News overview

ABN AMRO introduces the Sport Scholarship to reduce the barrier to elite sport

New ABN AMRO ambassador Diede de Groot to compete in ABN AMRO Open 2026

Diede de Groot, the greatest female wheelchair tennis player of the past decade, will compete in the ABN AMRO Open again in 2026. Winner of the 2023 and 2024 tournaments, she missed the last edition due to injury but is now back in action. The wheelchair tennis tournament for men and women is being held at Rotterdam Ahoy at the same time as the ATP 500 tournament. Diede de Groot is also the new ABN AMRO ambassador for equal opportunities and inclusion.

Gender Pay Directive: new rules for equal pay by 2027

From 1 January 2027, the European Gender Pay Directive (GPD) will come into effect. This legislation requires companies to be transparent about pay differences between men and women. In the Netherlands, the directive will be implemented under the Equal Pay Transparency Act. Large organisations with more than 250 employees must report their Equal Pay Gap (EPG) annually, while medium-sized organisations with over 100 employees will need to report every three years. If a pay gap exceeds 5%, companies must take action to close the gap.

Working together on digital accessibility: Accessible Banking Week

Digitalisation offers countless opportunities, but not everyone can easily keep up in this rapidly changing world. Research shows that 1 in 6 people in the Netherlands sometimes needs help with everyday banking tasks, like applying for a new debit card. For people with disabilities, the challenges are often even greater. That’s why ABN AMRO is organising the Accessible Banking Week this year, which kicks off with an inspiring opening event dedicated entirely to digital equality.

Children’s Book Week and ABN AMRO launch free storybook and audiobook: ‘First step’

In the storybook and audiobook entitled ‘First step’, fifteen children and Dutch celebrities describe how a gentle nudge in the right direction changed their lives. In the Netherlands, an estimated 1.6 million children grow up in situations where activities like sports, arts, and culture are not a given*. ABN AMRO and its partners (which include Children’s Book Week) hope that the book will reach these children and inspire them to realise their dreams. The book generated such huge interest before its official launch that a second print run is under way and the book will soon be available in almost 300 Dutch schools.

Stress at home costs children from poorest families an average of € 1,800 per year in income

At schools where children suffer from more stress in the home due to financial worries, educational performance is lower. A stressful home environment not only brings down their academic results but can also negatively affect their mental health and their earning potential as adults. Conversely, reducing stress levels now can boost their future gross income by up to € 1,800 per year. These are the findings of the study ‘Inequality of opportunity in the Netherlands’, conducted among primary school teachers of children in Group 5 (the 8-9 year age range). This year was the fourth time SEO Economic Research carried out the study, commissioned by the Youth Education Fund (Jeugdeducatiefonds) and ABN AMRO Foundation.

100,000 households with children need financial support for sports, arts and culture

A study conducted by Ipsos I&O and commissioned by ABN AMRO and the Youth Sports & Culture Fund (Jeugdfonds Sport & Cultuur), reveals that nearly three out of four parents (74%) in disadvantaged situations need financial support to enable their child to engage in sports, arts and cultural activities. Based on recent figures from Statistics Netherlands, this equates to over 100,000 households with children in the Netherlands*. More than four in ten (43%) are not receiving this financial support at the moment.

Fraud information explained simply in the ‘ABC of Scams’

Criminals constantly find new ways to deceive people. And these days, fraudsters are using an increasingly diverse range of technologies. This makes recognising fraud attempts ever more difficult. For the 2.6 million Dutch people who struggle with reading and writing, this is an even greater challenge. Complicated terms are used, such as ‘shouldering’ or ‘boiler room fraud’, and the explanations can be difficult for these people to understand. This makes it even harder for them to identify situations in which they might be scammed. To better reach this group, ABN AMRO, together with an expert in inclusive communication, developed the ‘ABC of Scams’ – an overview of the 23 most common types of fraud, explained in plain language, without jargon or complex terms. The ABC of Scams can be accessed on the ABN AMRO website starting today.

Newcomer participation in labour market up 20 percent in 2025

Only 13.7% of €28.1 billion in financing reaches female entrepreneurs