Giving entrepreneurs and liberal professionals the necessary peace of mind to focus on what really matters is what Bank Van Breda is all about. CEO Dirk Wouters willingly explains the social relevance of his bank.

What is the purpose of our core business? What is the social impact of our daily actions? More and more businesses are asking themselves this question and are choosing the path of socially relevant entrepreneurship.

We, as a bank, also endeavour to find solutions to social challenges by drawing on our particular expertise. Corporate social responsibility is no longer a trend but a necessity. Transparent and ethical behaviour is essential in this respect. Such a policy also encompasses support for charity and good causes. However, it is about a great deal more.

What is the social relevance of the financial sector in general and Bank Van Breda in particular?

The financial sector

The social relevance of the financial sector can be found in three areas. We make economic transactions possible. We ensure that payments are easily made. We also support projects. A family that wants to buy a home, a liberal professional who wants to set up a practice, or an entrepreneur who wants to grow his business: we give them all a chance by offering them a loan. Finally, we want to safeguard the prosperity that was built by earlier generations.

This especially remains a major challenge. With an inflation rate of 2% and an interest rate of just 0.11% on savings, that prosperity is steadily eroded. This has dire consequences in light of an ageing population and the attendant pensions issue. The financial choices that people make today are, more than ever, socially relevant. The right type of investment can, in the long term, guarantee their financial independence after their working life. Asset management plays a crucial role in this context.

Bank van Breda

Bank Van Breda’s added value lies precisely in this asset management. Today, as much as 274 billion euros is parked in Belgian savings accounts. This is undoubtedly explained by the fact that quite a number of people have had bad experiences with investments and have sworn never to invest again. Likewise, a large number of individuals know for certain from hearsay that investing is a risky business and something you best stay well away from. As a result, far too many Belgians choose to do nothing whatsoever in the way of investment.

So how can we, as a bank, help entrepreneurs and liberal professionals with asset building and sustainable investment? It is a challenge in which we have acquired many years of expertise.

Together with the client we make an inventory of what he or she has, and based on this information we prepare an overview of his or her financial situation. Then we give them an insight into what they can do with those assets with a view to the future. Once they have this overview and insight, they can eventually make the right financial choices. It is our responsibility as a bank to follow up on this. We go to look for carefully considered and bespoke solutions that are independent of chance or personal initiative.

Our business

Finance and health have a lot in common. As long as all goes well, we don’t think much about it. But when the day comes when your bank account is empty or you learn that you are sick, it suddenly becomes the most important thing in your life.

More so than anyone else, Bank Van Breda wants to make sure that entrepreneurs and liberal professionals have as few financial worries as possible. That leaves them free to focus on what really matters: their passion and their professional challenges.

Our entrepreneurs are the engine of our economy. Our liberal professionals guarantee health care, legal certainty and financial transparency. Together, they make a crucial contribution to our prosperity and well-being.

Their focus is to all our benefit. And so we come full circle; a circle in which we as Bank Van Breda are privileged and able to be a link. We are proud of that, and rightly so. With that same passion for our business, we give the best of ourselves, day after day. With success, but above all with more and more satisfied and carefree clients.