When you join ING, you’re joining a potential network of thousands of colleagues from many different educational and cultural backgrounds, providing you with the chance to tap into a wealth of knowledge and experience. It goes without saying that you will get to know your colleagues in your own team or department very well, working closely with them on day-to-day projects and most likely having similar skills and backgrounds. But maybe you would like to get to know more of your colleagues in other areas, or you have a particular hobby or interest that you’d like to share with like-minded souls. Or perhaps you feel that a certain group is currently under-represented – at ING you can take the initiative to do something about it!

ING facilitates various networking groups, including:

• De Oranje Leeuw (The Orange Lion) and various employee societies
• Lioness, the ladies-only network
• Ring, the network for young people
• GALA, the Gay and Lesbian Network
• ING Crossing, the network supporting and encouraging cultural diversity

There are many different employee societies active within ING. De Oranje Leeuw (The Orange Lion) is by far the largest and best-known association at ING but there are also many more smaller groups that are involved in organising a range of social, sporting and cultural events for ING employees.

Set up in 1996, Lioness – the networking group for women at ING – currently has around 1,000 members. The aim of the network is to encourage women to take a pro-active role in their own career development at ING. The group organises regular events and publishes the quarterly magazine Lionpress which contains interviews and practical advice on how to make the most of the opportunities ING provides for further professional and personal development.

Ring – the network for young(er) people within the ING Group – was set up with the aim of further promoting the financial services sector to young people and in particular to facilitate contact between colleagues of a similar age across the various business units. Members of Ring also have access to a wide network of young people working at other large Dutch organisations via the InterCompany Association (ICA). Ring organises a broad programme of activities, such as its traditional New Year’s lecture – which has featured top-level speakers including members of the Board, key ING executives from abroad and other noteworthy guests from outside of the company – and international trips to visit ING offices around the world.

GALA is an international network for ING employees of any sexual orientation, be they homosexual, bisexual or transsexual – and heterosexuals are also more than welcome to join. Set up in 2004, GALA currently has more than 1,100 members across 25 countries. The GALA networking group organises a wide range of activities for its members, offering advice and support on all aspects of homosexuality at work. GALA strives to create and maintain an atmosphere of acceptance, understanding and respect at ING for all employees, irrespective of whether they are gay, straight or otherwise.

ING Crossing is an employee networking group with the aim of supporting cultural diversity. Membership is open to all ING staff – not only for those who have a non-Dutch background, but also for anyone who is keen on learning more about different cultures. Members of ING Crossing are generally ambitious professionals whose awareness of and openness to the many cultural differences helps them to make an essential contribution to ING’s success.