i
Sustainability is a difficult
concept, and so people
look to the bank for
guidance. Many pros
and cons have to be
considered; there's no
blueprint.
I also remember the difficult years doing fieldwork in the rainforests of
Papua New Guinea and Zaire - without water and electricity. 1'm now
enjoying being back in the academie world, teaching young people.
There are so many highlights. For me, the glass is always half full.'
5. You are currently the only woman on the Supervisory Board.
Should that change?
'It doesn't matter whether there is one woman or five. For a
Supervisory Board to function, members have to be selected for their
expertise. However, research indicates that mixed groups function
better. All the members of the MBRI and the Supervisory Board are
aware there are too few women in senior positions. Setting quotas
does not work; companies should have concrete policies for identify-
ing and nurturing both men and women who show leadership
potential. This is already happening in Rabobank with the talent
development programme, so it is just a matter of time before things
change. The bank must use this talent pool well.'
6. Does your own agricultural background give you an extra affinity
with Rabobank?
'I am a real product of Wageningen University. Because of this exper
tise, I am interesting for Rabobank and vice versa. It is a good match.
The bank's traditions and the issues it is now involved in, such as the
emphasis on sustainable development, fit well with my own ideas.'
7. What does a Professor of International Development and
Sustainability contribute to the policy of a bank?
'As a professor, the dialogue between science and society is one of
my areas of interest. I have received many reactions to my Duisenberg
lecture about "food and fuel". That has led to contacts with different
areas of the bank, for example with the cleantech and F&A depart-
ments. These prove I can also be a practical sounding board on more
sustainable approaches. I talk about that a lot with people in the bank.'
8. How can banks contribute to sustainable development?
'As a global society, we need to switch to sustainable development.
That requires appropriate investment, legislation, fiscal arrange-
ments and shifts in consumer attitudes. Banks play an important role
in answering finance-related questions such as: What do we want
to stimulate? Which companies should we lend to? What kind of
houses do we want to build? The F&A sector in particular can make
a significant contribution to sustainable development.'
9. What should Rabobank's role in this area be?
'Sustainability is a difficult concept, so people look to the bank for
guidance. Many pros and cons have to be considered; there's no
blueprint. Rabobank has made definite progress in several areas,
such as the strong emphasis on cleantech and discussions on green
energy. Rabobank has to continually determine its position as socie-
ties develop. Sustainability is high on the Supervisory Board agenda,
but we also have to find a balance between what is commercial and
what is sustainable. It is a struggle, but there is absolutely no doubt it
has to be one of our guiding principles.'
10. Rapeseed or corn?
'In the Duisenberg lecture I gave in Singapore last September, I
emphasised that it isn't a question of food or fuel. It's a question of
development, where there is room for both. In the long term, it's not
a choice between rapeseed and corn, because growing these solely
for the production of bio diesel is expensive and inefficiënt. We need
to look for innovative solutions: the use of cellulose, waste products
- things that don't compete with human and animal food supplies.'
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