The Netherlands’ Knowledge Centre for Policy and Regulations, a government-wide policy agency, has, as part of their Policy Compass process, introduced the Impact Scan (De Gevolgenscan) as a tool to bringing well-being considerations into practice. The tool helps policy makers to consider and include impacts of well-being into their policy proposals.
The Impact Scan (De Gevolgenscan) Tool in the Netherlands
Abstract
In Dutch government policy practice, the “Policy Compass” (Het Beleidskompas) is the central methodology for policy making. It is the central guidance document for designing or revising policies with social, environmental or spatial impacts on society. It intends to guide policy makers along all phases of policy development. In the impact identification phase of the Policy Compass, the well-being impacts of a policy are identified and quantified with the Impact Scan. The Impact Scan was developed by a team of experts across all government departments, the Bureau of Economic Policy Analysis, the Environmental Assessment Agency, the Netherlands Institute for Social Research, several other knowledge partners, under the supervision of the policy thinktank “De Argumentenfabriek”.
The Gevolgenscan is a methodology designed to assess the potential impacts of proposed policies across the themes of Environment, People, and Society. It incorporates all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and themes of broad welfare, providing a comprehensive framework for evaluating consequences. This tool examines not only the short-term effects within the Netherlands (here & now) but also considers long-term consequences for future generations (later) and impacts on people in other parts of the world (elsewhere).
The Gevolgenscan is composed of three visual maps that include questions aimed at assessing the impacts across the specified themes of Environment, People and Society. By collaborating with stakeholders and relevant experts to answer these questions, a thorough overview of the potential effects of a policy can be created. An accompanying input form, which is part of the Gevolgenscan, provides a structured way to present the results of this assessment.
The Impact Scan helps policy makers to think about impacts of policy from a multidimensional well-being perspective, thereby decreasing their possible blind spots or biases. It is designed to be suitable across different government departments, and can be implemented with relatively little time investment. It also aligns with other well-being initiatives used in the Netherlands, such as the Statistics Netherlands’ “Broad Welfare” definition and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Knowledge Centre for Policy and Regulations (2025), Beleidskompass [Policy Compass], https://www.kcbr.nl/ontwikkelen-beleid-en-regelgeving/beleidskompas/4-wat-zijn-de-gevolgen-van-deze-opties.
Knowledge Centre for Policy and Regulations (2023), De Gevolgenscan [Impact Scan] infographic, https://www.kcbr.nl/sites/default/files/2023-03/PDF%20Gevolgenscan%2024%20maart%202023%20Thema%20overzicht-1.pdf.
OECD (2023), How’s Life in your country?, https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/how-s-life-2024-country-notes_2603b12c-en/netherlands_3e4a0287-en.html.
OECD (2023), The Netherlands’ Monitor of Well-being and the Sustainable Development Goals, OECD Knowledge Exchange Platform on Well-being Metrics and Policy Practice https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/well-being-knowledge-exchange-platform-kep_93d45d63-en/the-netherlands-monitor-of-well-being-and-the-sustainable-development-goals_c0f07945-en.html.
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