Since beginning of 2015 the bankers' oath is mandatory for all bankers in Netherlands. However, it doesn’t stop there as in some cases external contractors are also required to declare the oath. Of course this means dealing with a little bit of ceremony and paperwork to get the oath official. Traditionally small businesses and independent professionals don’t get too exited about doing "extra" paperwork. In this case there is a little bit more to it.

If you are asked to declare or swear the oath it means your work is considered to be of impact on the risk profile of the bank or that you deal with clients of the bank directly. (Be sure to check the Dutch law for an exact definition.) This can be translated as: the work you do is important for the bank. In this light the oath can be seen as a complement. Continue reading →