Social Point for financial resilience and entrepreneurship
We’re a bank with a social mission, and we’re committed to creating equal opportunities because we see that not everyone manages to keep up in society — far from it. Colleagues at ABN AMRO are working in various ways to create opportunities for people for whom those opportunities can’t be taken for granted. Among the ways they are doing this is through Social Point.
What is Social Point?
Social Point is an ABN AMRO programme through which we put our knowledge, experience and resources in the areas of financial resilience and entrepreneurship to work for people who have fewer opportunities in society. ABN AMRO colleagues provide online and in-person job interview training, financial workshops and other courses aimed at developing essential skills in areas such as buying a house and pursuing job opportunities. Social Point also offers internship and training opportunities at the bank, advice from budget coaches and debt counselling.
How did this come about?
Amsterdam-Zuidoost was the first place where Social Point was launched, in 2021, as part of the Zuidoost Master Plan and the underlying partnership covenant to which ABN AMRO was a party. In it, we agreed with the City of Amsterdam and other partners that we would make a joint effort to create a future-proof and inclusive Amsterdam-Zuidoost. ABN AMRO has been a ‘resident’ of Amsterdam-Zuidoost since 1985, and will return to the neighbourhood after its offices on Foppingadreef have been renovated. The new building will include a physical space (Social Point) where programmes aimed at developing opportunities and nurturing talent will be created together with partners from the area.
Social Point in Amsterdam and other Dutch cities
In April 2022, ABN AMRO apologised for its historical involvement in slavery. We promised to step up our commitment to social equality and promote diversity and inclusion, both within the bank and in society at large. For this reason, after the pilot in Amsterdam, we will be expanding Social Point to other Dutch cities. For instance, in Utrecht, Zwolle, Rotterdam, Eindhoven and The Hague, we will work locally with residents and social workers.
Initiatives and courses The programmes of the various Social Points are tailored to the needs of people in the neighbourhoods in question. By making our presence felt and by staying in regular touch with residents and local social workers, we know what is going on in society. That’s important, because it allows us to keep developing new solutions that meet residents’ needs.
In Amsterdam-Zuidoost, for example, ABN AMRO worked with local partners to run a survey among young people in the area. The survey showed that they need support in developing a sense of entrepreneurship, as well as financial, life and other skills. Based on these results, we are working on programmes in this area along with a number of partners.