ABN AMRO’s impactful journey in the UK

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Article tags:
  • Sustainability

At a time when environmental and social concerns are paramount, ABN AMRO UK has harnessed the knowledge and expertise of its in-house sustainability team in the UK, as well as the sustainability expertise of colleagues in the Netherlands, to drive the conversation within the UK financial sector.

Gerben Dragt, Country Executive of ABN AMRO UK, articulates the bank’s position: “In line with our purpose ‘Banking for better for generations to come’, we engage with clients to promote more sustainable business practices. We’re prepared to say no if we believe it’s in the client’s best interests or if a potential deal does not align with our sustainability ambitions.”

Intrinsic motivation

Central to ABN AMRO UK’s approach is a workforce deeply committed to the bank’s sustainability mission, as evidenced by the UK results of the bank-wide Employee Engagement Survey 2023. 92 percent of colleagues responded positively to the statement ‘I want to build a sustainable bank’, while 82 percent agreed with the statement ‘I understand what sustainability means in relation to my day-to-day work’.

Gerben notes that this intrinsic motivation has facilitated the embedding of sustainable practices into general operations. As a result, ABN AMRO UK has set itself apart from other institutions that may struggle to align their workforce with sustainability goals.

Focusing its services on 1,200 corporates and financial institutions with a turnover of between EUR 25 million and EUR 2.5 billion, ABN AMRO UK strategically targets those areas of the market where its institutional expertise can best add value for clients. This focus is supported by a dedicated team of 350 employees who are committed to providing specialist banking services that contribute to the sustainability transition in the corporate sector.

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