Social impact is the main driver of NN Group’s community investment programme and according to Jeroen Koks, who works in the Community Investment (CI) team and is himself a volunteer, there is nothing like volunteering to bring it alive. ‘It is the best way to engage colleagues in community investment,’ he says. ‘They really become part of the impact we have on society.’

Company-wide
In 2024, there were over 7,000 participations in our company-wide volunteering programme (some colleagues took part more than once). The programme has been running since 2014 and this year the number of volunteer hours over the year reached an all-time high of 42,049.

‘During NN Volunteer week, we spread the word across the organisation with flyers and online campaigns, about how great it is to get involved. And it’s not just great for our communities. It really gives me a sense of pride and connectedness to our values.’ 

Battling loneliness 
Colleagues can sign up either as individuals or as part of a team. Last year, in the Netherlands, team participation was more popular than ever, with 1,300 colleagues signing up with their team. Activities ranged from walking, gardening and playing games with the elderly, who often battle loneliness, to giving children in poverty a birthday like never before. NN Group Management Board members also rallied round, packing 500 of some 6,000 gifts and birthday boxes for children.

Social connection is an important theme for community investment, says Jeroen: ‘I visit 98-year-old Mientje regularly, taking her out in her wheelchair for a breath of fresh air. Connecting multiple times really deepens the connection.’

NN Charity Run 
Perhaps the biggest event in the volunteering year is the NN Charity Run. This year over 1,000 enthusiastic colleagues ran over 20,000 km, raising EUR 122,530 for local charities to spend on making a positive impact in our communities. Those who ran in Belgium for example, supported Pinocchio, a non-profit organisation helping children suffering from serious burns as well as their families. In Romania, employees ran for the Association Inima Copiilor, which supports the expansion of the cardiac surgery department at the Marie Curie Hospital in Bucharest, improving the chance of survival for children with heart disease. 

In 2024, during NN Volunteer week, we contributed to the financial, physical and mental well-being of 8,827 people in our communities.

‘We are thrilled to announce The Linghos as the winner of this year’s NN Social Innovation Startup Award,’ said Fleur Hudig, Head of Sustainability & Social Impact at NN Group. 'The NN Social Innovation Startup Award has been an incredible journey and we were honoured to receive so many outstanding applications from around the world. We were impressed by the passion, dedication and innovative solutions presented by all the finalists. While only three finalists were named winners, we want to acknowledge and thank each and every participant for their hard work and commitment to improve the financial, physical and mental well-being of those at risk.’

Whispp and Bugeto were also named winners, receiving EUR 50,000 grant each to support their missions. All three finalists will have access to a year-long venture development and mentorship programme from both NN and Rubio to scale up their business. This provides access to a broad network of experts, mentors and an investor-readiness programme.

NN and Rubio Impact Ventures are set to continue their joint venture. NN will invest an additional EUR 2 million in Rubio’s Fund III to scale up their support in early-stage companies that positively contribute towards society. This is the second investment from the NN Social Innovation Fund and part of NN’s mission to drive social innovation.

Congratulations to the winners!

Collaboration between corporate and venture capital

The award offers not only financial support but also access to a broad network of experts, mentors, an investor-readiness programme and a potential investor. The focus is on empowering entrepreneurs in NN markets (Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Spain, Turkey and Japan) who are developing innovative solutions to complex social challenges. By combining corporate strength and venture capital, NN Group and Rubio are offering complementary expertise to accelerate societal solutions and innovation in this space.

A movement to empower people through innovation

Fleur Hudig, Head of Corporate Citizenship at NN Group, remarks: ‘At NN, we are committed to making a positive impact in society. That's why we created the NN Social Innovation Fund. Our fund champions early-stage social enterprises that provide solutions for improving people's financial, physical, and/or mental well-being. By partnering with Rubio Impact Ventures, we’re not only providing financial support but also combining our resources to ensure these start-ups receive the guidance and support they need to maximise their potential and create lasting societal impact.’

Driving systemic change

Ilonka Jankovich, Venture Partner at Rubio Impact Ventures, emphasises the importance of providing both funding and support to early-stage start-ups: ‘Early-stage people tech start-ups focused on equal opportunities, mental and physical well-being are key to driving systemic change. However, many of these start-ups lack the financial resources and support necessary to reach their full potential. The support we’re offering in collaboration with NN Group could truly be a game-changer for several impactful start-ups, especially given the breadth of this initiative across various countries in Europe. I am eager to see the innovative solutions that will emerge and look forward to announcing the winners on 28 November during Impact Week Europe in Bilbao. This initiative represents a significant step forward in empowering social enterprises to make a lasting difference.’

Apply now!

Start-ups interested in participating in the NN Social Innovation Startup Awards can apply until 15 October 2024. To be eligible, start-ups must focus on advancing equal education, sustainable livelihoods and well-being. For more information on application criteria and to submit your application, please visit our website. Do not miss this opportunity to showcase your innovative solution and make a significant contribution to social impact across Europe and Japan.

Now that more data about the pandemic are becoming available, we can get a clearer picture of who has been most affected by the virus in recent years. A better understanding of the drivers can help prevent or reduce excess mortality during a next pandemic. The RCLR will use datasets from Statistics Netherlands (CBS), the Dutch national office for statistics. The research results will be made publicly available.

To conduct the research, the RCLR has been awarded a grant by ZonMw, the Netherlands organisation for health research and development. It is part of wider research commissioned by ZonMw to study the impact of the pandemic. A list of all awarded grants can be viewed on the ZonMw website (in Dutch).

About the Research Centre for Longevity Risk

The Research Centre for Longevity Risk is an independent scientific research centre with its researchers determining the centre’s research agenda. All research results will be made public. A Governing Board is established to safeguard the social relevance of the research. In addition to members from the UvA and NN Group, the Governing Board includes representatives from other universities and other financial organisations.

NN has been present in Turkey since 2009 and has more than 190 employees in the country. Our NN operations in Turkey are located in Istanbul, where no direct damage has been reported.  

We are supporting people in Turkey and Syria that have been affected by the earthquake through direct donations to international organisations and fundraising by NN colleagues.  

Our thoughts are with everyone, directly and indirectly, affected by this natural disaster. 

For the first time the Dutch Association of Investors for Sustainable Development (VBDO) published a European edition of the benchmark, which ranks 103 EU (25) and Dutch (78) listed companies on the level of transparency they provide on tax and the quality of tax governance they demonstrate. Moreover, the role of tax in the environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies of companies was an important element in the ranking.

According to the jury, NN was able to demonstrate that it proactively seeks to act in a responsible and transparent way regarding its taxation. The company continued its clear and very extensive tax strategy. Despite the new methodology and more stringent assessment, NN achieved a higher number of points than in 2021. The companies’ tax charter includes a tax control framework containing a detailed description of how the implementation and execution of the tax strategy is monitored. In addition, NN provides an extensive tax risks analysis and describes control factors per risk.

Annemiek van Melick, Chief Financial Officer of NN Group: ‘We are pleased with our strong position in the Tax Transparency Benchmark and our continued leading position in the Dutch benchmark. The external recognition reflects our clear commitment to tax transparency and being a responsible tax payer. We would like to congratulate Repsol with their first position. As always, we will use the benchmark results to identify areas for further improvement.’

Here you can read the full VBDO benchmark.

Bridging the funding gap

Social enterprises are businesses primarily aimed at driving social change, rather than prioritising profits. While social entrepreneurs often rely on family and friends during the start-up period, they often struggle to attract new investments in the next phase of growing their businesses. The NN Social Innovation Fund aims to bridge this funding gap by investing in promising enterprises. In addition, NN provides volunteer hours and financial expertise.

Funding for Quan and Socialdebt

The first two enterprises supported by the NN Social Innovation Fund are Quan and Socialdebt. Quan, a The Hague (NL) based software developer, aims to increase the mental well-being of 1 million people by supporting managers and teams looking to prevent burnout and enhance team performance. Socialdebt, a Rotterdam (NL) based fintech, supports young people struggling with debt and financial stress.

Dailah Nihot, member of the NN Group Management Board: 'Funding is one of the biggest challenges social enterprises face in building their businesses, and today’s macroeconomic environment creates additional uncertainties. With the fund, NN aims to help entrepreneurs and provide them with the necessary resources to drive social innovation and to make a positive impact in society, in the early stages of growing their businesses.’

NN's commitment to society

The fund is part of NN's strategic commitment to invest 1% of our operating result before tax by 2023. With these resources, NN aims to contribute to the financial, physical and/or mental well-being of 1 million people.

The fund will officially be launched during the annual conference of the European Venture Philanthropy Association (EVPA) in Brussels today. Do you want to learn more about the NN Social Innovation Fund? Please refer to our website

Biodiversity is the variety of life on earth. Loss of biodiversity can substantially weaken ecosystems, impacting human life as well as the economy. The signatories to the Pledge recognise that the earth’s biosphere is under increasing stress and emphasise the need to protect biodiversity and to reverse nature loss.

Dailah Nihot, member of the NN Group Management Board: ‘As a company, we want to contribute to the well-being of people and planet. With the signing of the Finance for Biodiversity Pledge, we take another step to advance the protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems through our investments. Joining the Finance for Biodiversity Foundation, allows us to collaborate, share knowledge and identify collective biodiversity engagement opportunities with other signatories.’

More information on the Pledge can be found here.

Master education for more than 200 students

Since 2015, more than 220 students from the countries where NN is active have followed a master's programme thanks to the NN Future Matters Scholarship. This year, students from the Netherlands, Belgium, Hungary, Romania, Spain, Turkey, Japan, and Greece will start. As part of the programme, they will follow a master's degree at a Dutch university in the field of finance, risk management, economics, data science or IT.

Fleur Hudig, Head of Corporate Citizenship at NN Group and former mentor, ‘We have seen that the scholarship can have a major impact on the lives of the students who participate. They have the talent to study at the university but lack the resources. In the programme, the students get the opportunity to develop further. We also notice that this can really help in finding a suitable job after their studies.'

Mentor during the master’s year

In addition to financial support, students work with a mentor who provides guidance throughout their master's year. The mentors are volunteers from NN, who act as the first point of contact for students. They offer guidance on practical matters such as cultural topics, finding housing, dealing with official paperwork, and preparing for job interviews and a first job.

Piotr Warczyk, former participant of the scholarship programme and trainee at NN Group: ‘Last year I studied financial management at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, as the first member of my family. It's an experience that further broadened my horizon and showed me new possibilities. Besides the financial support, having a mentor was very valuable at this stage: both for the more practical questions and for gaining more insights about working for an international company.’

For more information about the NN Future Matters Scholarship, please visit Study in Holland.

About Refugee Talent Hub

Many refugees in the Netherlands are eager to find work. However, not everyone is successful in finding a job. Newcomers to the country often have a small network, know little about the labour market and find it difficult to meet employers.

Refugee Talent Hub is an initiative that brings employers in contact with refugees looking for work. They dream of a Netherlands where employers can use refugees’ talent and refugees have an equal chance in the Dutch labour market. In 2021 their activities helped more than 1,750 refugees with the support of 39 partner employers.

NN colleagues to volunteer

During the mentor programme, which commences in September, selected candidates will be paired with NN colleagues. Throughout the programme, the mentor and the mentee will work together to improve the mentee’s chances in the labour market. Our colleagues will share their knowledge, experience and professional network with the mentee, as well as giving the mentee advice on personal matters and working in the Netherlands. Feedback from past programmes shows that becoming a mentor is a rewarding experience for both participants.

In previous programmes, our mentors have specialised in IT. As of 2022 we will add a new trajectory: the Finance Academy, a four-month programme for refugees with a background in Finance and Risk, in partnership with EY, Rabobank and KPMG.

Community investment at NN

The collaboration with Refugee Talent Hub fits well within NN's community investment programme NN Future Matters. With this programme we aim to increase people’s financial well-being, including by working on income perspective for people who are disadvantaged in the labour market.

You can read more about our work with Refugee Talent Hub in this interview.

Can businesses thrive without social innovation? Since 2015, JA Europe and NN Group have been working together to empower young people with a wide range of work readiness and financial literacy skills while, at the same time, tackling societal challenges by using innovation and entrepreneurship. Yesterday, 35 students from 9 countries* showcased their business solutions addressing social challenges at the Social Innovation Relay (SIR) 2022 Global Final, organised fully online.

Most innovative ideas

The 2022 jury was composed of Rosario García Crespo, Community Investment Programme Manager, NN Group; Gulsah Turutoglu, Corporate Communication Executive, NN Turkey; Edward de Jager, Serial Entrepreneur and Venture Capitalist, Unknown Group; Alberto Terenzi, Cross-KIC Education Cluster Manager, EIT RawMaterials; and Cornel Amariei, CEO, .lumen.

Teams “Food For Thought” from Greece, “Rerucup” from Japan and “On Dogs Account” from Poland came up with the most innovative ideas that combined societal impact with market potential, in an event that marked the culmination of the Social Innovation Relay. The programme helps secondary students think and act like social entrepreneurs, giving them access to the latest technologies and showing them that starting their own business can be a viable career choice. Congratulations to all participants and especially the three winning teams who will be travelling to Tallinn on 12-14 July for the Gen-E 2022 European Entrepreneurship Event!

The winning teams

‘Food for thought’ has a mission to help address the agri-food challenges of the future, Food for Thought expands the world’s dietary options and proposes the production of a unique highly nutritional product, namely the flour from the larvae of the flour worm (Tenebrio molitor).

To solve the problem of waste caused by 14 billion disposable Bento sups annually, the team ‘Rerucup’ has developed the Rerucup , an edible cup made from oranges, water, vinegar, and Scoby solution. Scoby is an elastic, thin membrane formed during fermentation by bacteria and microorganisms such as acetic acid bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, and yeast.

On Dogs Account from Poland, deals with the processing of masks and worn fabrics into fillings for beds, blankets and animal toys.

A generation of more conscious students

“It is impressive to see the quality of the projects. The Social Innovation Relay shows us that this generation of students is more conscious of social and environmental impact than we were at their age. They really want to make a change and are aware that business is not only about profit anymore, but about adding value in a sustainable way, while contributing to the well-being of people and the planet”, said Fleur Hudig, Head of Corporate Citizenship NN Group.

"Social innovation is clearly becoming a priority in business, especially for the #Gen_E youth”, said Salvatore Nigro, CEO JA Europe. He added: “Today organisations have to show their relevance for the society as a whole, if their business is to thrive and grow. As a proof of this, last year’s winners of the JA Europe - NN Group Social Innovation Relay won the JA Europe Company of the Year Main Award, as well as the Global De la Vega Entrepreneurship Award 2021. I look forward to JA students scaling their social innovations at the European and global levels and to meeting the best teams in Tallinn for #Gen_E 2022 European Entrepreneurship Event."

Going forward, the partnership between Junior Achievement and NN Group will increasingly focus on youth with limited opportunities with the aim of facilitating their transition into employment by enhancing their employability.

About JA Europe

JA Europe is the largest organisation in Europe dedicated to preparing young people for employment and entrepreneurship. JA Europe is a member of JA Worldwide® which for 100 years has delivered hands on, experiential learning in entrepreneurship, work readiness and financial literacy. JA creates pathways for employability, job creation and financial success. Together we work in 41 countries in Europe, offering 4 million learning experiences every year in core programmes and inspiring millions more through online events and activities.

About NN Group

NN Group is an international financial services company, active in 11 countries, with a strong presence in a number of European countries and Japan. Our roots lie in the Netherlands, with a rich history that stretches back over 175 years.

With our 14,000 employees, NN provides retirement services, pensions, insurance, banking and investments to approximately 18 million customers. NN Group includes Nationale-Nederlanden, NN, ABN AMRO Insurance, Movir, AZL, BeFrank, OHRA and Woonnu.

*Czech Republic, Greece, The Netherlands, Hungary, Japan, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Spain

On Friday 3 June, approximately 100 colleagues gathered in The Hague to take part in our NN Sustainability Hackathon, ‘Hack for good’. The event challlenged our colleagues to use their IT and innovation skills to develop a solution to an issue facing our society, in support of our commitment to the well-being of people and planet. The 12-hour hackathon was hosted by Head of CIO Office, Barbara Duinker and took place in our sustainable event space, featuring circular materials and plant-based catering.

Real-life challenges

Participating teams were joined by product owners from our business, community investment partners, and coaches and engineers from Deloitte and Capgemini, with whom we organised the event. Challenges covered three broad themes: carbon footprint awareness, health and well-being, and support for disadvantaged people in the community.

In between work sessions, colleagues were kept refreshed and motivated with healthy vegan snacks, smoothie bikes, a yoga session and an inspirational speaker: Laure Wessemius-Chibrac, Director of the Netherlands Advisory Board on Impact Investing.

Gamifying your impact

The winning team designed a tool to raise awareness of colleagues’ individual environmental impact. The team developed a website containing mockup data and a prototype for an API to obtain live data. The tool aims to show individuals’ daily carbon footprint and compare that with others, to gamify on a personal and team level. By receiving tips to improve your ‘score’, colleagues can lower their emissions level and stay motivated to improve further. The winners will now receive support to bring their idea to life.

The jury comprised of NN Group CIO Rob Visser, NN Group Head of Corporate Citizenship Fleur Hudig, Deloitte’s Wouter van Walbeek and Capgemini’s Alexander Eerdmans.

Fleur Hudig said of the event: ‘It was inspiring to see such dedication on display as colleagues developed and presented their solutions to real-life challenges in our society. The winning idea on measuring colleagues’ daily carbon footprint demonstrates how our colleagues’ expertise can contribute to raising more awareness, driving change from within our organisation, and helping to minimise our negative impact on society.’

As we continue to watch events unfold, we are deeply concerned about the Russian invasion in Ukraine, the threat that it poses to democracy, the safety and fundamental rights of people, and the consequences this will have for our world.

Our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine and everyone who is directly impacted by the war, whether in Ukraine, Russia or in neighbouring countries.

We will do our best to help those who are affected. NN is making donations of at least EUR 1 million to humanitarian aid relief, spread across local and international organisations. This will include instant relief in Ukraine via the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the joint action of Dutch aid organisations (Giro 555), as well as initiatives taken by our business units in Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania to help feed and shelter people who have fled the country. We will continue to monitor the developments closely, and work with NGOs and other parties to assess further needs.

We will also keep a close eye on how the situation impacts our colleagues, our company, and other stakeholders. NN does not have business activities in Ukraine or Russia, and our direct financial exposure to these countries is limited. However, we support the sanctions regime and, where applicable, we will do our utmost to ensure full compliance quickly.

The NN Future Matters Scholarship programme gives first-generation students the opportunity to complete a Master’s programme while gaining the impactful experience of living and studying in the Netherlands. From today, NN invites students to apply for the NN Future Matters Scholarship 2022/2023.

The aim of the scholarship is to provide economic support and ensure an enriching experience that boosts future career opportunities. A mentorship helps scholars during the academic year, and job-oriented activities help them access the job market. The NN Future Matters Scholarship was started by NN in 2014 in collaboration with Nuffic. We are proud that 183 students have had the opportunity to develop themselves with the help of the scholarship.

NN mentorship

The scholarship is part of NN’s community investment programme, NN Future Matters. The programme’s objectives are designed around three key principles: fostering financial education and empowerment; creating economic opportunities for young people; and supporting families with children that live in challenging financial circumstances. During the scholarship programme, the students are matched with an NN mentor, who supports them throughout the year. The students are also invited to participate in workshops organised by NN.

Apply now

The scholarship is available for study programmes in the fields of finance, risk management, economics, data science, entrepreneurship and IT, at one of nine participating universities in the Netherlands. Students from Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey and Japan can apply. Students have until 1 April 2022 to apply via www.studyinholland.nl/nnfuturematters

Peter Paul Boon, Global Head of Tax, proudly receives the award on behalf of NN Group.

With a score of 32 from a maximum of 35 points, NN Group is once again the leading company in the seventh annual Tax Transparency Benchmark, published by the Dutch association of investors for Sustainable Development (VBDO). The benchmark ranks 77 Dutch listed companies on the level of transparency they provide on tax and the quality of tax governance they demonstrate.

After consultation by an expert jury, NN Group was chosen as the winner. According to the jury, NN Group has a clear and very extensive tax strategy and demonstrated that it proactively seeks to act in a responsible and transparent way regarding its taxation. Despite the more stringent assessment this year, NN Group scored the same number of points as in 2020. The jury praises NN Group for the fact that its tax charter includes a tax control framework, containing a detailed description of how the implementation and execution of the tax strategy is monitored. In addition, NN Group provides an extensive tax risks analysis and describes control factors per risk.

Delfin Rueda, Chief Financial Officer of NN Group: ‘We are honored with our continued leading position in the Tax Transparency Benchmark. Again, NN Group is recognised for its efforts on being transparent on its tax position, as part of our sustainability reporting. Where in 2019 we were the first company to publish a Total Tax Contribution report, in the two following years many other companies in the Netherlands have also taken the initiative and made a lot of progress on their tax transparency reporting. Not having a tax report becomes the exception.’

Besides the detailed tax information per country, the Total Tax Contribution report also focuses on current topics and the tax impact thereof for NN Group, like the COVID-19 situation and recent tax developments. With the publication of its Total Tax Contribution Report, NN Group is already prepared for the requirements of the Public Country by Country Reporting Directive which will enter into force as of 2024. This European Directive requires greater corporate transparency for big multinationals by publicly disclosing on where they make their profits and where they pay their tax.

At NN, we want to be a positive force in the lives of our customers. We believe this also includes taking responsibility for the well-being of wider society. Over the past five years, Nationale-Nederlanden and Aegon worked with the From Debt to Opportunities (in Dutch, Van Schulden naar Kansen) programme to increase financial resilience in the Netherlands and reduce poverty caused by debt. During this period, the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (Hogeschool van Amsterdam) conducted research into the effectiveness of the projects that we support with volunteers and donations.

On 25 November the research results were presented during an online conference where NN Group Management Board member Tjeerd Bosklopper was present on behalf of Nationale-Nederlanden. As the programme transitions into a new chapter, we asked Tjeerd five questions about the results of the research and our broader impact on society.

Why did we start the From Debt to Opportunity programme? 

'In the aftermath of the financial crisis, it became increasingly clear that payment arrears, debts and poverty will not disappear on their own. To address these issues, everyone needs to contribute. That includes the business community. We find it important to give something back to society and think we can make the most impact when we use our financial and administrative knowledge and skills. We have therefore chosen to focus on reducing debt and poverty.

'Furthermore, insurance is a product of solidarity, because you jointly bear a risk. That's why I think it's key for insurance companies to be there for the people around us. We can only really contribute if we join forces on a social level and learn together from what we do. We are pleased to have done this together with Aegon in recent years.'

How has NN contributed to reducing debt and poverty?

'We have supported local debt relief initiatives in Amsterdam, Arnhem, Rotterdam and Zwolle. To name a few: Talent Coach, Over Rood and the Union Nationale Marokkaanse Vrouwen Nederland (UNFM-NL). Over the years, more than 1,500 colleagues have volunteered in these projects. They have helped sort unopened post, worked as a coach, administration buddy or financial expert. With this we have made a difference for people who really need it. The research of the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences shows that three out of four participants can manage better financially afterwards. That makes me very proud, and it shows that all these volunteers have done a fantastic job.'

How do we deal with our customers’ debts or money worries?

'Tax authorities, health insurers, friends and the bank are the most common creditors for people in financial difficulty. As an insurer that is at the heart of society, we naturally also have customers with payment arrears, for example on their mortgage or health insurance, or with money worries. As a creditor, we stand next to the customer who can no longer pay the bills, instead of against them. We look at how to tackle a problem together and come up with customised solutions. In addition, we regularly refer them to one of our social partners such as Geldfit.nl.'

How will we continue to fight debt now that the From Debt to Opportunity programme has come to an end?

'From Debt to Opportunities originated from the former Delta Lloyd Foundation. We have learned a lot from our collaboration with the various projects and research of the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. We will continue to apply the lessons learned beyond 2021 in our overarching community investment programme NN Future Matters, through which we aim to foster financial well-being in all countries where we operate. In this way we will continue to support local debt relief initiatives and reduce poverty. We will also apply the insights to set up our services in such a way that we can better help customers with payment arrears and money worries. So although the name is changing, we will continue our commitment to society on this important subject!'

How do you personally contribute to reducing debt problems?

'The topic of debt and poverty is very close to my heart. It is important that we do not exclude people with debts. In 2018, the SchuldenlabNL foundation formed for public and private parties to work together on a debt-free Netherlands. I joined the SchuldenlabNL steering committee this summer and can now make a valuable contribution from my position.'

Last week, the Association of Investors for Sustainable Development (VBDO) released the 'Benchmark for responsible investment by insurers 2021'. In this study, the VBDO assesses the responsible investment policy of 30 Dutch insurers in the field of governance, policy, implementation and accountability. NN's efforts have resulted in a second place in this benchmark. In 2019, NN was in third place.

As a financial services provider, NN is aware of our impact on society and therefore wants to contribute to a sustainable future. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) integration is part of our policy and climate change is an important focus area. NN therefore uses its resources and knowledge to protect the environment.

In responsible investment, NN aims for a climate-neutral investment portfolio by 2050. As an investor, NN enters into a dialogue with companies to encourage them to reduce their emissions. In addition, NN makes a positive contribution to the energy transition by investing in climate solutions. NN also makes customers aware of climate risks with insurance and banking products, helps them to make choices for, for example, sustainable damage repair, and stimulates them to live more sustainably.

See the full VBDO report.

Last month, NN employees joined our ‘Your community matters week’, the NN volunteer week dedicated to contributing to local communities. Between 21 and 25 June, 1,599 volunteers, around 10% of NN Group’s total workforce, dedicated their time and energy for society.

Volunteer activities take place year-round in association with our community partners, and with ‘Your community matters week’ we give extra attention to our role in society. As part of the week, NN employees contributed 2,510 volunteer hours in 44 activities to contribute to the well-being of people in our communities.

Following appropriate measures related to Covid-19, many employees picked up rubbish in their own neighbourhoods and joined our first NN-wide Charity Run. In the Netherlands, employees read to the elderly and provided mentoring support to students. In Poland, employees accompanied seniors for Nordic walking and for a concert with an Elvis impersonator, and in Spain, employees planted trees and helped people to reskill with digital skills. These are just some of the activities organised in ten of our markets.

Dailah Nihot, member of the NN Group Management Board: ‘At NN, being a good corporate citizen means we want to use our resources, expertise and reach to help society, and the results are testament to our efforts to make a positive impact. We thank all colleagues for their involvement.’

Robin Remmerswaal from NN Group participated in a networking session: ‘I volunteered for the networking session which was organised by JINC. My colleagues and I helped high school students who have grown up in an environment with less chances discover what they are good at and how they can present themselves. It was a really nice and informative experience!’

About Your community matters week

‘Your community matters week’ is an NN Group initiative that underscores our commitment to invest up to 1% of our annual operating result in our communities – through hours of volunteering and cash donations. During the week, ten NN business units organised locally relevant volunteering activities that align to our strategic pillars.

On 22 June 2021, the global final competition of the Social Innovation Relay took place online. We congratulate Scribo markers from Slovakia, Team Esperanza from Singapore, and Pet-link from Greece for their award-winning ideas.

During the final, ten teams of high school students from ten countries presented their socially innovative business models to a professional jury. The jury represented the social investors space (European Venture Philanthropy), government (European Commission), the business sector (NN Group) and the social entrepreneurship space (Crackingsoap/Knetterzeep). We would like to congratulate the winning teams and all participants on their accomplishments.

Scribo Markers’ vision is to make every school and company progressively more sustainable through a novel and ecological way of writing on whiteboards. Thanks to their innovative wax composition, these markers never dry out and do not need a plastic cover, thus producing less excess waste.

Rezistable, created by Team Esperanza, is a one-stop guide for sustainable wardrobe management. It allows consumers to make greener purchases and facilitates the decision-making process through behavioural change and positive reinforcement, effectively reducing garment waste and building a community of environmentally conscious individuals.

Pet-Link offers a holistic solution for the entire animal adoption chain. Through a two-way questionnaire, the website matches humans and animals for adoption, suggesting animals with the closest match to a potential foster family. It also created the first blood bank for dogs.

Melchior de Ridder, 2021 jury member and Head of Retail Platforms at the Strategic Transformation Office NN Group, knows all about the importance of innovation and is impressed by the quality of ideas and business models of the students. He explains:

‘The future is rooted in social innovation, as organisational legitimacy increasingly depends on its contribution to society. If your concept is not created to explicitly make a positive impact, it won’t be sustainable. The way the Social Innovation Relay prepares these innovative youngsters for the current-day world makes a big impact. I strongly encourage all participants in this final to bring their ideas to the market.’

The 2021 final of the Social Innovation Relay is the seventh edition of the programme, which is part of the partnership between NN Group and Junior Achievement. Each year, over 10,000 students participate from ten countries: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Japan, Poland, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, and Spain. The innovative programme is designed to enhance the essential skills of secondary school students, emphasising the importance of the link between business and society.

‘Solving today’s complex social and economic challenges is only possible through increased focus on social innovation and social entrepreneurship. Through the Social Innovation Relay, we are giving the next generation– what we call #Gen_E –the opportunity to pioneer concrete solutions with social impact that can be scaled up and applied for the benefit of the broader economy’, concludes Salvatore Nigro, CEO JA Europe.

NN Group is committed to contribute to the well-being of people and the planet. Our collaboration with Junior Achievement is part of our overarching Community Investment programme NN Future Matters.

 

July 27, 2021

An interview with SIR 2021 winning team Scribo

Team Scribo from Slovakia, consisting of Jakub, Miroslava, Gréta and Oszkár, have started an innovative company to create low-waste whiteboard markers that are made from beeswax.

Read more

 

 

July 20,2021

An interview with SIR 2021 winning team Pet-link

Team Pet-Link, consisting of Alexandros, Konstantinos, Vasilis, and Lydia, came up with an online platform in Greece to match stray dogs with potential owners.

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July 13, 2021

An interview with SIR 2021 winning team Esperanza

Team Esperanza, consisting of Jean Ee, Janessa and Kareena, came up with Resiztable, a one-stop-shop for sustainable wardrobe management.

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Yesterday at NN, our senior leaders Tjeerd Bosklopper, Marcel Zuidam and Bianca Knispel participated in the annual JINC initiative de Baas van Morgen (Boss of Tomorrow). This project gives students who grow up in disadvantaged neighbourhoods the opportunity to lead a large company, ministry or municipality for a day. This year's theme is 'equal opportunities in the workplace'. 450 brave and ambitious children took part and were CEO, director or politician for a day. At Nationale-Nederlanden, Raphaëlla, Mostafa and Jayveon were in charge.

Tjeerd Bosklopper, member of the NN Group Management Board: ‘Today Raphaëlla took over my duties. In this way she experienced how our company runs and I learned a lot from her fresh perspective on our daily business. We also discussed how she thinks we can improve equality in the workplace in our organisation. And of course, we also had a lot of fun!’

Marcel Zuidam, CEO Nationale-Nederlanden Bank: ‘Today Jayveon was the boss of the 1,200 colleagues who work at our bank. And he did that very well! The topic of equal opportunities in the workplace is very important and that is why I participated. I believe that all young people deserve a good start in their career.’

Bianca Knispel, Director Retail Property & Casualty, OHRA and Care: ‘At our office in Arnhem, Mostafa was responsible for around 700,000 OHRA customers today. I was very impressed by his drive and enthusiasm. It's great that JINC can give children a look inside a company in this way and thus contribute to their future.’

NN Future Matters and JINC

Nationale-Nederlanden believes it is important to contribute to financial well-being in society. That is why NN Group has an overarching community investment programme, NN Future Matters. With this programme, NN, is committed to a sustainable society in which everyone can participate through donations and with the help of our many volunteers. Together with JINC, NN is working towards a society in which your background does not determine your future. The Baas van Morgen project is a good example of this. Giving more young people a voice promotes equal opportunities for these young people and their self-confidence is boosted. Our senior leaders of today also benefit a lot from this. The children have a fresh and open mind with which they can provide the professionals with new insights.

In partnership with NN Group, the Mauritshuis has developed a special fragrance box that allows people to experience an art work’s ‘scent’ while watching an online tour from the comfort of their home. This world-first interactive digital look and smell tour was produced for the exhibition ‘Fleeting – Scents in Colour’.

Joël Broekaert, culinary journalist, and Ariane van Suchtelen, curator of the exhibition, take visitors back to the scents of the 17th century. What did the canals of Amsterdam smell like? What was the relationship between smell, health and personal hygiene? And does the experience of the past differ from today?

Fragrance box

In the exhibition, several artworks are complemented by a scent pump so visitors can both smell and see the scents in the paintings. With the museum currently closed due to Covid-19 restrictions, the Mauritshuis specially developed the fragrance box to make this experience possible at home. Ideal for at home, but also in the classroom, care home and hospital ward. The fragrance box contains four scent pumps which allow visitors to smell the scents as they appear in the tour.

Fleur Hudig, Head of Corporate Citizenship NN Group: ‘As a partner and main sponsor of the Mauritshuis, we want to be there for them, particularly now when they are closed and can welcome no visitors. We are doing this by jointly investing in new possibilities to keep the collections accessible and by offering unique experiences. The Mauritshuis has previously organised livestreamed guided tours that could be enjoyed from home. With the addition of the fragrance box, the Mauritshuis is bringing an additional dimension to the at home experience.’

Joël Broekaert is a Dutch culinary journalist who writes about food and eating: ‘Smell is an extremely underrated part of our sensory perception and experience. Without your nose, you can’t taste a thing! Eating is uninteresting if you can’t smell as well. So being able to experience art in this way, not only with my eyes, but also with my nose, is an incredibly special experience.’

The exclusive fragrance box can be ordered via www.mauritshuis.nl/en/fleeting and costs € 20 (plus delivery costs). The tour is offered in Dutch with English subtitles.

NN Group is proud to announce the strategic involvement in the “Economic Opportunities for All” initiative with valued partner Junior Achievement Europe. This new educational, employment and entrepreneurship programme for young people that need opportunities and resources the most, broadens Junior Achievement’s reach in Europe. The partnership is part of NN’s Future Matters programme.

Dailah Nihot, Board Member of NN Group: ‘Investing in communities is part of our promise to society. We want to make an impact that lasts, and that is why we join forces with non-profit organisations with the right expertise. We have been a longstanding partner of JA Europe. The new initiative will support them in further building their capacity to help more youngsters in growing their economic opportunities. Shifting our attention to those who are currently underserved fits well with our efforts to promote a more inclusive and sustainable society.’

‘Now more than ever it is imperative to make sure no-one is left behind. Thanks to NN Group, we are able to extend innovative employment and entrepreneurship opportunities to the next generation of Europeans for them to succeed and thrive’ said Salvatore Nigro, CEO JA Europe. 

About Economic Opportunities for All

The “Economic Opportunities for All” initiative offers experience-based educational programmes and links to concrete employment and entrepreneurship economic opportunities. By inspiring and preparing young people through these programmes, they are better able to develop their entrepreneurial skills which supports them in moving into a career in the current global economy. “Economic Opportunities for All” initiative will be implemented Greece, the Netherlands, Spain and Romania. Junior Achievement and NN have been working together since 2015 in programmes such as the Social Innovation Relay, Entrepreneurial Skills Pass and the Social Innovation Camps.

About JA Europe

JA Europe is the largest non-profit in Europe dedicated to preparing young people for employment and entrepreneurship. JA Europe is a member of JA Worldwide which for 100 years has delivered hands on, experiential learning in entrepreneurship, work readiness and financial literacy. JA creates pathways for employability, job creation and financial success. Last school year, the JA network in Europe reached almost 4 million young people across 40 countries with the support of nearly 100,000 business volunteers and over 140,000 teachers/educators. www.jaeurope.org

NN responded swiftly to the Covid-19 outbreak with the aim to help ensure the well-being of our colleagues, customers, business partners, and society at large. We were able to do so given our strong starting position. The pandemic has tested our resilience towards business disruption. While some of our businesses were confronted with operational issues in the first two weeks, most of our businesses continued as usual using remote working and digital channels. This required a focus on clear and speedy communications, and considerable adjustments to the IT infrastructure. Employees were given the opportunity to receive facilities such as laptops, monitors, office chairs, etc., to make it possible to work from home adequately.

These activities were coordinated by the central NN Corona Coordination Team (CCT), which was installed to monitor developments, to advise the Management Board, and to support a safe and smooth transformation process. The vast majority of our employees have worked from home since the start of the pandemic. Only a limited number of staff worked in offices, as some activities needed to be done at NN premises for legal or logistic reasons. Also, employees dealing with specific personal circumstances were allowed to work in the office under strict conditions.

At the same time, the company focused on helping our customers, agents and business partners, and supporting the broader community. In several countries, such as the Czech Republic, we designed a digital sales and client signature process, enabling our sales force to remotely serve customers. Overall, sales processes have moved almost entirely online and we can serve our customers fully digitally.

In this process, we have changed the terms of many of our products to support customers in financial distress. For example, providing extra cover for restaurants that started delivery services and for the hospitality industry. Also, in the Netherlands, we have provided mortgage and consumer loan payment breaks to customers that experience financial difficulties. In Japan, we extended the moratorium period of premium payment for SMEs.

NN also supports the communities in which we operate. For example, by helping our local charitable partner organisations, or by providing laptops to children that do not have the necessary equipment for remote education. In Romania, we donated funds for ventilators and breathing monitors, vital for treating critically ill patients affected by Covid-19, and in Spain, we offered free protection to healthcare professionals against Covid-19. A full list of initiatives can be found on the following pages:

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Communities

NN Group is once more the top-scoring company in the sixth annual Tax Transparency Benchmark published by the Dutch association of investors for Sustainable Development (VBDO). The benchmark ranks 77 Dutch listed companies on the level of transparency they provide on tax and the quality of tax governance they demonstrate.

With a record score of 32 points from a maximum of 35 points, NN Group ranks at the top of the benchmark. After consultation by an expert jury, NN was chosen again as the winner. The jury praised NN for further improvements in the disclosures of direct and other taxes on a country-by-country basis, and for gaining third-party tax assurance on its 2019 Total Tax Contribution Report.

According to VBDO the results of this year’s benchmark show that Dutch stock-listed companies are more fiscally transparent than before. Since the introduction of the VBDO Tax Transparency Benchmark in 2015, the average transparency rating based on the total points obtained by companies on their six principles of good tax governance has increased from 25% in 2015 to 46% in 2020. VBDO sees room for improvement, for example businesses can provide more information about the subsidies and tax exemptions they use to lower their effective tax burden.

Delfin Rueda, Chief Financial Officer of NN Group: ‘At NN, we are committed to being a responsible taxpayer and very happy to again rank as the top-scoring company in the Tax Transparency Benchmark. This external recognition reflects the improvements introduced to our Total Tax Contribution Report in 2019, where we provided detailed tax information for each country and had our external auditor review the report and provide assurance on its content. We value our benchmark results and take them as an incentive to continue implementing improvements.’

Since 2019, NN Group has been a proud supporter of Plastic Whale as they battle against plastic pollution. The goal of the collaboration? Increase awareness of the problem. As part of those efforts, NN made it possible for Plastic Whale to produce a video: De Plastic S(l)oep. The name combines the Dutch words for ‘soup’ and ‘small motor boat’. In this way, it addresses both the problem, and Plastic Whale’s solution in a single title. In the online video, investigative journalist Jeroen Smit meets four future role models who are fighting to reduce plastic usage. They each discuss their battles to reduce the rapidly growing mass of plastic soup.

Plastic soup

More people than ever are aware of the consequences of plastic waste. And that’s a great start, but we need to do more – and soon. Every year, across the globe, around $100 billion worth of plastic is thrown away. Since all those bottles, straws and toothbrushes don’t degrade, the plastic soup continues to grow more and more. So awareness is becoming more important every day.

Plastic Whale finds exciting ways to get people to actively contribute to plastic soup reduction. It organises plastic ‘fishing trips’ and even creates economic value from plastic waste. The organisation makes beautiful boats (called sloeps) and office furniture from the plastic it collects. It is also committed to raising awareness about the effects of plastic use.

De Plastic S(l)oep tells Saskia, Lars, Nicholas and Eric’s inspirational stories. Jeroen Smit sails through the canals in Amsterdam in a Plastic Whale boat made of the waste that was fished out of those very same canals. Along the way, Jeroen picks up these young ambassadors, who are each tackling the plastic issue in his or her own way. Not only does each of the four help us see the urgency of the situation, but also they are proof that together, we can make things happen.

Want to see more?

De Plastic S(l)oep (with English subtitles) is available for public viewing below.. Those who are inspired to take immediate action after watching the film can find practical tips on the Plastic Whale website, and can learn how to join Plastic Whale’s mission (in Dutch). All are welcome to join.

What else has NN done?

Our partnership with Plastic Whale has yielded great results. For example, NN Group enabled Plastic Whale to build an NN boat made entirely out of recycled PET bottles. Plastic Whale’s expeditions to ‘fish’ all the plastic out of Amsterdam’s canals have taken place in the NN boat since September 2019.

Our partnership with Plastic Whale, and our signing of the NN Plastic Pledge in 2019, are both part of NN Group’s broader initiative to make our own office environment more sustainable. The NN Plastic Pledge expresses our ambition to eliminate single-use plastics or replace them with alternatives. NN also strives to create awareness among employees and to work with suppliers to encourage the sustainable use of, or alternatives to, plastic. The motto is: refuse, reduce and recycle!

Circular office furniture

Some time ago, NN Group was also Plastic Whale’s launching partner for Vepa, a line of completely circular office furniture. The furniture is made, in part, from plastic fished out of Amsterdam’s canals, and thereby directly addresses the plastic soup problem. What makes the production process so unique is the fact that Plastic Whale itself collects all of the raw materials for the furniture production. In 2018, NN Group installed one of these circular boardroom tables and accompanying chairs at its headquarters in The Hague. We are currently working on additional sustainable and circular renovations at our office locations.

Investment in plastics

NN Investment Partners (NN IP), NN Group’s investment branch, is also committed to fighting plastic pollution. NN IP has identified three important focus areas in order to stimulate investors to consider changes to the ways plastics are used.

At NN Group, our purpose helps focus on the promotion of a sustainable and inclusive society in which everyone can participate. We have made a strategic commitment to contribute to the wellbeing of people in our communities. Through the Future Matters Programme, we help people build financial resilience.

It is only when all our colleagues truly understand the impact of financial distress that they can take effective action to relieve it. So we utilised our long cooperation with Nibud (National Institute for Family Finance Information) to help Nationale-Nederlanden colleagues make a positive change in our communities. More than 400 NN colleagues recently participated in a workshop or training that brought them closer to our customers.

First-hand experience

The workshop focused on raising our colleagues’ awareness of what it’s like to live with problematic debts. It aimed to help them understand the circumstances that people with financial problems live in, so that they can relate better to customers.

The workshop offered our colleagues insights into how they can help customers – and people in general – who are experiencing financial difficulties. ‘It was really intense to experience what life is like when you have debts, and the letters from debt collectors keep coming in while you’re just trying to keep your head above water,’ one participant said. ‘It helped me to feel the pressure our customers feel when they lose control of their finances.’

Impactful support

More than 20% of Dutch households have experienced a drop in income since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. So it’s likely that we all know someone who is experiencing financial stress. With a company as big as NN Group, we can really make a positive impact on society if our colleagues are able to help people with their money matters or can redirect them to support services.

That’s why we also offered our colleagues a specific training to help them understand and utilise opportunities for support. It offered tips and resources our colleagues can use to help. Nibud and insurer Aegon originally developed the training. However, they also made it possible for other banks and insurance companies, among which NN Group, to offer the training to their employees. It was an immediate and overwhelming success. More than 350 colleagues successfully registered for and completed the training.

Partnerships that matter

Thanks to NN’s cooperation with Nibud, our colleagues are even more prepared to help people when they face challenging financial circumstances. They also have the skills to improve our businesses and prevent our customers from having financial problems in the first place. Lastly, they are more aware than ever of opportunities to volunteer in a project from our Community Investment Programme, NN Future Matters.

For NN, being a good corporate citizen means we want to use our resources, expertise and reach to help society achieve long-term sustainable prosperity. As part of our efforts, Junior Achievement (JA) Europe and NN Group have been working together since 2015 to empower young people to tackle societal challenges through innovation and entrepreneurship.

The Social Innovation Relay (SIR) is the flagship programme of our collaboration with JA Europe. This innovative programme is designed to positively impact the essential skills of secondary school students while underscoring the important partnership between business and social initiatives. Participating in the SIR helps young people think like social entrepreneurs, gives them access to the latest technology, and shows them that starting their own business can be a viable career choice.

The involvement of NN volunteers is a key component of the SIR programme. In virtual mentoring sessions, the NN volunteers help the students to make connections between theory and real-world requirements to solve social challenges.

‘The Social Innovation Relay is a great way of challenging young people to think of innovative ways to tackle societal problems. It is amazing to see such a high level of understanding of the different issues societies face. The technical, scalable and original way students of this young age think about solutions is applaudable. I congratulate all teams on their placement in the global final, and especially the top three for their outstanding achievement. I am sure a great future lies ahead of all of you.’ Emily de Laat, manager of the Future Matters programme in the Netherlands.

Global Final 2020 and the winning teams

Over the past few months, national SIR finals took place in Japan, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia and Spain ahead of the international SIR final held on Tuesday, 16 June.

During the Global Final, which is the closing event of the SIR, the winning team from each country competed against each other. Three teams were chosen as the overall winners of the 2020 SIR: REN (Slovakia), ACCESS (Singapore) and Medinow (Greece) came up with the most innovative ideas that combined societal impact with market potential.

About REN from Slovakia

REN’s idea is a solid cleaner, CLEAN’D, a practical alternative to liquid cleaners. The non-liquid cleaner is for everyone who enjoys camping, going to festivals, or is interested in more practical and environmentally friendly cleaning.

About ACCESS from Singapore

ACCESS is a social enterprise that matches youth with autism (YWA) with mainstream employment to create a more inclusive workplace. The model hires YWA directly and places them with a company. The trained mentors provide on-the-job support to the YWA for up to one year and provide training for the companies. This increases the chances of YWA staying in their job.

About Medinow from Greece

Access to health care units in rural or remote areas in Greece can sometimes be difficult. That is why Medinow developed an app to upgrade the quality of emergency care for both locals and visitors. The application provides immediate geolocation information of users in need (a worldwide innovation) to volunteer doctors who are registered in the application. This way, the response time which has proven to be the most critical factor in the positive outcome of most emergencies is reduced.

Jury members of the Global Final 2020:

• Emily De Laat - Programme Manager Future Matters Netherlands, NN Group
• Chrysanthi Papathanou - Digital Marketing Team Leader, NN Hellas
• Donald Aebi - President of JA Alumni Europe
• Christian Erfurt - CEO and Founder of Be My Eyes
• Riley Doyle Evans - Cross-KIC Education Project Manager, European Institute of Innovation & Technology RawMaterials