ING wants to empower future generations to achieve financial independence and become self-sufficient individuals.
We focus on financial education and support entrepreneurs in starting and growing their business. It is a natural way for us to support communities by sharing our knowledge and skills. Our “Financial Education & Entrepreneurship” initiatives are aimed at children, women, micro- and small business entrepreneurs. We believe in the financial empowerment of people and that it will lead to a better financial future and stronger communities.
Financial education
Supporting financial education fits directly with our business goal of providing products and services that are accessible and easy to understand. It aligns with our commitment to enhance our customers’ financial capability so they can make better financial decisions and become self-sufficient individuals.
At ING, we put special emphasis on educating youth about financial issues. We believe it is important that good financial habits are developed early and that confidence is built from an early age. Without knowing how to manage their money, children can miss out on great opportunities. Or worse, make mistakes that take a long time to undo.
Coltiva il tuo sogno - ‘Grow Your Dream’ - Italy
ING Direct Italy executed the “Coltiva il tuo sogno” - “Grow your dream’ campaign aimed at the promotion of savings among children aged between six and ten. The campaign was rolled out in elementary schools. It encouraged a philosophy of saving in its broadest sense – not just saving money, but also environmental resources and time. Classes received a kit containing a teachers’ guide, a poster, a game and a leaflet for parents. Children also participated in a competition where they could win prizes and contribute to ING Chances for Children.
http://www.coltivailtuosogno.it/
ING-Girls Inc. Investment Challenge - USA
The ING Foundation in the US joined forces with Girls Inc., a US advocacy organization for underserved girls. Together they developed a unique programme called ING-Girls Inc. Investment Challenge, which aims to give American girls aged 12 to 18 the skills and attitudes to manage their money. The programme teaches girls about the financial markets and investing. Girls not only acquire important life skills, but also gain confidence and motivation to remain in school and pursue higher education.
Emprendiendo – Entrepreneur – Peru
ING Peru has partnered with Aflatoun, a non profit organization, and the Peruvian ministry of education to advance the financial education of Peruvian children. Together they have launched the “Emprendiendo” (“Entrepreneur”) programme that is aimed at the promotion and stimulation of entrepreneurship among children. Children are equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence to engage in entrepreneurial activities and become economically self-reliant citizens. The programme has so far been rolled out at 26 schools in Peru.
Co-sponsoring ‘Money and your Life’ exhibition –Belgium & the Netherlands
ING supports the exhibition "Money and your life!", because it activates young people to be conscious with money. Earn money, spend money, save money or borrow money? Not only adults have to make choices. Young people also experience at an early stage that every choice has consequences. In this interactive money soap for youth in the age of 12 to 16 the visitors play a leading role.
Co-sponsoring Money Museum - the Netherlands
ING is a sponsor of the new exhibition ‘Boss Requested. Find the entrepreneur within yourself’ of the Dutch Money Museum. The exhibition will be combined with the launch of a dedicated website on which visitors can amongst others do a quiz to test their entrepreneur profile and read experiences of existing entrepreneurs. The target audience of the exhibition and website are students from 16 till 22 years.
Guest lectures ‘looking after your money’ - the Netherlands
The guest lectures in financial education are aimed at teaching children and young people to look after their money so that they will be able to live independently as adults. We focus our voluntary financial education activities primarily on school pupils from disadvantaged and other backgrounds. Young people need to have the necessary financial ‘life skills’ in order that they will in future be able to lead independent lives without financial problems.
Guest lectures during ‘Week of Money’- the Netherlands
The Week of the money is aimed at children aged 4 to 12 years to learn how to manage their money. During this week different Dutch banks provided lectures about ‘money management’ at several primary schools in the Netherlands. After these lectures, the pupils were invited to visit a local bank branch nearby. On behalf of ING different ING offices jointly provided guest lectures on different schools in the Netherlands.
Growing through Sharing - Korea
ING Life Korea developed the financial education program called “Growing through Sharing” jointly with UNICEF targeting children aged 9-11. The program helps children to experience the meaning of sharing through learning about the economy and cultures around the world. The program is a combination of online and in classrooms educational sessions and is offered to the children on a voluntary basis. ING and Uncief have developed special training materials in form of CDRoms and text books. The model class of Growing through Sharing was recognized as an excellent education case by the Seoul Education City Government.
http://www.sharingedu.net/ (in Korean)
We also engage in improving the financial literacy levels of adults, both in mature and developing markets. We have a special focus on women from low income groups in developing markets. ING employees coach female entrepreneurs with their business ideas and their business plans. We hereby work together with the BiD Network Foundation. BiD Network matches coaches or experts with entrepreneurs in emerging markets to assist them with writing a business plan. ING staff worldwide takes part as coaches or experts. This way we also contribute to building stronger local communities.
Enterpreneurship
We stimulate entrepreneurship as it empowers individuals and their families, expands their economic opportunities and contributes to building stronger communities. We put special focus on supporting micro entrepreneurs, Micro Finance Institutions and starting businesses, in both developing and developed markets. Our initiatives align with our commitment of promoting financial inclusion and our business initiatives in the area of microfinance.
ING has been active in supporting microfinance initiatives through knowledge sharing since 2005. In the Netherland over 3,000 employees support microfinance and in Belgium 500 employees are involved in the local micro finance network. ING has invested in raising awareness about microfinance by organizing events and conferences and continues to pay attention to the topic as part of the broader Corporate Responsibility agenda.
Since 2005 more than 100 ING volunteers, mainly from the Netherlands, have been engaged in capacity building projects from two up to four weeks at local microfinance institutions all over the world.
Volunteering
Through our volunteering activities, employees are encouraged to share their knowledge, for example by coaching female micro entrepreneurs or by assisting schools with financial education guest lectures. It is a natural way for us to support communities by sharing our knowledge and skills.
We are also involved in teaching entrepreneurial skills to children and work with local organisations that support micro entrepreneurs.
Donations
Our giving in the are a of Financial Education and Entrepreneurship is geared at projects that have a particular focus on educating children, vulnerable groups and micro - and small entrepreneurs about the basics of finance and entrepreneurship. For our global giving programme GiveforSomethingBetter we have partnered with the following organisations: Going to School, Technoserve, MelJol and ASA Grama Vidiyal. ING contributes to these causes by matching the donations of our employees to these organisations.
Do you want to make a gift? Visit our donation platform.
