RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment
RIVM is the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, a government research institute under the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport that provides public health surveillance, food safety risk assessment, environmental monitoring, and disease prevention programs to the Dutch government and public.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1909
- HeadquartersBilthoven, Netherlands
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment does
RIVM (Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu), translated as the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, is a Dutch government research institute established as the country's central authority on public health, infectious disease, food safety, and environmental monitoring. It operates under the parent Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport), headquartered in Bilthoven, the Netherlands, and was designated by the WHO Regional Office for Europe as a WHO Collaborating Centre on Behavioural Science for Health Emergency Preparedness and Resilience in February 2026.
RIVM's core outputs are scientific databases, surveillance systems, risk assessments, and population health programs rather than commercial products. Major assets include the Nederlands Voedingsstoffenbestand (NEVO) food composition database, Portie-online (food portion sizes, with Version 2.0 released in 2026), the Voedselconsumptiepeiling national food consumption survey running since 1987, the HEVnet international hepatitis E virus laboratory network covering 15 countries, and the jointly operated Front Office Voedsel- en Productveiligheid that handles approximately 30 risk-assessment questions per year from NVWA-BuRO. The institute also manages national cancer and newborn screening programs, the National Immunisation Programme, the National Heat Plan activated jointly with KNMI, and the Monitor Mentale Gezondheid, communicating to policy makers, healthcare professionals, and the Dutch public via 29+ specialized newsletters and a multilingual website.
The business model is non-commercial: RIVM is fully funded by the Dutch government through its parent ministry, with all publications, databases, and advisory services provided free of charge. Revenue mechanics are effectively a single-line ministry allocation rather than market-based pricing, and customer relationships are concentrated in public-sector buyers including VWS, NVWA, regional health services (GGD), and international bodies such as WHO and ECDC. The institute's strategic positioning rests on its statutory mandate, decades of accumulated population-health data assets, and international network coordination roles.
RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment
- Legal name
- Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu
- Website
- https://rivm.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1909
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- RIVM is the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, a government research institute under the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport that provides public health surveillance, food safety risk assessment, environmental monitoring, and disease prevention programs to the Dutch government and public.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Health Research and Surveillance
- NAICS
- Public Administration (92), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Disease Surveillance, Epidemiology & Outbreak Response (BPAIAJAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Disease & Condition Surveillance Programs (HLAJANAB), Environmental Public Health (Food Safety, Water Quality, Sanitation) (BPAIAJAE), Environmental Monitoring, Data & Reporting (Air/Water/Soil) (BPAIAMAC), Vaccine-Preventable Disease Surveillance & Coverage Monitoring (HLAJABAK)
Keywords
Where RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bilthoven
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Others
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment product offering
Product offeringCore offering
RIVM conducts public health and environmental research and provides evidence-based advisory services, surveillance systems, and national health programs for the Dutch government and citizens. Its core deliverables include infectious disease surveillance and outbreak response, food safety risk assessment, environmental monitoring (nitrogen, PFAS, air quality), national population screening programs, vaccination programs, and maintenance of authoritative databases on nutrition and food composition. All services are provided free of charge and funded by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport.
Product overview
RIVM (Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu) is the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, operating under the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. RIVM provides a comprehensive portfolio of public health and environmental research products and services, including major databases such as the Nederlands Voedingsstoffenbestand (NEVO) for nutritional data, Portie-online for portion sizes, and the Voedselconsumptiepeiling (VCP) for national dietary surveys. The institute maintains specialized laboratory networks like HEVnet for hepatitis E surveillance, operates the Front Office Voedsel- en Productveiligheid for food safety assessments, and manages public health programs including population screenings and the National Heat Plan. RIVM offers subscription-based newsletters covering infectious diseases, nutrition, environment, and public health topics, along with web archive services and a substances risk information portal.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Nederlands Voedingsstoffenbestand (NEVO) Official Dutch food composition database containing information about the nutritional value of food products including energy, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Published online via NEVO-online for use by researchers, policy makers, nutrition professionals, and the food industry.
- Portie-online Database providing portion sizes, weights, and measures of food products available in the Netherlands, developed by RIVM in collaboration with Wageningen University. Version 2.0 includes data on edible portions, preparation factors, and fat uptake during cooking.
- Voedselconsumptiepeiling (VCP) National Food Consumption Survey conducted periodically since 1987 by RIVM, collecting data on dietary intake and nutritional status of the Dutch population across different age groups.
- HEVnet International laboratory network and database for sharing hepatitis E virus sequences and metadata across human, animal, food, and environmental sources. Coordinated by RIVM with ECDC support, including a password-protected database with microbiological sequence data, metadata, and online analysis tools.
- Front Office Voedsel- en Productveiligheid Joint service of RIVM and WFSR that answers ad hoc questions from NVWA about the chemical and microbiological safety of food and consumer products, including risk assessments and expert advice.
- Nationaal Hitteplan (National Heat Plan) National heat emergency plan activated during extreme heat periods in the Netherlands, coordinated by RIVM together with KNMI to protect public health.
- Bevolkingsonderzoeken en Screeningen National population screening programs for cancer and other conditions managed by RIVM, including bowel cancer screening and other national health screening initiatives delivered through the Dutch healthcare system.
- Monitor Mentale Gezondheid Mental health monitoring system tracking mental health indicators across the Dutch population.
- Risico's van Stoffen Portal Information portal on substance risks covering food contact materials, chemicals, biocides, and risk assessment methodologies under EU regulations.
- RIVM Newsletter Subscriptions Multiple topic-specific newsletters covering infectious diseases, vaccinations, environment, safety, and public health topics, available in Dutch and English, provided free of charge.
Quantifiable outcome
- The collaboration builds on work that began in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when both organizations established a behavioural science component to pandemic response efforts.
Companies that use RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- WHO Regional Office for EuropecoreThe WHO Regional Office for Europe designated RIVM as the new WHO Collaborating Centre on Behavioural Science for Health Emergency Preparedness and Resilience. The centre gathers evidence, shares experience throughout the WHO European Region, and builds capacity at national levels to improve understanding of how human behaviour supports health emergency response. The collaboration builds on work that began in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Nederlandse Voedsel- en Warenautoriteit (NVWA)coreRIVM and WFSR operate the Front Office Voedsel- en Productveiligheid which answers ad hoc questions from NVWA-BuRO about the safety of food and consumer products. Approximately 30 ad hoc questions are answered annually. NVWA guards the safety of food and consumer products and the health of animals.
- WFSR (Wageningen Food Safety Research)coreJoint operation of the Front Office Voedsel- en Productveiligheid with RIVM, answering ad hoc questions about food and consumer product safety from NVWA-BuRO.
- ECDC (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control)minorECDC supported the setup of HEVnet, the international laboratory network for hepatitis E virus experts coordinated by RIVM.
- Wageningen Universiteit (WUR)coreCollaboration on multiple food-related projects including: Portie-online database of food portion sizes, food consumption surveys (Voedselconsumptiepeiling), NEVO food composition database, and various food safety research projects.
- Voedingscentrum (Netherlands Nutrition Centre)minorCollaboration on food databases including Portie-online and food composition research.
- Trimbos-instituutminorJoint development of 'Wat werkt' dossiers on youth alcohol and smoking prevention, combining RIVM's public health research with Trimbos' addiction expertise.
- Hogeschool van AmsterdamminorCollaboration on measuring ecological footprint of festival menus through Instagram analysis, conducted under INNOFEST framework for testing innovations during festivals.
- NVWA-BuRO (Office for Risk Assessment and Research)coreRIVM's Front Office Voedsel- en Productveiligheid receives approximately 30 ad hoc questions annually from NVWA-BuRO for risk assessments on food and consumer product safety.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Robert Koch Institute: Germany's federal government agency for disease control and prevention, operating under the Federal Ministry of Health. Directly comparable to RIVM as a national public health and infectious disease surveillance institute with a comparable mandate spanning epidemiology, risk assessment, and policy advice.
- UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA): UK government body responsible for public health protection, infectious disease surveillance, and emergency preparedness. Directly comparable in mandate, scale, and role as a national public health institute with government backing.
- Santé Publique France: France's national public health agency under the Ministry of Health, covering epidemiology, infectious disease surveillance, environmental health, and health promotion. Directly comparable as a national public health agency with a similar integrated mandate.
- Folkhälsomyndigheten (Public Health Agency of Sweden): Swedish government agency for public health, infectious disease control, and environmental health monitoring. Directly comparable as a Nordic national public health institute with surveillance, vaccination, and health monitoring responsibilities.
- Statens Serum Institut: Danish government institute for disease prevention and health promotion, with responsibilities for infectious disease preparedness, vaccination, and biological preparedness. Directly comparable as a national public health and infectious disease institute in a neighbouring country.
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI): Norwegian government institute for public health covering infectious disease surveillance, mental health, environmental health, and health risk assessment. Directly comparable as a Nordic national public health institute with an integrated mandate.
- Sciensano: Belgian federal scientific institute covering animal and human health, food safety, and environmental health. Directly comparable as a national One-Health-oriented public health and food safety institute, similar in scope to RIVM.
Broad incumbents
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC): EU agency coordinating European infectious disease surveillance and risk assessment. A broader incumbent that RIVM works with through HEVnet, operating at supranational level with overlapping but wider European scope.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): U.S. federal agency for public health, infectious disease, and environmental health. A broad incumbent with a comparable national public health mandate but far greater scale and global reach.
- National Institutes of Health (NIH): U.S. government agency for biomedical and public health research. A broad incumbent and the largest public funder of health research globally, with a much wider scope than RIVM but overlapping research and surveillance functions.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment social profiles
Digital presenceRIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment
What does RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment do?
RIVM conducts public health and environmental research and provides evidence-based advisory services, surveillance systems, and national health programs for the Dutch government and citizens. Its core deliverables include infectious disease surveillance and outbreak response, food safety risk assessment, environmental monitoring (nitrogen, PFAS, air quality), national population screening programs, vaccination programs, and maintenance of authoritative databases on nutrition and food composition. All services are provided free of charge and funded by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport.
Is RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment a public or private company?
RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment founded?
RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment was founded in 1909. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment based?
RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment is headquartered in Bilthoven, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
Who are RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Robert Koch Institute, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Santé Publique France, Folkhälsomyndigheten (Public Health Agency of Sweden), Statens Serum Institut, Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) and Sciensano. Broad incumbents are European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Does RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment have an API?
No public API is recorded for RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment.
What industry is RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in?
RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment's product category is Public Health Research and Surveillance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIAJAA, Disease Surveillance, Epidemiology & Outbreak Response, with a secondary code of HLAJANAB, Disease & Condition Surveillance Programs. Its NAICS code is 92 and its SIC code is 8731.