CEOs about the government

Business would like to contribute to society

A majority of Dutch corporate executives believe that business should contribute to the resolution of important social issues.

This is evident from the results of PwC's 24th CEO Survey. In this annual, global survey, we ask CEOs about their expectations for the economy and their own company, their concerns and plans. 141 Dutch CEOs completed the survey this year.

One remarkable result of the CEO Survey is that CEOs want to take responsibility for solving social issues, for example regarding climate change and keeping people educated and healthy. They also see this as an important government task.

Social responsibility is in the best interest of companies

'The government cannot solve major social problems by itself. That's where a task lies for the business community and other organisations,' says board chairman Ad van Gils of PwC Netherlands. The responsibility that companies feel goes beyond that of shareholders. But there is also an explicit business interest behind it. If companies and organisations do not contribute to a better world with equal opportunities, attention to climate and the environment, fair taxation and security of information, they lose relevance. Customers, employees and investors will then eventually walk away.

CEOs assume government is committed to 'green' recovery

Covid-19 runs like a thread through the CEO Survey. Half of CEOs assume that, in the face of rapidly rising government debt, the government will raise taxes.

Moreover, a large majority expect the government to balance economic recovery with climate and environmental goals when making recovery plans.

PwC chief economist Jan Willem Velthuijsen and Public Sector Group chairman Richard Goldstein expect the Covid-19 crisis to increase the role of government in the coming years. They believe the government should seize that momentum to address some major challenges, such as the energy transition.