In today’s world, stakeholder groups are getting more vocal on all sorts of topics, whether it regards e.g. diversity & inclusion vs. wokeism, the energy transition and the use of fossil fuels, or the need for increased military spending and if so by how much. The tone of the debate is leading to an increasingly polarised and complex society.

How does a multinational like ING, which is active in many different markets and cultures all over the world, navigate this ‘Age of Rage’? How to make sound business decisions when confronted with such dilemmas, if you know that any decision to be taken will be food for further protest to some kind of stakeholder group?

Event Agenda

16.00: Doors open
16.30: Welcome
16.40: Arnaud Cohen Stuart – Head of Business Ethics at ING will share his views on how to drive ING’s sustainability strategy whilst balancing stakeholder views and managing ESG reputation risk

Kim Larsen – Head of Global Communications & Brand Experience at ING will reflect on how managing ESG reputation risk will affect corporate affairs strategy & tactics

17.30: Questions & discussion, led by Maartje Snellen – EACD Chapter Lead for The Netherlands

18.00: Closure followed by drinks, bites & networking

19.00: End

Event Registration

EACD Member: Free 

Non-member: €25 (excl. VAT)

Speakers

Arnaud Cohen Stuart, Head of Business Ethics, ING

Arnaud is Head of Business Ethics at ING. He advises ING senior management on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) dilemmas associated with the bank’s global business conduct. Driving ING’s sustainability strategy and balancing internal and external stakeholder views, Business Ethics issues advice on clients and transactions prone to ESG reputation risk. Insights obtained in the process get translated to the bank’s sustainability strategy, ESG policy framework and sustainability communications approach.

Arnaud has been a key contributor to the development of multiple ESG policies, including some industry firsts. Examples are targets set to triple renewable energy financing, and restrictions set on financing new oil & gas field development (industry first), LNG export terminals (industry first), controversial weapons, private prisons, and tobacco.

Representing the Dutch Banking Association, Arnaud is a member of the Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) Committee at the Dutch Social and Economic Council advising Dutch government and Parliament on RBC policy. Arnaud is a guest lecturer at VU University Amsterdam (Institutional Identity & Reputation) and Utrecht University (Economic Ethics). He holds a master’s degree in Law, a master’s degree in Marketing and a master’s degree in Applied Ethics.

Kim Larsen, Head of Global Communications & Brand Experience, ING

Kim Larsen is the head of Communications, Brand and MarCom at ING and leads a global community of around 500 communications, brand and marketing experts across INGs retail and wholesale banking markets. His organisation is responsible for all areas of external and internal communications as well as ING’s brand & marketing efforts. Prior to joining ING, Kim was head of Communications, Brand and Marketing at Danske Bank, where he worked for 8 years based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Before joining the financial sector he spent 12 years on the agency side and advised a wide range of companies on issues & crisis management and public affairs.

Moderator: Maartje Snellen, EACD Netherlands Country Chapter Lead

Maartje is a seasoned crisis management and corporate communication professional with extensive experience in mainly the food, FMCG, technology and energy industries. Before co-founding crisis management agency The New Edge, Maartje held several senior roles in crisis management and corporate communications at national, regional and global levels for companies including Shell, NAM-an ExxonMobil/Shell Joint venture-, Heineken and Burson-Marsteller. As a consultant, Maartje supported clients like Ahold Delhaize, Huawei Netherlands, Unilever, Royal Wessanen. Over her career, Maartje supported dozens of leadership teams implementing a robust crisis management capability -and in case of a crisis- a crisis management and/or communication response strategy.

Country Coordinator:  Francine Rutgers, Co-founder/Managing Partner, Herman Rutgers Executive & Interim Search

After a career in communications on the agency side and in the corporate world, I decided to move into executive search in 2000. Founding Herman Rutgers Executive & Interim Search in 2008 brought the icing on the cake: entrepreneurship. Our agency is specialized in executive search for top positions in corporate affairs & communications across all types of sectors and industries. The added value of having the right corporate affairs or communications professional in the right place becomes particularly clear when the organization’s reputation is under pressure. This is when board members and communications directors need to be able to rely on each other’s understanding and trust.