Sustainable and responsible business plays an increasing role in business. For many SMEs, it still feels like something for “later” or something complicated: something for large corporates, with extensive reporting and complex rules.
But in practice, we see something different.
More and more SMEs are receiving questions from customers, clients and supply chain partners. Questions about the origin of products, working conditions or environmental impact. Not because it is directly required by law, but because larger organizations are passing their responsibility down the chain.
To support companies in this, the Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland has set up the SVOM scheme: the Subsidie Verantwoord Ondernemen MKB. This scheme helps SMEs prepare for this and take steps in a structured way.
What does the SVOM scheme entail?
The SVOM scheme is designed for SMEs that want to work on corporate responsibility in their value chain. The way companies do business is changing rapidly. From European regulations, large companies are increasingly subject to obligations regarding transparency in the chain, and this transparency automatically shifts to suppliers and SMEs.
As a result, even smaller organizations are finding that topics such as chain transparency and due diligence are becoming increasingly relevant. The SVOM scheme was developed to help companies do just that. It is a subsidy for SME companies that want to take steps in corporate responsibility within their chain, with a specific focus on due diligence.
Due diligence means that as a company:
- Identify risks in your supply chain
- Takes measures to prevent or reduce those risks
- Keeping insight into the effects of your actions
- About this communicates
This can cover various topics, such as environmental impact, working conditions or ethical business practices.
What can you use the grant for?
The grant can be used for activities that contribute to at least one of the six steps in the OECD Guidelines. For example:
- Developing or honing CSR policies;
- Conducting risk analysis in the chain;
- Taking measures to prevent or mitigate risks or negative impacts;
- Monitoring and evaluating measures taken;
- Communicating with stakeholders about policy and progress;
- Establishing a grievance mechanism or recovery process.
The strength of the SVOM lies in its practicality. The goal is not to create “more administration,” but rather to provide structure and insight. No thick reports that disappear in a drawer, but steps that really help your organization move forward.
How does the grant benefit your business?
For many companies, the scheme starts out as a grant application, but ultimately it provides more than just financial support. It also helps organizations gain more insight and structure in their sustainability approach.
This may include:
- Better understanding of risks within the chain;
- Stronger collaboration with customers and suppliers;
- Better preparation for future legislation;
- More transparency towards stakeholders;
- A firmer position as a sustainable supply chain partner.
Perhaps more importantly, it makes corporate responsibility concrete and manageable.
Not an abstract sustainability story, but practical steps an organization can really take forward.
Practicalities
The SVOM scheme is designed for SMEs that want to take steps in the area of corporate responsibility and due diligence. The grant helps organizations gain more insight into their supply chain, investigate risks and make sustainability policy concrete.
The scheme is available to SMEs with up to 250 employees and an annual turnover of up to €50 million, or a balance sheet total of up to €43 million. In addition, an organization must be active in the Netherlands and provide a clear project plan and budget.
There are two forms of subsidy within the SVOM scheme. The amount of the subsidy depends on the size of the project:
- €5,000 grant for project costs between €10,000 and €20,000
- €10,000 grant for project costs of €20,000 or more
Companies contribute at least 50% of the costs themselves. An organization can receive a maximum of two grants in the period 2025-2029, provided they are not for the exact same project purpose.
The application goes through the Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland and works on the principle of first come, first serve. Good preparation and a timely application are therefore important.
From grant to strategy
Of course, a grant is nice. But ultimately it’s about what you do with it. The biggest opportunity lies in translating this arrangement into a structural approach: not a one-off project, but a way of working that suits the future of business. That is often where the challenge lies.
At Cooperate Green, we like to take on that challenge together and help your company make that translation. By setting up a strong and feasible project plan that leads to insight and impact in the chain. So that sustainability becomes integrated into the strategy. And so that the SVOM regulation is not just a subsidy, but a starting point for real change.
Wondering what this could mean for your organization? We’d love to think with you.