THEME - SUSTAINABLE MARKETS A question of ethics The Rabobank Foundation: helping the poor to help themselves Striking a balance between long-term commercial interests and CSR is no easy task. The Rabobank Ethics Committee offers advice on how to handle dilemmas arising front commercial situations. Francoise Rost van Tonningen front the Secretariat of the Ethics Committee explains: 'We have drawn up a code of conduct and guidelines to offer support and a point of reference in changing times. The Palm Oil Code, which governs our activities as a financer of palm oil plantations in Indonesia, is a good example. While we recognize the importance of palm oil for global food pro duction and for the Indonesian econonty, we are also aware of the industry's detrimental effect on tropical rain forests. The Palm Oil Code sets out criteria which we expect our clients in this sector to meet. For instance, they must respect the ecological values of the rain forest and avoid illegal capping.' The code also addresses the social aspects of ecological sustainability, following guidelines issued by the World Bank and the International Forestry Council. 'We prefer to finance plantations linked to government programs which allow local people to buy and develop the land themselves,' says Rost van Tonningen. 'The palms they cultivate can then be sold to the plantations at a fair price. Our investment decisions are also based on environ- mental and social impact reports from our clients.' In addition, Rabobank Group works together with non- governmental organizations such as Amnesty International, Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth to produce guidelines Francoise Rost van Tonningen - a point of reference in changing times The Rabobank Foundation bas been involved in non prof it development work in the rural sector for 30 years. The foundation is deeply rooted in cooperation, literally giving money away, expecting nothing in re turn except the satisfaction of helping the poor to help themselves. Some examples from around the world follow: India Following a disastrous flood in the Madras region in the 1970s a group of women organized themselves into a credit group to alleviate poverty. They contacted the Rabobank Foundation for a small loan. From early initiatives such as basket weaving or selling tea and snacks on the streetswith help from the Rabobank Foundation, the network has grown into the Indian Cooperative for Women, with 47,000 female members running small busitiesses all over India. The Philippines The Vizcaya project trains local people to organize building cooperatives, alternative agriculture and savings and credit systems. Peru A donation from the Rabobank Foundation has given small farmers the opportunity to improve their income potential by cultivating worms to sell to fishermen on the shores of lake Titicaca. The Netherlands The Rabobank Foundation supports projects to im prove the quality of life for the handicapped, such as sheltered housing and work communities for handi capped adults. It has also provided funding to imple- ment an improved mailing service of spoken and Braille books for the blind and partially sighted. 12 Rl The Word I

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blad 'RI The Word / The Word' (EN) | 2003 | | pagina 12