Sustainability Consultant – Terra

The role is in the Wholesale Banking team for the expert area of Terra, which is our approach on steering hundreds of billions of euros in our loan book towards meeting net-zero climate goals. The position reports to the team’s Head of Sustainability, Wholesale Banking.  

We’ve always been a pioneer. And we’re determined to be a banking leader; building a sustainable future for our company, our customers, society and the environment. By protecting the planet and supporting people to make the necessary transition. How?

• We lead by example by striving for net zero in our own operations.

• We play our full part in the social and low-carbon transformation that’s necessary to achieve a sustainable future, steering our financing towards meeting global climate goals.

• We work with our clients to help them achieve their own sustainability goals.

• We manage the most relevant environmental and social risks.

• And we empower our colleagues to contribute to it all.

Our commitment to sustainability leadership brings many business opportunities. There are also new risks that we’ll have to manage, as well as choices to make about what to do more of, less of or stop altogether – but always with client engagement as our starting point. Those choices will be difficult at times, but we commit to action and impact. ING’s strategy includes aligning economic growth with positive environmental and social impact.

The team

The Global Head of the team reports directly to the CEO of ING Group. The Global Sustainability team is organized like ING’s business organization where it is split to focus on ING’s main business lines Wholesale Banking, Business Banking and Retail Banking. Within these business lines, we cover the key ESG focus areas which are climate, biodiversity, human rights and financial health. The team is diverse in terms of gender, nationality, background and skills. With an increasing focus to meaningfully and speedily integrate sustainability into the business, the team seeks to play the role of an expert center and an advisor.

ING’s Global Sustainability department develops the overall ethical, social and environmental direction of ING. The department has a global focus. We engage in dialogue with key stakeholder groups such as NGOs, governments, academics, sustainable research agencies and investors. The team analyses social and environmental trends, takes part in public debate, works closely with the various business lines and risk departments as well as with Media Relations or Public & Governmental Affairs, and advises ING’s MBB and senior management on strategy, reputation management, reporting and business development. For more information visit: www.ing.com or our Community: https://communities.ing.net/sites/sustainability/Pages/default.aspx

Roles and responsibilities

This role is established to facilitate Terra. ING is focusing on the sectors in our loan book that are responsible for the world’s most greenhouse gas emissions: power generation, oil & gas, automotive, shipping, aviation, steel, cement, residential mortgages and commercial real estate. We are measuring whether our lending in each sector is adding up to contribute to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Per sector, we use the most appropriate methodology available, acknowledging that there are many roads to net zero and in the end it’s the impact that counts. More information on Terra is available here: https://www.ing.com/Sustainability/Sustainable-business/Terra-approach.htm

As the Sustainability Consultant – Terra you would be:

• Take the lead in the development of new methodologies / working groups with internal stakeholders and/or with other banks

• Improve/update existing Terra methodologies

• Expanding our coverage to more sectors and other asset classes

• Assessing and reporting on terra metrics and absolute emissions for our book

• Contributing to ING’s Integrated Climate Report and meeting other reporting/disclosure needs

• Creating the right tools which are dynamic and can inform business to steer towards our net zero ambitions

• Using the tooling to integrate climate alignment in core business credit processes, systems and reporting

• Managing diverse stakeholders and workstreams across the bank to help implement Terra

• Educating and engaging with business teams to bring net zero targets to life within each sector

• Representing ING in relevant working groups, conferences, events to build and share knowledge and position ING as a climate leader

• Acting as an advisor to senior management and ING leaders to set the strategy, KPIs and incentives to drive net-zero action within the bank

How to succeed

We hire smart people like you for your potential. Our biggest expectation is that you’ll stay curious. Keep learning. Take on responsibility. In return, we back you to develop into an even more awesome version of yourself.

As a Sustainability Consultant – Terra you have the following traits and experience:

• Master’s degree (e.g. Environmental/Climate Science, Sustainability, Finance, Strategy, Business)

• Appr. 5 years of relevant working experience with working on climate in/for financial institutions

• Ability to maintain a positive attitude, strong drive, and energize themselves and the team in times of high pressure, high workload and other challenging moments

• Ability to have a vision and the can-do attitude to take ING’s climate action to the next level

• A good team player who is able to do support the collective ambition of the team

• Ability to deal with technical knowledge, complex data & analytics and deep dive into specific climate topics is a must

• Able to digest scientific research and apply this for business purposes

• Knowledge on climate alignment with experience on how to use this knowledge in the financial sector or other business environment is a strong plus

• Experience with being a part of large complex programmes

• Ability to work and communicate with diverse groups of people in different cultural, functional and geographical boundaries.

• Ability to draw quick but steady conclusions in tight timeframes, and to remain friendly and diplomatic under pressure

• Passion to build knowledge and experience in climate alignment and strategizing and implementing net zero in FIs

• Fluent in English spoken and written

• Based in the Netherlands (in exceptional cases, we may consider supporting relocation)

We do not view gaps in resumes negatively if they help build the additional skills, passion and drive that are needed for this role.

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 salary tailored to your qualities and experience
• 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
• Hybrid working to blend home working for focus and office working for collaboration and co-creation
• Personal growth and challenging work with endless possibilities
• An informal working environment with innovative colleagues

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.

Questions?

Contact the recruiter attached to the advertisement for more information. Want to apply directly? Please upload your CV and motivation letter by clicking the “Apply” button.

Please note, multiple interview steps involving various business stakeholders will be part of the selection process.