Corporate Sociai Responsibility and sustainable development
are hot topics at the moment, but at Rabobank, we've been
active for years. The Word gets to know Louise Fresco,
Supervisory Board member and Professor of International
Development and Sustainability at the University of
Amsterdam, and asks how we can use our F&A expertise to
contribute even more.
Ten
questions
for Louise
Fresco
1Who is Louise Fresco (55)?
'When I was growing up, I was surrounded by books and art. As a
child, I was often ill.That gave me a lot of time to read and think.
Much of my youth was spent abroad; I graduated high school at the
European School in Brussels. I was always interested in social issues.
As a result, I wanted to do something socially relevant, so I studied at
the Agricultural University in Wageningen, the Netherlands. I feit that
food security is the basis for everything.'
2. What is your life motto?
'I feel passionately about equity and development, and how science
can contribute to both. I'm a naturally curious person and believe it's
important to keep looking at things from a different angle, to keep
18 I The Word
on learning. The two most important guidelines in my work are trust
and integrity.'
3. You are a scientist, director and manager, columnist and fïction
writer. Which is closest to your heart?
They are all facets of who I am, all interconnected; a scientific question
can give me an idea for a new novel. Whether it is leadership or writing,
all demand the same capabilities: analytical thinking and creativity.'
4. Your career so far has been eclectic. Has there been one highlight?
'Every phase of my career has had its highlights. I look back fondly on
my time in Italy at the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation.
