News overview
View the latest news releases from Sustainable Banking and stay informed.
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Respecting land rights in the energy sector
Clients of ABN AMRO are active in many countries and industries, some of which pose specific human rights risks. For the bank, respecting land-related rights is a crucial factor when financing companies or projects in the energy sector.
Human Rights Update 2017
An introduction by Kees van Dijkhuizen, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chairman of the Executive Board of ABN AMRO.
Right to health a factor in investment decisions
Every human being has the right to a healthy life, and ABN AMRO wants to help achieve this. Access to healthcare and medicine should be guaranteed for all people. In practice, there is much to be improved and we believe we can have a bigger impact by engaging with companies than by excluding them. When assessing these companies and investment funds, ABN AMRO uses criteria relating to human rights and health, says Vincent Triesschijn, Sustainability Manager Investments at ABN AMRO.
Watching over employee rights
The interests of the thousands of people working for ABN AMRO in the Netherlands are watched over closely by the bank’s Employee Council. The Council’s Chairman Margot van Kempen does not shrink from bringing matters to the Board’s attention, for example if the right to privacy is prejudiced.
Watching out for exploitation in the transport sector
ABN AMRO’s business with clients in the transport sector goes back a long way – a sector in which internationalisation and pressure on prices have made worker exploitation a topical issue. The bank is working to identify and prevent this exploitation, including by talking to the people in charge.
Fighting human trafficking with financial traces
Human trafficking is a serious organised crime and a violation of human rights. According to the International Labour Organization, almost 25 million people globally are forced into servitude across many industries. Annual profits from modern-day slavery are estimated at a mind-boggling USD 150 billion. These proceeds eventually find their way back into the global financial system. Banks, therefore, are in a prime position to identify suspicious activities and transactions.
Partnering with human rights defenders
Human rights defenders are people or groups of people who work to promote human rights, often under difficult circumstances. In many countries violence and oppression are on the rise. Banks can play a key role in protecting the civic space that human rights defenders need to do their work.
Making banking available to everyone
Every person has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family, with access to healthcare, food and housing. Access to the financial system is intrinsic to this. ABN AMRO is working to make banking universally available, including to people who fall outside society’s usual parameters.