‘The consumer has in recent years become increasingly powerful. The sharing economy is a huge opportunity. It just fits well with Amsterdam. That’s why we want to be known as a Sharing City’, says Alderman of Economic Affairs and vice-mayor of the City of Amsterdam, Kajsa Ollongren.
On February 2nd, the capital of the Netherlands was named first ‘Sharing City’ of Europe. With this, Amsterdam positions itself as a leader in the field of the sharing (or ‘collaborative’) economy. The city already stood out by being the first municipality in the world to develop regulations around Airbnb. Also its inhabitants are closely involved in the subject: research shows that a whopping 84% of the ‘Amsterdammers’ is willing to participate in the sharing economy.
Amsterdam Sharing City is a joint initiative in which ‘ambassadors’ from all corners of the city will work together: from startups to corporates, from community center to public library, and from knowledge institution to the municipality. ‘The city is a source of abundance’, said Daan Weddepohl, founder of sharing economy platform ‘Peerby.’ Also Achmea, the largest Dutch insurance company, is happy to be an ambassador: ‘The sharing economy provides local connection and reduces social isolation. The value of social cohesion for us is sky high’, says Peter de Groot, a director at Achmea. Meanwhile, already some 35 ambassadors* are behind Amsterdam Sharing City. From a shared vision they start collaborating on concrete projects.
The purpose of ‘Amsterdam Sharing City’ is to utilize as a city the chances the sharing economy offers in the areas of sustainability, social cohesion and economy. And secondly to formulate answers to the challenges that this rapidly growing phenomenon entails. Initiator is shareNL, the Dutch knowledge and network platform for the sharing economy.
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* Ambassadors of ‘Amsterdam Sharing City’
Accenture, Achmea, Amsterdam Economic Board, Amsterdam Smart City, April Rinne, Awareness Initiatives, Community Center Corantijn, Carlien Roodink, Crowdfunding Hub, Dasym, City of Amsterdam, Chamber of Commerce, Kennedy van der Laan, Neal Gorenflo, Amsterdam Public Library, Pakhuis De Zwijger, Rockstart, Sandd, shareNL, Social Enterprise NL, THNK and Urgenda.
Associated sharing economy platforms
Airbnb, BlaBlaCar, BrownCow, Croqqer, DriveMoby, FLOOW2, Huizenruil.com, Jipio, Konnektid, MyWheels, OnePlanetCrowd, ParkFlyRent, Peerby, REWEAR, Seats2Meet.com, Snappcar, Thuisafgehaald, Uber, Vandebron, WeHelpen and ZorgVoorElkaar.
More information
Amsterdam exploring the Sharing City (video)