In South Holland, we score below the national average on broad prosperity and we have the widest disparities. That calls for action.” Provincial Executive Meindert Stolk is clear and direct. The province of South Holland faces a major challenge when it comes to broad prosperity — the full range of factors that determine whether people can truly lead good lives, from health to income, from a pleasant living environment to access to culture. “We want people not just to see improvements on paper, but to actually experience them,” he says. That’s why the province is launching an action programme this year to make broad prosperity concrete and workable. Stolk wants to prevent it from remaining a vague policy theme, it must become a tangible change people feel in their everyday lives. That visibility can take many forms: greener schoolyards in vulnerable neighbourhoods, cleaner air in urban areas, or the Human Capital Programme, which has already helped tens of thousands of people into suitable jobs through education and training.
Broad Prosperity, Broad Support
Researchers play a key role in this approach. “Signals from practice are translated into knowledge and policy,” Stolk explains, “and in that, science leads the way.” The province works closely with institutions such as Erasmus University Rotterdam and TU Delft. “They help us answer the question of how you measure and define broad prosperity,” says Stolk. “That gives us insight into where we currently stand. And they provide the knowledge we need for the major transitions we face, such as the shift toward a sustainable, innovative, and inclusive economy.” This collaboration leads to a valuable cross-pollination between practice and science.
What started years ago as an ideal in policy circles is now gaining ever broader support — including among entrepreneurs. “The shortest way to describe broad prosperity? Life is about more than money, especially in the here and now,” says Stolk. “More and more businesses understand that employees expect more than just a decent paycheck. Education, personal development, and sustainability matter just as much, particularly for younger generations.”
Culture as a Pillar
What often remains underexposed in discussions about broad prosperity is the importance of culture and heritage. “Culture is what binds us together. Heritage gives us roots,” says Stolk, who grew up in a musical family. His father wasa conductor and later became a programme maker for NCRV, a background that shaped his view of society.
Scientific research shows that children who take part in cultural activities — such as music or dance — develop better. That older people who stay active in a choir or regularly visit museums are less likely to get sick and feel less lonely. “I recently read that more people in the Netherlands sing in a choir than play football — that says something about what connects us.”
Participation in culture demonstrably enhances well-being. Encouraging cultural participation — through choirs, dance, or museum visits — directly contributes to broad prosperity. And residents themselves can also make a difference: from joining local politics to picking up litter on a Saturday morning, every contribution counts.
Improvements That Truly Matter to People
Broad prosperity requires both collaboration and making choices. “A few years ago, ACCEZ was founded, a special collaborative platform uniting the province, academia, and the private sector aimed at accelerating the transition to a circular economy,” says Stolk. “We need each other, and we also need to share our knowledge and insights.”
There is also work to be done at the local level. “Not every municipality has the capacity to make a real difference,” Stolk acknowledges. “That’s precisely why the province plays a connecting role. We support municipalities, large and small, in realising their ambitions.”
Meindert is a member of the Provincial Executive of South Holland, responsible for economy, innovation, and environment. He promotes broad prosperity with visible impact.
Formerly director of the CDA party office and a councillor in Wassenaar, he also worked as a communications advisor. He studied business economics at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
