Sustainability Consultant Business Banking

As our new Sustainability Consultant you will work closely with Business Banking to lead and drive the integration and implementation of ING’s Global Sustainability team’s three key topics- climate, nature and human rights in ING’s Business Banking business.

As a senior member of the team, you will be responsible for diverse workstreams to ensure that ING’s sustainability strategy comes to life in its everyday decision making and strategic priorities. Additionally, you will help to ensure that we are properly integrating sustainability in relevant functions to meet our commitments and a.o. regulatory disclosure requirements. Your priority stakeholders are internal (teams like front office, risk, finance, communications, IT, operations, compliance, legal). Your external stakeholders are diverse, from clients, to sustainability experts, peers, investors and regulators. Integration and implementation require persistence and a can-do attitude with the gravitas to draw others to join us and make sustainability their own.

Does this sound like you? Then read on to know more.

Our Purpose

There is no denying that one of the biggest challenges for society is sustainability, in all its forms. Climate change threatens both the planet and its people. People may struggle with inequality or a lack of basic human rights. As the challenges increase, there’s a growing sense of urgency that governments and businesses should step in and help tackle them. The world is changing, and banking needs to change with it.

ING aims to put sustainability at the heart of what we do, defining new ways of doing business where planet and people are just as important as economic growth. It’s about making progress together, step by step. As a global bank with billions flowing through our books, we have an opportunity to make an impact for the better. Doing so by bringing aspects of climate, nature and protecting human rights into our dialogue with clients and financing decisions.

ING wants to be a pioneer in defining new ways to do business. We want to be a banking leader in building a sustainable future for our company, our customers, society and the environment. 

The Global Sustainability Department

Our Global Sustainability Department, reports directly to the CEO, and oversees the Sustainability Direction of ING Group globally, including strategies to support the sustainability journeys of our customers, our community, and our colleagues. Our team of sustainability consultants integrate sustainability within our banking operations worldwide, across both Retail, Business Banking and Wholesale Banking markets, and cover advice and programme management across the full range of ESG objectives. ING has been recognised as one of the most sustainable banks in the world for our contributions to progressing action on key global challenges such as climate change and the impacts of technology on society.

The team is committed to setting the standard for ING’s sustainability performance, and raising the bar for our peers, the sectors we’re active in and other stakeholders. We collaborate with all ING business lines, domains and countries. We encourage and help educate our colleagues  and actively engage with external  stakeholders to create a ripple effect on sustainability impact.

We are team of 30 people with diverse perspectives stemming from a.o. nationalities, gender, work experience, education and age.

Role and Responsibilities

• Work with key actors within and related to ING’s Business Banking teams to put into practice ING’s sustainability strategy and commitments
• Help develop the strategy, key deliverables and roadmap for action, for Business Banking with the right stakeholders within the business line and related to it (for example ESG Risk, Finance) for key deliverables across the 4 identified pillars- Terra, Sustainable Finance, ESG Risk Management and Disclosures
• Understand the regional differences in Business Banking and strive to find ways to create a global standards, frameworks and guidelines to ensure there is consistency and they contribute meaningfully to ING’s global goals and commitments
• Drive and lead deliverables/workstreams in the implementation/integration team
• Understand and connect the dots between various initiatives and workstreams to assess how sustainability can be prioritized where necessary and implemented optimally
• Support stakeholders and others to be aware of and be upskilled to make sustainability part of their BaU and actively focus on “what is next”
• Manage dependencies, impediments for programme  deliverables and keep stakeholders up to date on progress through steercos and other engagements.
• Lead internal and external working groups where ING works together with other organisations to create coalitions for action
• Support the shaping and influencing of (upcoming) standards and regulation (e.g. deliver input for consultations and/or share views on impacts thereof internally). 
• Represent ING internally and externally for relevant themes and/or activities. 

How to succeed

• Master’s degree (e.g. Environmental/Climate Science, Sustainability, Finance, Strategy, Business)
• >7 years of relevant working experience (preferably with financial institutions, large corporate organisation or relevant consultancy)
• Work experience within Business Banking (or similar functions dealing with small-medium-enterprises n other organizations)
• Demonstrated experience and expertise to make key topics like climate, nature and human rights relevant in business through ESG risk policies, tooling, client engagement etc
• Demonstrated ability to deliver results and drive change in complex stakeholder environments where varying interests need to be aligned
• Have an in(ex)ternal network to collaborate on execution of the program/ approach
• Understand how topics are relevant for FIs and more specific ING’s sectors/regions
• Ability to help prepare for in depth answers to internal -(incl. to ING board members) and external stakeholders (incl to supervisors) 
• Strategic programme management skills – track-record in leading programmes.
• A self-starter who can prioritize and take action without too much hand-holding and help the team do the same
• Willingness to work in the chaos of the unknown and new, with the ability to reflect and improve by learning and doing
• An ability to present complex and technical topics/issues in a simple and clear way to others who do not have that expertise within and outside the team
• Having a strong internal ING network and understanding of the organization and its “movers and shakers” is a plus
• Fluent in English spoken and written

Rewards & benefits 

We want to make sure that it’s possible for you to strike the right balance between your career and your private life. You can find out more about our employment conditions at https://www.ing.jobs/netherlands/Why-ING/benefits.htm 

The benefits of working with us at ING include: 

• A GJA18 position within a strong, international and dynamic team, in a work field that is of growing importance both inside and outside ING
• Work location is Amsterdam (Cedar), the Netherlands with partial remote working
• 24-27 vacation days depending on contract 
• Pension scheme 
• 13th month salary 
• Individual Savings Contribution (BIS), 3.5% of your gross annual salary 
• 8% Holiday payment 
• Personal growth and challenging work with endless possibilities 
• An informal working environment with innovative colleagues 
• Work Agile, so new ideas come to life faster 

About us  

With 60,000 employees and operations in approximately 40 countries, there is no shortage of opportunities for people with initiative who want to help people take a step ahead in life and in business. Do you want to work at the cutting edge of what’s possible and at the same time ensure you work with integrity and hold the customer’s interests at heart? Do you want to be surrounded by progressive, inspiring, diverse and supportive colleagues? Then there is no better place to invest your talents than at ING. Join us. Apply today!