Luxembourg (Helvilux)— The Luxembourg Association of Banking and Insurance Employees (ALEBA) has acknowledged growing public unease over ING Luxembourg’s continued sponsorship of the ING Night Marathon, warning that maintaining a strong external image while employees face job losses and reduced benefits risks deepening dissatisfaction within the bank and beyond.
Responding to questions from Helvilux, ALEBA media spokeperson Léna PIGNON emphasized that while the marathon sponsorship is part of a long-standing visibility and branding strategy, its continuation comes at a particularly sensitive moment. ING’s withdrawal from mass retail banking, combined with branch closures and job reductions, has left many employees and customers feeling unsettled.
“The ING Night Marathon is a symbolic event and ING Luxembourg has been its long-standing sponsor, including during the pandemic years” ALEBA stated. “However, given the current backdrop of branch closures and job cuts, this continuation can justifiably cause unease among both the public and affected employees.”
According to the union, it is understandable that some view the sponsorship as a discrepancy — or even as an attempt to improve the bank’s image – while the social consequences of its strategic decisions remain very real.
Sponsorship vs. management decisions
ALEBA stressed the importance of distinguishing between sponsorship and communication decisions on the one hand, and management decisions on the other. Nonetheless, the union acknowledged that their coexistence in the current context raises legitimate questions.
“Even if these decisions are different in nature, their overlap deserves attention,” ALEBA noted, pointing to the reputational risk of promoting a positive public image while internal confidence deteriorates.
Employee dissatisfaction and perceived injustice
The union also highlighted a growing sense of injustice among employees. While significant sums are allocated to sponsoring major public events, staff have experienced a gradual erosion or questioning of benefits in recent years, including bonuses, preferential banking conditions and mortgage advantages.
“This situation is understandably causing dissatisfaction within the company,” ALEBA said, underlining the need for transparent communication and a reassessment of priorities between external visibility and internal recognition of employees.
In this context, ALEBA emphasized the importance of the negotiated social plan, describing it as a crucial protective framework for affected employees.
“It should be remembered that without a negotiated social plan, the impact on people would have been far more severe,” the union stated. “While it does not eliminate the difficulties, it provides essential protection.”
Corporate social responsibility under scrutiny
On the broader question of corporate social responsibility, ALEBA acknowledged that sponsorship of sports and community events plays a valuable role in Luxembourg’s social life. However, it warned that social responsibility cannot be limited to external perceptions.
“It is primarily measured by the quality of social dialogue and the way employees are treated, especially during times of profound change,” ALEBA said. “If an employer’s internal image deteriorates, maintaining a very positive external image can seem inappropriate.”
The union called for a better balance between internal well-being and external communication, arguing that genuine social responsibility requires coherence between the two.
Wider impact on the local economy
ALEBA also pointed to the broader social and economic implications of ING’s strategic shift, which it described as a realignment toward activities deemed more profitable at group level, despite discontinued activities being operationally sound.
“This logic, perceived as a prioritization of financial indicators, has significant social consequences for employees and customers and, more broadly, for the local economy,” the union warned.
ALEBA concluded by reaffirming its commitment to social dialogue and responsible restructuring, stressing that economic performance should not come at the expense of social cohesion in the long term.
