The foundation of our success lies in the combination of business prosperity and Brabant conviviality. Family businesses like ours can switch between the board table and the shop floor, and that is a strength we should cherish.’
For Van Boldrik, the Brainport Partnerfonds is an important building block, but not the only one. ‘More is needed, but this is a crucial step. If every company takes its responsibility and is willing to give something back, we can continue to build a region in which everyone participates. This is easier for some than others, but if we help each other, we can handle anything. Whether it is housing construction, accessibility or social cohesion - together we can make the region even stronger.’
