Japke Kaastra - Head of Financial Health
It only takes a few motivated people to initiate positive change
Financial health is the common thread in Japke Kaastra's work. From her first role in ING's Financial Fit program to her current job - Head of Financial Health for ING Netherlands - she is tirelessly committed to it.
“Financial health is really my theme,” Japke agrees. “It is an area in which we as a bank can do a lot. For our own customers and employees, but also beyond. I find it infinitely important to find out how we can encourage people to make positive changes with regard to their financial fitness. How we can motivate young people to save. Encourage self-employed people to arrange something for disability and pension. And how we can encourage everyone to build up a financial buffer.”
Common Goals
Initiatives for this are not limited to the bank. “On the contrary. The key to results lies in collaboration with as diverse a group of partners as possible from private and public parties and other banks. Based on our common goals, we work together to achieve this. For example, the Dutch Debt Relief Route and the National Coalition for Financial Health were launched together with SchuldenlabNL . And great programs such as Nobody Offside , together with the KNVB. ING is a proud main sponsor.”
“Thanks to our involvement in these kinds of initiatives, I now have a large network of people who are all intrinsically motivated to help people get and keep their finances in order. Now and in the future. That network makes it increasingly easier to set up sharing initiatives. I have experienced that you only need a few highly motivated people to initiate positive change, and that is very encouraging.”
Rich country
“In the Netherlands, there is a lot of attention for the importance of financial health. We are a rich country, and many people are doing well. But there is also a large group of Dutch people who do not know how to make it to the end of the month with their money. And that can happen to anyone. Illness, divorce, job loss: these kinds of life events are all too often the prelude to (beginning) financial problems.
We have 7.1 million opportunities to reach customers every day
“ING can do a lot with its large reach. We have 7.1 million log-ins per day on our mobile banking app. That is 7.1 million opportunities to reach customers with personal insights to make financially healthy choices. So we give tips like: apply for healthcare allowance for your child who is turning 18, that is almost 1500 euros per year. And: try to create a buffer so that you can absorb setbacks. Consider whether investing suits you in addition to saving. We also work together with other organizations. For example, we push the ' Pay later hangover' campaign of the Ministry of SZW in our app for the younger target group.”
Small and big steps
"In this way, we are taking small and large steps towards better financial health for all Dutch people. And with effect! A tip in the ING app about applying for allowances retroactively was the best-scoring digital expression of the year. And the service Rond af & Spaar is a bull's eye. Customers with little savings in particular use it and save up almost the deductible of their health insurance with small amounts in a year."
Only big ambitions lead to big results
Japke does it for these kinds of successes. And she continues to work to measurably improve the financial health of households. “With the National Coalition for Financial Health, our goal is: 50 percent fewer financially vulnerable households in 2030. That is a true 'blow up boundaries' goal - we got the term from Paul Polman, the former CEO of Unilever. Only big ambitions lead to big results. I am proud of what we have already achieved inside and outside the bank, and especially in collaboration with partners, to improve financial health. But if we have achieved this goal by 2030, then I will be super proud.”
About Japke
Japke studied International Business Communications at Radboud University Nijmegen. She started as a trainee at ING, quit and started the first e-mail marketing agency in the Netherlands, together with a former ING colleague. A few years later she returned to ING. In addition to her work, she also studied Digital Marketing Strategy and Behavioral Psychology.
Japke lives in the middle of Amsterdam with her 3 children. She loves the city, but also nature. “I do street gardening and drag bags full of garden soil to my upstairs apartment to see everything grow.”