The planned strengthening of the co-operative core business, which consists of the local Rabobanks and their clients/members, places new demands on the co-operative's structure and the relationship between local and central management. More female managers and supervisors Greater demands on managers and supervisors 60 Rabobank Group Annual Report 2002 Directors and supervisors Our market leadership ambition requires effective management, in which responsibilities for the commercial development of activities, the general strategy and the steering of Rabobank Nederland's umbrella co-operative organisation are clearly embedded. For this reason, Rabobank Nederland's management structure underwent fundamental changes in the year under review. Please refer to the section Main events and the Report of the Supervisory Board. As a result of the change, the local Rabobanks have been granted direct influence on Group strategy through the medium of the Central Delegates Assembly (CKV).They also have budgetary rights for the costs charged on by Rabobank Nederland to the local banks. In 2002,37 local Rabobanks merged to form 17 merger banks. As a result of these concentrations, the total number of Rabobanks de clined from 369 to 349 local, independent banks, each with its own local board. At the end of 2002, there were approximately 1,700 directors in all, 1,350 of whom had been elected directly by and from among the members. The general manager of each Rabobank is a member of the board (Director).The board's policy is reviewed by the local supervisory boards, which have a total of 1,765 super visors. In the year under review, approximately 500 managers and supervisors retired, partly as a result of mergers and board reduc tions. Of the more than 200 new managers and supervisors, 20% were women. In order to ensure a proper reflection of clients and members, the recruitment and selection of suitable managers and supervisors was broadened in the year under review. Diversity in the boards ensures greater empathy for clients, members and their social circumstances and a better reflection of local developments and sentiments in the Bank's policy. The mergers and the broadening of the total service package plus the increasing complexity of the business and its environment place higher demands on the managerial quality in the local banks. Managers, Directors and supervisors have access to specific web sites providing them with information tailored to their responsibili ties. In the year under review, Rabobank Nederland developed a series of activities to further the professionalisation of members of the local boards. Complementary to the customary individual trai ning courses, such as the induction programme, working conferen ces were organised for the chairmen of both boards of local Rabobanks. Similarly, a programme of various workshops, learning

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Annual Reports Rabobank | 2002 | | pagina 62