ABN AMRO CULTURE AND E-LEARNING PROCESS

2. CONTENT
 INTRODUCTION
 CONCEPT 1: CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
 CONCEPT 2:CULTURE
 CONCEPT 3: INNOVATION & CREATIVITY
 CONSIDERATIONS
 CONCLUSION

3. An Introduction
 Netherlands' former two largest banks Algemene Bank
Nederland (ABN) and Amsterdam-Rotterdam Bank
(AMRO) merged to form ABN AMRO Bank in 1991.
 . ABN AMRO is an international bank with roots
stretching back to 1824. ABN AMRO ranks eighth in
Europe and 13th in the world based on total assets. ABN
AMRO is Holland’s leading bank operating over 800
offices in Holland together with 2,600 worldwide offices
in 75 different countries with over 110,000 employees.

4.  ABN AMRO serves retail, private and commercial
banking customers in the Netherlands and across the
globe. Along with a comprehensive range of products
and services, we offer in-depth financial expertise,
extensive knowledge of numerous sectors and an
international network supporting our customers'
domestic and international operations.

5.  We aim to respond to the ever-changing market
and, in doing so, to our customers’ ever-changing
needs. Customers want a bank that
acts in the context of today’s realities and is
straightforward with them at all times; a bank
that learns from its experiences and whose top
priority is to provide the best possible service.

6. Concept 1: Continuous
Improvement
A Learning Organisation
 Learning is a major priority for the organisation. Being a
dynamic and a fast growing organisation, there is the
need for staff flexibility, staff mobility and staff adaptation
to new technologies, practices, situations and
challenges.
 Learning is an investment and an ongoing process in
ABN AMRO adding value both to the organisation and to
its employees.

7. Development
programmes
Learning
Management
programmes
Leadership
programmes
Job
Related
Training

8. E-learning
 E-learning is an innovative learning solution and is the
only way forward for a global Learning Organisation such
as ABN AMRO where staff is deployed worldwide.
 Continuous improvement is achievable through the
continued upgrading of the organizational Total Quality
Management practices as an ongoing learning
experience.
 TQM can be achieved by having a knowledgeable
workforce who continuously strives for self-improvement
and through personal development for the benefit of both
the organisation and its employees.

9. Concept 2: Culture
Managing Cultural Change through
Learning
 ABN AMRO is an active Learning Organisation and has
an aggressive program aimed to change the traditional
banking culture to meet today’s challenges.
 "We’re going through so much change," says Director of
Training Judi Davenport means that we need to help
people through that change... as people need new skills
and knowledge, we need to be there to give it to them
and not let that happen by chance"

10. Change Community
 ABN AMRO set up a community program referred to as
‘The Change Community’ with the purpose "to live, plant
and support action at ABN AMRO towards more
meaningful and inspiring work/life.“
 The community meet at regular intervals to engage in
dialogue and reflection regarding issues of importance to
the organisation and society such as diversity, work-life
balance, bringing individual values to work and
sustainable development.
 Together, members exchange ideas and dilemmas with
the intent to support the integration of sustainable
development in the organisation.

11. An Opportunity for Growth
 ABN AMRO is clearly creating and maintaining its
learning culture through the adaptation of cultural
changes, through collaborative team work and through
employee empowerment by focusing on employee
involvement as a work/life experience.
 "Change is underway and we are in good shape to forge
ahead…" said Mark Fisher, Chairman of ABN AMRO
Managing Board.
 ABN AMRO bringing a new challenging learning
experience to the organisation by Sharing experiences
with the consortium partners once again brings new
knowledge and enhances the organisational culture

12. Concept 3: Innovation &
Creativity
 Innovation and Creativity is a main pillar in any Learning
Organisation. Innovation and Creativity will contribute
towards potential increased efficiency in an organisation
provided that its employees learn quickly how to adapt
themselves to new technologies and innovations in an
effort to position the organisation in a competitive edge.

13. Social and Environmental Innovative
Sustainability - A core strategy at ABN AMRO
 Sustained Social and Environmental causes form an
integral part of ABN AMRO Social Responsibility
business strategy.
 The bank strives to include a concern for social and
environmental issues in its decision-making and
encourages other businesses to create benefit in society.
 The innovativeness of this sustainability mindset has led
to numerous activities that are creating a shift in the
impact of ABN AMRO on both the environment and
society.

14.  "Because banks are a part of society, we want our
activities to reflect the needs and problems of that
society," says ABN AMRO manager Lucian Toia.
 ABN AMRO involves employees to practice and promote
exceptional philanthropy. In 2004, over 15,000
employees were involved in various initiatives around the
world such as the Akatu project in Brazil which is a
program that builds environmental awareness.
 Through this initiative ABN AMRO as a Learning
Organisation is helping employees enhance their
knowledge and skills in areas which are not related to
their line of business, brining new opportunities for
personal development.

15. Worldwide Common Office Environment (COE)
Deployment Project
 ABN AMRO’s COE Wholesale Client Services business
brought innovation and new practices for over 3000
Traders in the organisation with the objective of
streamlining common standards across its global
business. This project impacted 10 different countries
being UK, US, Netherlands, France, Germany, Hong
Kong, Singapore, Australia, Japan and New Zealand
which are key to the ABN AMRO’s business.
 The challenge was to provide user training with minimal
impact on business operations and without taking the
user away from their desks for long periods of time.

16.  This task was entrusted to ILX Group which is a
specialist provider of customized training and
implementation solutions and services with considerable
experience in the financial sector.
 ILX deployed a simple and unobtrusive global solution
whereby users can self train with a practical hands-on
approach from their own PC through graphical step-by-step
guides and simple exercises.
 This was a new learning experience for the organisation
taking advantage of innovative technology as a Learning
Organisation process.

17. High-tech Training Platform - Pathlore
Learning Management Solution
 ABN AMRO has partnered with Pathlore to deploy a
learning management solution in its organisation. This
solution enables employees to analyze their training
needs and to receive feedback on how to improve their
performance. This solution also automates many of the
employee development activities handled by a bank's
training department such as the registration of
employees for training and the launching of courses.

18.  This gives the bank's training team an opportunity to
concentrate more on the evaluation of the effectiveness
of its programmes and to create new and strategic
training initiatives rather than wasting its resources on
Administrative tasks.
 "The Pathlore learning management solution also
handles the 'commodity activities' associated with getting
people into training - things like logistics and
registrations." added Pathlore CEO Steve Thomas.
 Again this solution engages the organisation in
innovation, creativity and continuous development as a
Learning Organisation.

19. ABN AMRO Bank Introduces Service
Innovations
 The bank is investing considerably in Information
Communication Technology giving the organisation a
competitive edge.
 “Focus 2005” is a 5 year long-term plan with the
objective of redesigning the organisation for more
effective customer service in an era where technological
developments such as the Internet are rapidly altering
service requirements.

20.  "With this initiative and our investment in information and
communications technology, ABN AMRO Bank is further
developing the successful formula of the integrated
multi-channel concept," says Managing Board member
Mr. Rijkman Groenink, who heads the new European
Division.
ABN AMRO Implement Compliant Business Processes
and Create a Flexible User Experience
 ABN AMRO took the decision to change ABN AMRO
Trust working practices in order to create a more
agile enterprise by improving its customer service.

21.  The goal was to enable employees performing multiple
tasks through a single interface together with a common
customer information database.
 This required an integrated approach to its technology,
strategy and business processes, yet again bringing
innovation and new learning challenges to the
organisation.
 ABN AMRO opted for an IT solution named edge
Connect to reach its objectives through which it was able
to standardize its processes across each jurisdiction,
providing each user with a consistent way of working,
regardless of location, business function or business
role.

22.  This solution ensures that the proper ABN AMRO’s
KYC procedures (Know-Your-Customer checks) are
followed throughout the organisation. Furthermore, this
technology provides advice to employees on whether a
potential client should be accepted or rejected thus
enhancing the decision making process.
 “We could introduce more products to the existing client
base with the same staff levels because we could share
information across ABN AMRO Trust as a single entity
thereby removing duplication of tasks,” says Tony de
Bree, former project manager, ABN AMRO Trust.

23. Considerations
 It is evident that ABN AMRO is a dynamic Learning
Organisation which is always in search of new
opportunities for business growth. Living in an ever
evolving environment, organisations need to be pro-active,
to anticipate change, to develop new ideas and to
manage resources with care. ABN AMRO recognises
that its survival depends on continuous development and
innovation and creativity which can only be achieved
through a never ending learning experience. ABN AMRO
is committed and is engaged in this Learning
Organisation process and from the research carried out
we can conclude that ABN AMRO is:

24.  Building its organisation fit for human beings
 Creating a capacity for self-transformation
 Developing an entrepreneurial spirit
 Encouraging autonomy
 Encouraging innovation
 Ensuring employee morale and satisfaction
 Facilitating change and adaptation
 Harnessing creative energy
 Increasing responsibility at all levels in the organisation
 Making work more enjoyable and productive
 Mobilizing every ounce of intelligence in the workforce
 Producing more with less

25.  Stimulating continuous improvement
 Striving for survival
 Switching on the brains of all employees
 Is in a Competitive Edge
 Using human talents to the full
…………………………all of which are characteristics of a
Learning Organisation.
 The main pillars of a Learning Organisation i.e.
“Continuous Improvement”, “Culture” & “Innovation and
Creativity” are a living monument in ABN AMRO Bank
which contributes towards the organization's success,
survival and potential future growth.

26. CONCLUSION
 Innovation and creativity is a pillar in a Learning
Organisation and it is clear that ABN AMRO is second to
none. Through innovative IT solutions ABN AMRO is
facilitating learning and knowledge creation throughout
the organisation.
 Through the deployment of innovative solutions, ABN
AMRO focuses on quality, creativity and value
innovation. The deployment of new service innovations
also streamlines common standards across its business
in an effort to fulfill global and legal obligations.

27. THE END