CSR targets for all entities
65 Rabobank Group Annual Report 2005
Corporate social responsibility
services.
For many years, the Rabobank Foundation has supported savings and
loan cooperatives in developing countries. Early last year, Rabo Financial
Institutions Development B.V. was established. It provides capital to
banks with a national coverage and develops these banks into fully-
fledged financial institutions.
In 2005, Rabobank, together with three Tanzanian consortium partners,
took a 49% interest in the National Microfinance Bank (NMB). In the
years to come, Rabobank will make a significant contribution to NMB's
management. In addition, Rabobank will provide technical support in
NMB's further development. With its 100 offices, this bank is one of
Tanzania's largest banks and is very important to the development of
the rural economy in this country.
In addition, the Rabobank Foundation and Rabobank International,
together with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Solidaridad,
launched the 'Sustainable Agriculture Guarantee Fund'. The aim of this
fund is to give small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises in
developing countries better access to affordable loans. The fund will
provide credit guarantees to local Rabobanks in South America, Africa
and Asia, enabling them to grant loans to farmers' cooperatives on
more favourable terms, for instance for the production and export of
sustainable, certified agricultural products such as coffee.
Every Group entity must formulate two concrete CSR targets for 2006
that tie in with the general targets, an example being the introduction
of CSR criteria in lending for Rabobank International. In 2007, all Group
entities will be assessed on the achievement of the two targets set.
More information on Rabobank Group's CSR policy and activities
can be found in the Annual Responsibility and Sustainability
Report 2005. This report is available on the Internet. The Internet
version complies with the Global Reporting Initiative guidelines.
In addition, examples of interesting projects initiated by local
Rabobanks and Group entities can be found on the Internet.
See: www.rabobank.com
