BEYOND GOOD INTENTIONS
An examination of how corporate and citizen-led organizations frame and contribute to meaningful social impact in Amsterdam Zuidoost
S. Apon (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
T.A.P. Metze – Mentor (TU Delft - Organisation & Governance)
A. Singh – Mentor (TU Delft - Codesigning Social Change)
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Abstract
The transition to renewable energy is not only a technical process but also a deeply social one, as it greatly impacts people’s daily lives, and shapes how benefits and costs are distributed across society. Understanding how meaningful social impact can be defined and created within this context has become increasingly important. This thesis focuses on the case of the Johan Cruijff ArenA (JCA) and the Energy Cooperative Venserpolder in Amsterdam Zuidoost. It examines how both actors frame and operationalize social impact, how their perspectives differ, and what residents perceive as meaningful social impact. Building on these insights, it explores how collaboration between corporate and community actors can contribute to social impact that is considered meaningful by residents. A qualitative case study approach was employed, combining desk research, semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and a card sorting exercise.
The findings showed the JCA frames social impact in an instrumental and strategic manner, consistent with its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) objectives and Net Positive ambition. In contrast, the Energy Cooperative Venserpolder adopts a bottom-up and community-oriented framing of social impact, viewing it as an end in itself. Residents tend to associate meaningful social impact with immediate and tangible changes linked to their everyday lives, such as better facilities or cleaner streets. The research identifies collaboration opportunities between the JCA and the Energy Cooperative that both create value for the Energy Cooperative and align closely with the JCA’s CSR strategy. The most feasible forms of collaboration, such as sharing expertise and providing meeting space, demonstrate that impactful collaboration does not necessarily require large-scale investments. Overall, this thesis demonstrates that meaningful social impact emerges when organizational framings of social impact are aligned with residents‘ lived realities.
Key words: social impact, framing, renewable energy transition, collaboration, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), energy cooperative