What can the UK learn from the Netherlands about data, power and trust?
26 March 2026
In a new episode of the ADR UK podcast, Connecting Society, co-host Mark Green travels (metaphorically) to the Netherlands to ask: how can we build advanced systems that use data to improve lives, while minimising the risk of harm?
Mark is joined by Tom Emery, Executive Director of ODISSEI – the Open Data Infrastructure for Social Science and Economic Innovations – which is a national initiative in the Netherlands bringing together data from across sectors to answer big societal questions.
Building a “polder” approach to data
ODISSEI doesn’t own any data itself. Instead, it connects a network of providers, including government departments, surveys and research panels. This creates a shared framework where researchers can securely combine information - what Tom calls the “digital crumbs of the state” - to answer complex questions.
Tom explains that this cooperative model reflects a wider Dutch tradition, poldering: working together for the common good (quite literally to keep everyone’s head above water). After the 2008 financial crisis, this became essential to sustain both infrastructure and research.
Learning from history
The Netherlands’ relationship with data is also shaped by important lessons learned from a history of data misuse. During the Nazi occupation in World War II, population registers were abused to target Jewish residents.
Yet, within 15 years of the war, the system was rebuilt to be rooted in civic purpose - from planning public services to routine activities like opening a bank account. Data’s historical legacy in the Netherlands continues to influence how it is governed today, embedding robust safeguards and ethical considerations, along with a strong practical emphasis.
For Tom, this highlights a key contrast with the UK: in the Netherlands, data systems are often experienced as beneficial to everyday life, while UK debates tend to focus first on risk and control.
What can the UK learn?
Tom emphasises that there’s no simple international blueprint to copy; the UK’s four-nation system adds complexity to collecting and linking data. However, there's much to admire in the Netherlands' collaborative approach. Meanwhile, the UK's continued progress through data linking initiatives shows the value of greater coherence - reducing duplication, aligning priorities, and making access simpler for researchers.
He also notes the importance of a cultural shift: moving beyond abstract discussions about data towards visible, human examples of how it improves lives. As co-host Shayda Kashef reflects, findings from ADR UK’s public dialogue with the Office for Statistics Regulation showed that people are most supportive of data collection and use when they can see the tangible benefits to themselves and their communities.
Listen to the full episode now...
Listen to the full interview to hear more about the differences and similarities between data research in the Netherlands and the UK, and what may change in the future.
The Netherlands’ experience – where public trust and civic utility guide data use – offers valuable lessons for the UK’s journey.
