6
KaDO
band
Utrecht:
heart of Holland
Women in the
Rabobank Group
Aalsmeer, the largest flower auction in the world
Issue 4/September 22, 1989
Utrecht is the home-town
of one of Rabobank's two
head offices. Wlth 230,000
inhabltants Utrecht Is the
fourth largest city of the
Netherlands. Belng situated
In the centre of the country, It
Is often called the heart of
Holland. Utrecht has been a
Roman fortress, a Franklsh
citadel and a mlsslon station
of the Catholic church. Now It
Is a trade fair city - the Ko
ninklijke Jaarbeurs is our
head offlce's neighbour - and
houses head offices of many
natlonal and International
companles.
Utrecht has a thriving univer-
sity which was founded in
1636. In the old city centre
are canals with quays, giving
access to deep cellars, some-
times extending dozens of
metres under the merchant
houses. Many cellars are trans-
formed into pleasant restaur
ants and cafés. In the centre
stands the Dom cathedral with
the highest medieval tower in
the Netherlands (112 metres).
From its top, one has a superb
view of the old centre with its
large shopping precinct.
There is also a modern
covered shopping centre,
named Hoog Catharijne. It is
the largest covered shopping
centre in the Netherlands and
possibly in Europe.
Utrecht has a range of inter-
esting museums, such as the
Dutch Railway Museum, the
State Museum for religious
art and a Music Museum.
Also the small villages and
towns around Utrecht are
worth a visit. The lake areas
with their natural scenery and
water sports and the romantic
river Vecht have a character of
their own. Utrecht offers some-
thing for everyone.
Last year 17,252 women
and 14,752 men were em-
ployed in the Rabobank Group.
The vast majority of women at
Rabobank are to be found
working in lower positions. To
illustrate the point: on the
31st of December 1988,
3,949 men had a salary of
60,000 Dutch guilders or
more against 70 women. The
Executive Board of Rabobank
Nederland would like to see
more women in higher posi
tions within the Group. A
report has been drafted on
The Position of Women within
the Rabobank Group.'
In the Netherlands approxi-
mately 45% of women have
jobs. With the exception of Ire-
land, Italy and Spain this is
the lowest percentage in
Europe. In the United States
more than 65% of women
work, and in Great Britain
more than 60%. The front
runners are Denmark and
Sweden where almost 80% of
women are employed.
Most working women in the
Netherlands are young.
As soon as they have children,
still many of them stop work
ing. Lack of provision of day-
time child-care facilities is an
important reason for this.
In the report on the position of
women within the Rabobank
Group, all manner of points
are raised with the aim of pro
moting greater intake and
promotional prospects for
women with a higher educa-
tion. To realize this it is necess-
ary to encourage a change in
mentality. Not all Dutch man
agers consider it a matter of
course that men and women
should enjoy equal opportun-
ities, despite the existence of
a law to that effect. Studies
are also being done to test
the viability of providing day-
time child-care facilities at the
head offices of Rabobank
Nederland in Utrecht and Eind
hoven.
There are Dutch flowers
and plants throughout the
year. Despite the impressive
bulb fields, which draw many
thousands of tourists every
year, 90% of Dutch flowers
are nowadays grown in glass-
houses. Dutch flowers as well
as plants are sold through the
world's largest flower auctfon
In Aalsmeer, which is near to
Amsterdam. The total floor
area of the auction hall is
335,000 m2, equivalent to
the area of 60 fbotball
pitches. About 12 million
flowers and one million pot
plants are sold each day.
Each consignment is first
examined by inspectors who
record any observations on a
document. Auctioning can
then begin. The auctioneer
calls out the flowers he is of
fering and the nursery from
which they come. He also
reads out any remarks record-
ed by the inspectors. It is im
portant for the 300 buyers in
Many cellars in Utrecht are transformed into restaurants and cafés.
the auction hall to stop the
auction clock, which turns
backwards from 100 to 1, at
exactly the amount that they
consider right for the consign
ment on offer. A matter of
keeping their finger near the
stop button and quick reac-
tions. The auction computer in-
dicates who has bought which
consignment at which price.
So mistakes are impossible.
The traders have their flowery
merchandise within a mere 15
minutes of auctioning. You will
find the flowers and plants on
display in stalls and shops
throughout the Netherlands
just a short time later.
However, only a small part of
what is auctioned in Aalsmeer
remains in Holland. Over 80%
of the products are exported.
The exporters prepare the
large consignments of flowers
ready for dispatch. First by
splitting them into smaller
Standard bunches and then
carefully packing them, as
they have a long journey
ahead of them. Aircraft con
tainers are often filled in
the auction building. So the
flowers and plants are on sale
in florist's shops all over the
world by the same evening or
the following morning. As an
agribusiness bank, Rabobank
is of course present in the
auction hall with a Branch.
Three colleagues are respon-
sible for foreign exchange
transactions, which are the
main business of the office.
When visiting Holland, a tour
to the Flower Auction is worth-
while.