Bank of the Year Awards: ING the best Dutch bank

The announcement was made at a gala ceremony in London last night.

In presenting the award, the jury said at a time when some financial institutions appear to be dialling down their rhetoric on sustainability, ING is striving to set itself apart from its peers by making bolder statements on climate.

The jury also mentioned that ING had developed innovative tools such as ESG.X, which assign a client transition plan score to the sustainability disclosures of around 2,000 of the bank’s largest wholesale banking clients. This gives a better understanding of how clients are transitioning. ING has said it will make tool available to other banks.


Committed to transition

Commenting on the award, ING in the Netherlands CEO Peter Jacobs said ING is putting sustainability at the heart of its business, helping those committed to transition to a sustainable future.

Peter added: “We aspire to improve the financial health of all. In addition to giving our customers a superb experience, it’s not only our ambition it is is responsibility to make an impact.”

The Banker’s Bank of the Year Awards aim to recognise lenders that have grown while retaining a solid balance sheet, improved the quality of their service, invested in technology and considered their role within their local communities. Award-winners have addressed environmental and social concerns, both internally and in their interactions with clients, underscoring the importance of a meaningful sustainability strategy for the success of each lender in every country.

The Banker is an English-language monthly international financial affairs publication owned by The Financial Times.