First twelve companies in Brainport Partner Fund contribute 219 million euros to social causes in coming years

The first group of twelve companies from the Brainport region has joined the Brainport Partner Fund. Through this private fund, these companies will collectively contribute €219 million over the next twelve years to four social objectives: accessibility, affordable housing, extra talent, and equal opportunities for all residents.

The private contributions from the Brainport Partner Fund are part of a bigger scheme. They form the co-financing for investments that the national government, the province of North Brabant, and the 21 municipalities in the Brainport region will make in the coming years. Altogether, this amounts to more than two billion euros.

“Governments have put together a broad package of investments in infrastructure such as express bike paths, mobility hubs and express bus lanes,” explains Brainport Development director Paul van Nunen. “There are programs to build 100,000 affordable housing units. In addition, the companies are contributing to the training, retaining and recruiting 50,000 additional employees in the coming years and to the social agenda Brainport for Each Other. This includes work on retraining and upskilling to promote labor participation and thousands of corporate volunteers for community organizations.”

Contributions according to ability to pay

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 begun. Van Nunen: “We have designed the fund so that everyone can participate, from large to small, and from service provider to high-tech manufacturing company.” Contributions are made according to the ability to pay.

Mayor and regional chairman Jeroen Dijsselbloem is pleased with this vital 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 business community is taking responsibility for the society they are a part of. Everything is to ensure we remain a nice, accessible, and affordable region with opportunities for everyone.”

In a series of articles over the next few weeks, we will show the motivations behind some of the first participants in the fund.