CSRD Spotlight
Press Release | April 2025
ABN AMRO launches first-ever CSRD report — a solid start with room for storytelling
In a move watched closely across Europe’s financial sector, ABN AMRO has published its first-ever Integrated Annual Report aligned with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). As one of the Netherlands’ leading banks, ABN AMRO’s debut CSRD-aligned report sets the tone for sustainability disclosures in the banking sector. And while the report meets regulations, a closer look reveals important lessons for corporate communication professionals, investors, and sustainability professionals alike.
A technically strong yet stylistically flat report
The 2024 report shows a clear commitment to transparency, presenting data-rich disclosures in line with the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). Topics such as financed emissions, the Green Asset Ratio, and double materiality are given ample attention. But beyond the compliance, the report struggles to connect — with its audience, its message, and itself.
What holds it back?
- Inconsistent formatting. Some headlines are capitalised, others are not — making the report appear visually inconsistent.
- Weak and unengaging headlines. Titles like “These are our employees” or “Help with banking advisers” lack clarity and pull, offering little incentive to read further.
- Disconnected storytelling. Interviews with staff (like the adviser on page 23) feel more like standalone features than part of a cohesive narrative arc.
- Dry section introductions. Many chapters start with passive, overly technical summaries that fail to engage or inform.
- Clunky or unclear phrasing. Headlines such as “Future-proof bank” or percentages without context (“92%”) leave readers asking “so what?”
Missed opportunity? Humanising the numbers
To its credit, the bank makes an attempt at storytelling by including personal interviews. However, these are not fully integrated into the overall strategy narrative and feel tacked on rather than embedded. Key frameworks, like the SDGs, are given very little attention as an afterthought and also introduced too late in the document (page 26) to give meaningful context to earlier content.
A good CSRD report must do more than inform — it must engage, inspire, and invite action. And that’s where ABN AMRO’s first effort feels like a missed opportunity.
A first step — and a call to evolve
ABN AMRO’s CSRD debut is a clear signal of intent and a valuable learning moment — not just for the bank, but for the wider business community navigating this new era of sustainability reporting. The foundations are there. What’s needed next is a more compelling narrative, sharper framing, and a stronger human voice to truly bring the numbers to life.
As the CSRD reshapes corporate accountability, ABN AMRO’s report reminds us: regulation can require transparency — but it’s communication that builds trust.
Read the full report: ABN AMRO Integrated Annual Report 2024 (PDF)