More training
A valuable experience
66 Rabobank Group Annual Report 2003
consists of elected members and which supervises the management's
policy. In the view of the working group, it is important that member
influence is embedded in both models, for that is and remains the
Rabobank's distinguishing feature. It is the intention to take a final
decision on the future local management model in 2004. Also in 2004, a
Local Management Supervision programme will be started in order to
implement the decision-making concerning the local management
model and to secure it in the organisation.
Mergers, the expansion of the range of services and the increasing
complexity of the banking business and its environment put high
demands on the quality of managers and supervisors. Accordingly,
the range of training courses for local managers and supervisors was
greatly expanded in 2003 and all concerned eagerly used these
professionalisation programmes. In all, around 100 workshops were
organised, with a total of 1,100 people participating. Particularly popular
were the programmes on the Rules on the Organisation and Control of
Local banks, result-driven management and self-assessment. Also, many
new managers and supervisors attended the introduction course 'The
first 100 days with Rabobank'. Apart from this programme, local
Rabobanks can draw on tailored advice on the boards' functioning or
local membership policy. In 2003, fifty banks made use of this opportunity.
In addition, Rabobank Nederland offers a Management and Supervisory
Board Guide, a magazine and a digital newsletter to promote the
professionalism of the boards. In this context, a number of dedicated
manuals, best practices and protocols have been developed, which are
used by nearly all the banks.
'I have been a member of the supervisory
board of Rabobank Giessenlanden for
almost two years now. Last year I followed
the course 'The first 100 days with
Rabobank'. I would recommend it to
anyone! You get the opportunity to talk to
managers and supervisors from through
out the country.That alone was a valuable
experience. In addition, you get to know
which information is available to help you
properly fulfil your responsibilities. But
most importantly: your learn what your
Henk Voormolen, director of Albron Catering and member of the local supervisory board of Rabobank Giessenlanden.