Leasing
The Real Estate division
Organisational and financial
implications
Cooperative roots
Leading in HRM policy
Sustainability
Financial targets
De Lage Landen offers financing solutions world-wide aimed
at enhancing vendor sales - manufacturers or distributors -
via structured international collaboration and on the basis
of partnerships. Since it was decided in 2006 that De Lage
Landen is to be the centre of competence in consumer
credit, this has become an integral part of De Lage Landen's
strategy. In addition, De Lage Landen aims for a more
prominent profile as Rabobank's factoring specialist.
The acquisition of Athlon resulted in significant expansion
of the car lease activities, also outside the Netherlands. It is
De Lage Landen's ambition to be the most client oriented
car lease business in Europe.
Thanks to further growth, both organic and via the
acquisition of parts of Bouwfonds, the Real Estate division
acquired a stronger profile in 2006. The division intends to
strengthen its leading position in the Dutch market for the
development of owner-occupied houses and commercial
real estate. Abroad, the Real Estate division has a number of
housing and commercial real estate development projects
in its portfolio. It intends to obtain a dominant position in
commercial real estate financing. Rabobank will leverage its
distribution strength for the growth of assets managed by
real estate asset management.
Rabobank Group's strategic ambitions have been embedded
in a cooperative and high-quality organisation driven by
corporate social responsibility (CSR).
The cooperative is and remains Rabobank's cornerstone.
The local cooperative Rabobanks and their central
cooperative Rabobank Nederland, which is also the holding
company of the Group's subsidiaries, are and will continue
to be managed in accordance with the cooperative model.
Over the past years, Rabobank has succeeded in
strengthening its cooperative identity and one of the
results has been a large number of new members of the
local Rabobanks. In 2006, membership increased again,
by 90,000 to 1,641,000 (1,551,000). Further development of
active member engagement is crucial to the local coopera
tive's permanent license to operate. In the coming years,
the cooperative's distinct character will be emphasised
further, both internally and externally.
The quality of our people is of paramount importance to
the strategy. The bank's HRM policy is aimed at attracting
and developing talent, broadening its management and
improving the flow of staff. Another important aspect is
ongoing investment in knowledge, skills and experience.
Staff satisfaction in general recovered in 2006, with 87%
(81%) of staff, all things considered, being satisfied with
working at Rabobank. In addition, Rabobank is among the
three most popular employers, as appeared from the
Intermediair magazine's image survey for 2006.
Rabobank intends to strengthen its identity and reputation
as a cooperative, committed and sustainability-driven bank.
In 2006, particularly good progress was made in embedding
CSR criteria in our core activities. It is anticipated that the
greatest impact will come from embedding CSR in the
lending process. Other aims are growth in the sales of
CSR products and services, expansion of the Rabobank
Development Programme and a lower environmental burden.
Rabobank Group attaches great value to financial stability.
In order to ensure this stability, the following long-term
financial targets have been formulated:
- Annual net profit growth of at least 12%.
- Tier I ratio of 10% or higher.
- Return on equity of at least 10%.
It is along these strategic lines that Rabobank Group
believes it can provide optimum services to its clients both
at home and abroad while maintaining its sound financial
ratios and remaining a good and attractive employer.
Thus, Rabobank Group can advantageously position itself
for the possible consolidation cycle in the European
financial sector in the medium term.
Strategy: Plotting a course into the future 17
