Dutch companies underperform in social sustainability information and accessibility standards
Netherlands 2024-2025
Thirty of the largest publicly listed Dutch companies were evaluated in Webranking’s annual review, achieving an average score of 45.76, slightly below the European average of 48.40. This marks a small improvement of 1.35 percentage points compared to last year. Dutch companies performed particularly well in key areas such as the homepage, about us section, and financial reporting.
Dutch companies fall behind in two main sections; sustainability and features and functionalities. The latter section measures factors such as accessibility and user experience, and this year's ranking shows that Dutch companies fail to keep up with European companies' accessibility standards.
The companies have also scored an average of 53% in features and functionalities, which compares on the lower side with Europe 500's 70% in average fulfilment.
45.76/100
Average score Netherlands, 2024-2025
48.40/100
Average score Europe 500, 2024-2025
Key findings
- The ranked companies in the Netherlands received an average score of 45.76, increasing slightly from 44.4 in the 2023-2024 evaluation, but still landing below the European average of 48.40.
- Sustainability and accessibility are the main challenges for the measured Dutch companies, with the lack of information on social sustainability particularly standing out. Additionally, accessibility standards assessed by Accessibility Cloud show lower results for Dutch companies compared to Europe 500 companies.
- CEO visibility and usage of standardised electronic format XBRL/ESEF stands out in reporting: 57% of Dutch companies include a CEO statement in their online annual reports or summaries, compared to the European average of 41%. 83% of Dutch companies provide financial statements in an XBRL/ESEF format on their websites, compared to 60% in Europe.
- Only 7% of Dutch corporate websites include information about their business model, compared to 22% across Europe. At the same time, 97% of these websites focus on value creation. This shows that Dutch companies have an opportunity to improve by sharing business models to give a clearer and more complete view of their activities.
Strengths and best practices
Netherlands:
57%
present a CEO statement in the online annual report
83%
present a XBRL/ESEF package directly on the website
Dutch companies set the standard in reporting practices
With reporting being one of the top sections, Dutch companies excel in several areas. Including a CEO statement in an online annual report or summary enhances visibility and trust with the audience. It provides a personal perspective on the company’s performance, vision, and future strategies. 57% of Dutch companies receive this score, while the European average is at 41%. Philips is one of the companies with a CEO quote which the annual report page starts with, clearly setting the stage.
Another area in reporting where Dutch companies outperform European companies is providing financial statements in an XBRL/ESEF format on their website. This standardised electronic format enhances the comparability and usability of financial data across companies, making it easier to search, analyse, and interpret information. It also supports the adoption of advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence, for deeper financial insights and automation.
Notably, 83% of Dutch companies provide a direct link to their XBRL/ESEF package on their websites, significantly higher than the European average of 60%. By providing financial statements in the XBRL/ESEF format with a direct website link, Dutch companies enhance transparency and makes it easier for stakeholders to access and use their financial data.
Absence of business models limits a broader perspective
The high score in the about us section shows that the ranked companies deliver strong company introductions. For example, a majority of 97% gives an explanation of their value creation for customers, which is on par with European standards. 90% of Dutch companies provide information about their operating environment, such as market conditions, competitive landscape, or key trends—four percentage points higher than the European average.
However, an overview of the business model is often missing on Dutch corporate websites. Only 7% of Dutch companies present their business model, compared to 22% of European companies. While value creation for customers is well-addressed, including a overview of the business model and linking it to value creation would provide a more comprehensive overview.
A business model outlines the plan a company implements to generate revenue, detailing its components, functions, income streams, and expenses. This represents an opportunity for companies to present value creation in a format that provides stakeholders with a broader and clearer perspective on their strategy and impact.
Shell present an overview of their business model in the investment case, with a clear emphasis on value creation.
Netherlands:
97%
give an explanation on their value creation for customers
7%
provide an overview of their business model
Challenges and opportunities for improvement
% of companies with a top score in Accessibility Cloud evaluation
60%
Netherlands
78%
Europe 500
Accessibility standards on Dutch websites lag behind European peers
One key area where Dutch companies lag behind other European companies is in their scores in Accessibility Cloud – a tool used to receive an indication of a website's level of accessibility. The audit is done accessibility through Accessibility Cloud's web accessibility testing platform. Accessibility Cloud combines crawling, scanning and analysis and gives a rating according to WCAG 2.1.
76% of companies in Europe received the highest rating of A or B, while the Dutch equivalent is at 60%. Other European countries generally outperform the Netherlands in this score, for example, Finland lands at 80%, Spain at 78% and UK at 82%.
33% of Dutch companies present an accessibility statement on their website, on a similar level as their European peers at 35%. An accessibility statement is a public commitment that affirms a website’s dedication to making its content and services fully accessible to all users, including individuals with diverse access needs.
Company websites that present social sustainability targets
45%
Netherlands
58%
Europe 500
Social sustainability less addressed by companies in the Netherlands
Presenting sustainability information is ranked with an average fulfiment of 45% for the Dutch companies, lower than Europe 500 companies with 58%. Several criteria related to particularly social sustainability are pulling the section down. For example, addressing at least one social sustainability area with current information is done by 37% of companies, compared to a higher figure of 52% in Europe. Social sustainability targets are presented by 51% of Dutch companies, however notably lower than the Europe 500 average of 72%.
Other areas within sustainability that lag behind is information about sustainability governance within the company, that shows among the highest negative difference between Dutch and European companies; 47% in the Netherlands versus 68%.
Additionally, with stricter regulations like the CSRD on the horizon, inadequate disclosures could leave companies behind. To stay ahead, Dutch companies need to address these deficiencies by improving communication on social impact, governance, and measurable targets—critical areas for meeting stakeholder demands, ensuring compliance, and attracting investment.
Top performers
1. Shell
63.9/100 points
2. ASML Holding
62.2/100 points
3. Airbus
60.4/100 points
Shell ranks as the top performer in the Netherlands with an impressive score of 63.9 points. They perform especially well in information surrounding sustainability, about us and careers, with extensive information about for example social and environmental sustainability data.
Careers, about us and reporting are the strongest sections at ASML Holding's website. They enhance user experience and make information easily digestible by interactivity, visualisation of information and key figures.
Airbus has shown one of the highest increases from last year, by +6.7 points up to 60.4. Their top section is careers followed by the homepage – Airbus provides extensive and transparent information for jobseekers and is able to strengthen their employer branding using the careers page.
Best climber
KPN are this year's best Dutch climber, meaning the company that improved their score the most since last year. Both the homepage - KPN's highest ranked section - and the careers section saw increases into this year's evaluation.
They have achieved an increase of 12.9 points up to 49.3 over last year’s score. Well done!
+12.9
points improvement
Top 10 - Netherlands
| Rank | Company | Main country | Sector | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shell | UK | Energy | 63.9 |
| 2 | ASML Holding | Netherlands | Technology | 62.2 |
| 3 | Airbus | France | Industrial Goods and Services | 60.4 |
| 4 | ArcelorMittal | Luxemburg | Basic Resources | 59.3 |
| 5 | Heineken | Netherlands | Food, Beverage and Tobacco | 56.7 |
| 6 | Philips | Netherlands | Health Care | 55.3 |
| 7 | Unilever | UK | Personal Care, Drug and Grocery Stores | 55 |
| 8 | Arcadis | Netherlands | Industrial Goods and Services | 54.3 |
| 9 | Randstad | Netherlands | Industrial Goods and Services | 51.5 |
| 10 | ING | Netherlands | Banks | 49.6 |
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