Growing number of member councils
Cooperative dividend
In recent years, many local Rabobanks have
put a great deal of effort into improving the
dialogue with their members, for example by
introducing member councils. A member
council consists of 30 to 50 members and is a
cross-section of the member base. The member
council has assumed the majority of the
powers of the former general meeting of
members and meets regularly during the year.
The member council and the board discuss
topics including the bank's strategic direction,
the distribution policy and the service to
clients. In addition, the member council is
involved in the selection of and the grants
to local community projects: the collective
cooperative dividend. All banks that have opted
for the executive model, with a professional
management and an elected Supervisory
Board, automatically have member councils.
At 31 December 2006, 68 out of the 188 (248)
local Rabobanks used the executive model.
Each year, Rabobanks invest tens of millions
of euros in the improvement of their local
economic, social and cultural environment.
This includes research into the vitality of local
industrial areas, but also support of weekend
schools for disadvantaged young people and
all kinds of sports and cultural events. On a
national level, self-help, self-organisation and
innovative entrepreneurship are stimulated
