talented staff from multicultural backgrounds. In addition, with effect from 2009 senior executives of
Rabobank Group will be set targets aimed at promoting cultural diversity.
Women in senior positions
During 2008 Rabobank Group participated actively in a number of initiatives designed to encourage
and support the social debate on how to increase the number of women in senior positions. In 2008
women accounted for over 10% of our senior management (senior staff and executive staff). Our aim
for 2009 is to achieve 15%. As women accounted for just over 7% of the executive management of our
organisation, we failed to reach our target for the year 2008.
Rabobank proves a popular employer
Rabobank was the highest scoring financial services provider in the 2008 Intermediair Image Survey.
The Rabobank is the favourite employer among female graduates and women entering the job market.
The survey also revealed that the ability to work from home was highly valued as a fringe benefit.
With its Rabo Unplugged and Rabobank 2010 programmes, Rabobank offers a proper response to
this need.
Group-wide talent development
The Management and Talent Development Department tracks down talented staff within the group,
trains them for senior management positions and develops results-oriented programmes for current
senior managers.The talent development programmes and management programmes help Rabobank
promote talented people to more senior or broader managerial positions within Rabobank Group.
Careers advisers help individual employees obtain a clear picture of their ambitions, competencies
and possibilities. In 2008, 244 (254) employees of Rabobank Nederland received career advice. They used
the opportunity to take a close look at their talents and decide on the direction in which they want their
career to develop.
The RabobankTOPtalent development programme, developed by local Rabobanks for professionals
and managers, emphasises how bringing in leading talent from outside the organisation and promoting
talented employees within the organisation can create synergy. This programme, which also uses the
group-wide leadership profile, serves as a breeding ground for more onerous managerial positions
within Rabobank Group.
Continuing education and accreditation of prior learning
Continuing education is a requirement in an increasing number of positions in order to maintain
expertise and proper performance. It is also crucial to ensuring people remain employable. Rabobank
Opleidingen developed a training guide in 2008 that employees can use to identify courses that are
appropriate for their competence level and position. Much of the range of courses on offer for local
Rabobanks is presented in the form of learning plans for each core position. These plans ensure
employees have the necessary expertise and comply with applicable laws and regulations, such as
the Dutch Financial Supervision Act (Wft).
According to initial figures published on accreditation of prior learning, Rabobank is at the forefront
when it comes to encouraging employees to obtain accreditation for work experience (EVC).
Accreditation enables employees to obtain a level 4-MBO certificate of secondary vocational education.
In 2008, over 1,000 employees of local Rabobanks and Rabobank Nederland applied for accreditation.
Research has shown that accreditation can help organisations hold on to experienced employees.
In addition, it promotes mobility on the labour market.
Rabobank works towards permanent employability
Our employees work in a constantly changing and highly innovative environment. They need to grow,
both professionally and personally, if they are to remain permanently employable and Rabobank's
strategic goals are to be met. The Rabobank therefore invests a great deal in this area.
Putting integrated health management into practice
Good health and employability are key to a dynamic career. Rabobank tries to help employees who
have become fully or partially incapacitated to return to work as soon as possible by providing them
with support during their absence from work and with reintegration. Both managers and employees are
satisfied with the level of support provided during absences14.
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Rabobank Group Annual Report 2008
