Businesses help pay for social objectives with Brainport Partnerfonds

The private contributions from the Brainport Partnerfonds do not stand alone. In part, they constitute necessary co-financing for investments made by the central government, the province of North Brabant and the 21 municipalities in the Brainport region in the coming years.

‘In the coming years, billions of euros will be invested in the Brainport region,’ explains Brainport Development director Paul van Nunen. ‘Governments have put together a broad package of investments in infrastructure such as express cycle paths, mobility hubs and express bus lanes. There are programmes to build 100,000 affordable housing units in the social segment and middle rental and middle purchase. The companies also contribute via the Partner Fund to the training, retention and recruitment of 50,000 extra employees in the coming years and to the social agenda Brainport voor Elkaar. This includes, for instance, retraining and further training to promote labour participation and thousands of corporate volunteers for social organisations.’

Growing group of participating companies

The group of companies starting the Partner Fund consists of Philips, VDL Groep, NXP, Wilvo Group, VHE Industrial Automation, AAE, Rabobank, Prodrive Technologies, Van der Hoorn Buigtechniek, VB Group, ASML and Strijp-T campus. Talks to expand the group in the coming years have already started. ‘We have designed the fund so that everyone can participate, from large to small, and from service provider to high-tech manufacturing company.’

The fund is designed so that all companies can participate according to their ability to pay. ‘The Brainport region, with its innovative manufacturing industry, is of national and international importance. For us in the region, success depends not only on technology and exports, but also on everyone being able to benefit. It's great that the companies feel the same way about it and contribute to it.’

Mayor and regional chairman Jeroen Dijsselbloem is pleased with this important step from the business community: ‘It is truly unique, that the collective business community in a region is willing to co-finance solutions to societal challenges on this scale. With this typical Brainport initiative, our businesses are taking co-responsibility for the society they are part of. So that we also remain a nice, accessible and affordable region in the future, with opportunities for everyone.’