In the run-up to the (early) House of Representatives elections of November 2023, various issue owners will speak out who are committed to getting important issues on the political agenda. The reason for this series is the growing recognition of the importance of social issues and the active role that various organizations play in influencing policymakers and politicians.
The third interview features Piet Sprengers, head of Sustainability Strategy at ASN Bank. ASN Bank has been active as a sustainable bank since 1960. It can be said that ASN Bank has put sustainable banking on the map in the Netherlands. How does this organization ensure attention is paid to their issue during the upcoming elections?
“We hope that the voter not only votes for their own interests and the 'here and now', but also for the future and the common interest.”
Which issues are relevant to your organization in the run-up to the elections?
ASN Bank focuses on climate, human rights and biodiversity. It is important to us that there is a more ambitious climate policy, that the protection and restoration of nature is higher on the agenda and that Dutch legislation is introduced for companies in the field of chain responsibility. These topics form the core of our mission and are therefore our focus outside election times.
Do you think that your social issue will be on the political agenda this election period? And are you actively working on this as an organization?
Fortunately, climate is high on the agenda for various parties. This applies to a lesser extent to measures to restore and protect nature. We believe that this should be more concrete and ambitious. There is a joint proposal from a number of parties to include companies' chain responsibility for damage to people and the environment in Dutch legislation. We hope that there will be an election result that will ensure that the House of Representatives gives this as an assignment to the new cabinet. We will make ourselves heard more during this election period, but also during the rest of the year.
Has the issue your organization is dealing with received more attention during this election period? And in what way?
Fortunately, the themes of climate and biodiversity are in the spotlight, but this has not yet led to sufficient measures. Our waters are highly polluted and there is a surplus of nitrogen in the soil. Given the crucial importance of climate and biodiversity for our future, there is never enough attention to this. More attention and action are urgently needed for human rights. Ultimately, everything revolves around protecting people. The hard facts and research force us to one conclusion: the sustainable transition must accelerate. Such a system change demands a lot from society and people, but it also offers great opportunities and future prospects.
What should voters pay attention to if they find your issue and social theme important?
We hope that the voter not only votes for their own interests and the 'here and now', but also for the future and the common interest. To help people, we publish the Sustainable Voting Guide. In this guide, the 9 political parties that rank highest in the poll show what they stand for based on sustainable statements. This helps people who want to use their voice to make a sustainable choice. We hope that voters will give serious weight to the changes that are necessary for climate, biodiversity and human rights. Much depends on how change-oriented our new cabinet is. It is very important that voters use their vote to influence the course of the future cabinet.
