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On May 12, 2026, the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) published guidance on combating discrimination in banking services following an investigation into how banks address discriminatory practices. The AFM's research, conducted in collaboration with De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB), examined five major banks to assess their anti-discrimination approaches and maturity levels. The investigation found that people experience discrimination in their interactions with banks, often as an unintended consequence of risk-reduction processes. The AFM recognises that discrimination breaches customer interests and expects financial institutions to actively combat both direct and indirect discriminatory practices. The AFM identified five key expectations for banks to address discrimination: 1. Board-level commitment to a shared vision on combating discrimination. 2. Organisational structures enabling detection and effective handling of discrimination. 3. Organisational culture oriented towards preventing discrimination. 4. Appropriate communication during customer interactions and investigations. 5. Collection of signals and complaints to prevent discrimination. The AFM reported positively on initiatives undertaken by participating banks, noting that all recognised the problem of experienced discrimination in their services. Most acknowledged that recognition required time, after which they implemented proactive measures. Participating banks have established dedicated programmes and teams to reduce discrimination risks and are increasingly recognising the need for structural safeguards, including outcome monitoring and timely process adjustments to prevent indirect effects from causing systematic exclusion of specific groups. The AFM encourages all banks and financial institutions with similar customer-facing processes to use the expectations and accompanying recommendations from this report to actively combat discrimination. The AFM remains committed to supporting an inclusive financial sector through continued oversight and engagement.