We boast a rich and varied artistic and historic heritage at Fortis, reflecting the many entities and cultures that make up our group. Today, we maintain our arts collection and historical archives for several reasons. Given our role in the community, we feel we should provide our employees – as well as our customers and the general public – with a culturally inspiring environment by making art more accessible and by encouraging artistic creation. Several noteworthy initiatives have been taken that reflect this approach, such as the Sur Place exhibition in Amsterdam, which presented a range of works from Fortis’s collection in the Netherlands. And we have organised two photography competitions, open to the members of our art and study group and to final-year photography students, to celebrate the renovation of a prestigious building in Brussels. These events have helped make our company a central and dynamic member of the community.

Like art, history is the essence of a community. Fortis is proud of our rich history and know-how, which date back several centuries. As a major player in the economic and social sphere, we need to keep track of all our activities and initiatives so that we can share this heritage with the community and promote historical research. Making this valuable knowledge available is a vital aspect of social responsibility in the business sector.

Our approach is diverse, constantly evolving and directed at both internal and external audiences. We focus on activities outside our day-to-day operations so that we can become a truly integrated part of our cultural and social environment.