There’s a reason why Amsterdam was named the 2016 European Capital of Innovation. Not only is the city home to a booming start-up community, but it’s a thriving hub for social enterprise and innovation. If you’re looking for a place to grow your social impact career, Amsterdam is the place to be.
Wondering where to start your job search? We’ve gathered a list of the top NGOs, nonprofits, social businesses, and think-tanks in Amsterdam to help you out. Whether you’re passionate about the environment or human rights, just starting out or well into your career, these organizations are looking for your talent.
If we’ve missed any organizations, please let us know and we’ll update this list. Check out all of our current jobs here.
1. Amsterdam Center for Entrepreneurship (ACE)
ACE is a start-up village for innovative tech and science-based companies. If you have an idea for a new business, this is a great place to find training, mentorship, co-working space, and a like-minded community of innovators.
2. Amsterdam Impact
Amsterdam Impact is an initiative of the City of Amsterdam to connect and support social businesses. Explore a range of accelerators, incubators, impact events, hubs, research institutes, investors and initiatives to bring your idea to life.
3. Ashoka Netherlands
Ashoka supports social entrepreneurs around the world, and in 2014, they launched their office in Amsterdam. The organization strategically tackles issues of poverty, climate change and refugee issues and provides an extensive global network.
4. B LAB
B LAB is building a global network of Certified B Corporations. B-Corps are for-profit companies that uphold rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. This helpful search tool will help you find B-Corps hiring in the Netherlands.
5. Beelease
Foundation Beelease, as the name suggests, is all about bees. Through targeted research and education programs, it aims to promote the conservation of bees (particularly honeybees).
6. De Omslag
De Omslag aims to identify and address the barriers that disabled people face to employment through sustainable structural solutions. They collaborate with a broad network of partners to achieve this goal.
7. Impact Hub Amsterdam (IHA)
Impact Hub Amsterdam is a community and co-working space for social enterprises in the city. They offer an extensive range of support and networking opportunities (about 240 companies are in their network). Great for new social start-ups and businesses.
8. Knowmads Business School
Knowmads Business School is a creative business school for changemakers that offers the tools for self-discovery. Through the six-month program, students will discover their personal strengths and gain the tools they need to become leaders of positive change.
9. Lokale Lente
Lokale Lente is a platform that represents the interests of social enterprises at the neighborhood level. It focuses on sharing knowledge and strengthening organizations’ connection with stakeholders throughout the city.
10. OneWorld
OneWorld is a well-established online platform for sustainability and green living in the Netherlands. Their website holds businesses and governments accountable for their environmental impact and helps citizens contribute to a more fair, sustainable world.
11. Pakhuis de Zwijger
Pakhuis de Zwijger is a cultural enterprise and independent platform for Amsterdam and its population. It hosts events almost every day to foster digital social innovation and connects a community of over 100,000 followers.
12. SEEnetwork
Social Enterprise Empowerment (SEE) is a network of female professionals who want to grow a more sustainable business community through knowledge sharing, inspiration, storytelling and connection. SEE involves about 1,500 women who are actively engaged with social entrepreneurship across many different sectors.
13. Sinzer
Sinzer is an online tool for social impact measurement that helps governments, nonprofits, and social enterprises make better decisions.
14. Social Enterprise NL
Social Enterprise NL is a community of 300 social enterprises across Amsterdam. Members have access to a network of experts and coaches that offer support in finances, impact measurement, positioning & marketing, sales & acquisition and legal support.
15. Social Start Amsterdam
Social Start Amsterdam combines the creativity of budding social entrepreneurs with the experience of established organizations to promote innovative social impact.
16. Starters4Communities
Starters4Communities is a “Changemaker Community” with six locations across the Netherlands, including Amsterdam. Their program provides practical training in social entrepreneurship and focuses on bottom-up urban development.
17. Stichting DOEN
The DOEN Foundation supports over 200 social ventures annually through subsidies, equity investments, and loans.
18. THNK School of Creative Leadership (instead of just "THNK")
THNK's mission is to solve the world’s largest societal challenges by supporting global leaders to unlock their full creative leadership potential. They offer innovation and leadership programs in Amsterdam and around the world. THNK's programs support leaders from across sectors to bring new ideas to persistent challenges, rethink outmoded systems, and innovate in industry-defining ways.
19. The Waag Society
The Waag Society is a platform for artistic and technological research with a social purpose. Their workshops, labs, and lectures invite the public to explore the social impact of technological developments.
Anica Huber is a German Tourism and Event Manager from Berlin, living in Amsterdam since 2013. She is currently working as a freelancing tour guide after working in international operating companies in sales & customer support the past years. From October 2017 until April 2018 she will attend a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training in Amsterdam. She wants to contribute to a positive social and environmental change and is interested in building a tbd* community in Amsterdam.
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Originally published October 29, 2017
