a.s.r. once again leads the VBDO benchmark on responsible investment
a.s.r. has once again been ranked as the best-performing Dutch insurer in the biennial ‘Insuring the Future’ benchmark by the Dutch Association of Investors for Sustainable Development (VBDO). With an overall score of 4.4, a.s.r. tops the ranking. The benchmark assesses insurers on both their policies and their implementation of sustainability practices, covering themes such as climate, biodiversity, health and social issues.
It is the first time since 2019 that a.s.r. has reclaimed the top position. In 2021 and 2023, a.s.r. placed third and second, respectively. Returning to number one is a strong recognition of the efforts made in recent years. a.s.r. also achieved the highest score of all insurers in the Governance category (4.6), underscoring how deeply sustainability is embedded in its investment policy and decision-making processes.
Raquel Criado Larrea, Head of Responsible Investment at a.s.r. asset management: ‘In recent years, we have broadened and deepened our responsible investment policy across our four focus themes (Climate Change & Energy Transition, Biodiversity & Natural Resources, Health & Well-being, and Human Rights) and in the area of impact investing. This year, VBDO looked beyond policy and focused more on practice, which makes this recognition even more rewarding. It confirms that we not only set ambitious goals, but also deliver on them, both in policy and in execution, across our entire portfolio’.
The full benchmark report is available on the VBDO website.
VBDO Benchmark responsible investment by insurance companies in the Netherlands
Since 2009, VBDO has published its Benchmark Responsible Investment by Insurance Companies. VBDO researchers assess the 30 largest Dutch insurers for their performance in responsible, sustainable and impact investment. Special attention goes to themes like climate change and biodiversity. For more information, visit: www.vbdo.nl/en
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13 Nov 2025
Diederik Schouten appointed deputy director of Pensions at a.s.r.
As of 1 December 2025, a.s.r. has appointed Diederik Schouten as deputy director and head of operations Pensions. In this new role, he will be responsible for the entire operational domain within the a.s.r. pensions business unit . Diederik Schouten will report to director of Pensions Folkert Pama, and will be part of the management team. -
11 Nov 2025
Importance of funeral insurance recognised by young adults, but remains off-topic
Young people do value funeral insurance, similar to older generations, but they rarely talk about it. This is evident from a representative study by a.s.r. among 1,250 Dutch people aged 18 to 80. 6 in 10 Dutch people consider funeral insurance a relevant product, with the prevention of unexpected costs for surviving relatives cited as the main reason. Savings are most frequently mentioned as an alternative by those who choose not to take out funeral insurance. -
4 Nov 2025
a.s.r. successful in supporting people distanced from the labour market
a.s.r. has once again achieved Step 1 on the Social Enterprise Performance Ladder (PSO), a national certification that promotes socially responsible entrepreneurship. This means that for both 2025 and 2026, a.s.r. remains the only insurer in the Netherlands to hold this highest distinction. On average, a.s.r. employs more people with a distance to the labour market than organisations of similar size.