Medy van der Laan: ‘I’m proud of the great progress we’ve made together’

‘Working together towards a future-proof banking sector that contributes to a sustainable economy and inclusive society.’ That’s what we mean by our motto: Strong banks, strong society. In other words, the scope of our work goes beyond individual, current files. In 2023, we continued to work with our partners and stakeholders on important themes for the future that were an important part of our work programme. Our partners and stakeholders recognise the value of what we do and have encouraged us to keep up the good work. We are delighted by their kind words, which motivate us to forge ahead and foster a fully sustainable economy,  a safe and secure financial system, and for inclusion and diversity in our sector.

At the same time, we find ourselves in a tumultuous political context. The impact of the elections for the House of Representatives in November 2023 and the European Parliament elections in June 2024 has been meaningful and we have responded accordingly, offering new representatives ‘Insight into Banks’. In this publication, we show how a bank works, the issues banks deal with and how they are linked to societal challenges, from mortgage finance to money laundering and from climate change to SME finance.

We are also committed to showcasing our work and its impact to other stakeholders, customers and society at large.  Our campaign on ‘How fraud works!’ is a telling example, teaching people to recognise and prevent fraud. Our Banks in the Classroom guest lesson programme prepares young people for their financial responsibilities and helps them prevent debts. Finally, we also work with other civil society organisations as part of our broad ‘Accessible Banking’ programme with the aim of promoting access to banking services.

There is no denying that banks need to do more. Following a report from the National Coordinator against Discrimination and Racism, we launched our own investigation into discrimination at banks last year. It is a matter we take very seriously, and we have since taken multiple actions to eliminate discrimination. Banks take responsibility for this difficult issue and continue to pay attention to inclusion.

Increasingly, we see how laws and regulations contribute to negative customer experiences. This is particularly true for our role as gatekeeper, tasked with preventing abuse of the financial system. With the introduction of sector standards for non-profit organisations, sex workers and crypto businesses, among others, banks can perform their gatekeeper role more proportionately and with a focus on real risks.

Over the past year, banks have made real progress on sustainability. Together with the government, business and consumers, banks can contribute to accelerating the climate and energy transition in the Netherlands. The compact, interactive website www.versnelverduurzaming.nl provides more information on banks’ contribution to making the economy more sustainable.

The above is just a small sampling of everything we have done with our stakeholders to help build a sustainable economy and an inclusive society. In this annual report, we look back on an impactful year and I cordially invite you to read it. I am proud of what we have achieved together and looking forward to even more great results in 2024.

Medy van der Laan,

President of the Dutch Banking Association