On October 31st, Erasmus University Rotterdam organized its first conference on Inclusive Prosperity. It was an inspiring day during which more than 120 participants from various sectors, including government, business, and educational institutions, came together to discuss promoting a fair distribution of prosperity, both now and in the future.
Setting the tone: “Make it tangible”
Ed Brinksma, president of the university’s Executive Board, opened the event with a speech emphasizing the urgency of making the currently still very abstract concept of ‘inclusive prosperity’ more tangible. He was followed by the Italian economist Alessio Terzi from the European Commission as well as Sander Schimmelpenninck, who also was the moderator for the day. Alessio Terzi presented his recent book “Growth for good”, in which he discusses ways to harness capitalism in the fight against the climate crisis and showcases how we can create good jobs and a better, greener, healthier world. Sander Schimmelpenninck subsequently introduced his book "Sander en de brug" and his five ideas towards making the Netherlands more equal and inclusive.
Dive into the diverse topics linked to Inclusive Prosperity
After his keynote lecture, the audience split up to follow different workshops along the main themes of the event: inclusive & sustainable cities, inclusive business, and inclusive health.
During the workshops on inclusive businesses led by researchers Kees Krul, Alice Bouwman-de Groot as well as Saskia Ruijsink, Maartje Bos, and Ollie Bream McIntosh, the changing approach to entrepreneurship was discussed, focusing on the shift from profit maximization to a more stakeholder-oriented approach as well as taking the planetary boundaries into consideration when talking about economic growth. They all emphasized the role of the government in supporting businesses to contribute to inclusive prosperity.
In the parallel session on inclusive & sustainable cities, Yogi Hendlin presented his work on energy poverty in Rotterdam, focusing on recommendations to those worst affected by this problem, improving not only their financial situation, but also their health. His workshop was followed by Dominika Teigiserova and her research on inclusive parks and how they provide more to the city besides being a green lung.
The last pillar of the workshop session on inclusive health was represented by Annabel Vreeker and her work on digital mental health and its effectiveness on the younger generations. Lili Kokai and Famke Molenberg collaborated with the Stichting Lezen en Schrijven to highlight the importance of literacy in health care and the difficulties this problem poses for medical care providers in the Netherlands.
Panel Perspectives: Courageous Entrepreneurship, Prosperity, and Happiness
But what does courageous entrepreneurship look like? What is the relationship between prosperity and happiness? And how can individuals make a difference within a large organization? These and more questions were discussed during the panel debate between Lenneke Degenaar, Jacqueline van den Ende, Eppo Bruins, and Carolien van Wersch. Their discussion was moderated by Sander Schimmelpenninck, who summarized the ideas in one question: “Can the concept of inclusive prosperity encourage people to settle for less?”
Inspiring conclusion: A call to action for Inclusive Prosperity
The day concluded with a sense of inspiration and a pressing need for further action. The event promised a follow-up with more in-depth discussions and concrete steps to promote inclusive prosperity, bringing participants from different backgrounds together with a common goal in mind: a fairer and more sustainable prosperity for all generations. The discussions are bound to continue resonating in the minds of the participants, hopefully making a real impact in the world of today and tomorrow.
Inclusive Prosperity Conference 2023
