Opening corporate office space for social good in a context of urban scarcity
Abstract
This paper introduces a practical model in which corporate offices, which are usually underused outside standard business hours, are made available to external organisations in the evenings and at weekends. In the context of scarcity and high real estate prices in Amsterdam the model redefines temporal underutilisation as a social resource and incorporates the ‘S’ in environmental, social and governance (ESG) into corporate real estate decision-making processes. While traditional corporate real estate strategies prioritise efficiency, cost control and workplace experience, there is an increasing interest in developing a strategy that can deliver broader ESG value. This paper will first focus on why is it is necessary to open up corporate office space for social good. The definition and clarification of urban scarcity will be explained against the back of a larger (political) discussion on how to optimise space in a heavily populated and dense country as the Netherlands. Before stepping into how the model actually works, first the conceptual framework of shared space and social value will be laid down. This perspective is based on the idea that built environments do not have to be mono-functional or subject to private governance. Instead, shared access increases the social value of space. After explaining the model in practice, the main question is how the future will look, and moreover how we can extrapolate the current local business model into a global way or rethink the concept of using (office) space. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.
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Author's Biography
Rick Niemeijer is the CEO of BNP Paribas Real Estate Netherlands, where he leads the company’s advisory and property management activities in the Dutch real estate market. Based in Amsterdam, he is recognised as a prominent leader within the Dutch commercial real estate sector, combining market expertise with an international outlook through the BNP Paribas network. Niemeijer joined BNP Paribas Real Estate in 2008 as a consultant and progressed through a series of senior leadership roles, including taking a board position as Director of Asset Management & Investments in 2014. His expertise spans transactions, portfolio management and strategic real estate services. In September 2022, he was appointed CEO of BNP Paribas Real Estate Netherlands at the age of 38. Niemeijer is also a member of the Executive Committee of BNP Paribas Netherlands, reflecting his broader role within the BNP Paribas organisation. In 2025, Rick Niemeijer was selected for the prestigious MT/Sprout Next Leadership 50 of 2025, a recognition highlighting emerging and influential leaders in Dutch business. MT/Sprout noted his focus on natural leadership, clarity and humanity. According to Niemeijer leaders should give other people room to grow and take initiative. By authenticity and clarity — instead of hiding behind procedures — people will get stimulated to further develop themselves. Niemeijer holds a Bachelor in Real Estate & Surveying. His thesis on mapping portfolio premiums was nominated for the Nederlandse Vereniging van Makelaars thesis award. For his thesis Niemeijer was also rewarded with an Erasmus Scholarship to study a Master in European Real Estate at Kingston University, which he completed in 2008.
