Working together towards
a sustainable future
Rabobank Group wants to make an economic, social and ecological
contribution to building a sustainable society. We have embedded this
ambition in our Code of Conduct and in our general internal and external
service provision principles. Corporate social responsibility is the pillar of
our core activities, of which lending comes first and foremost. Rabobank
Group is committed to creating more sustainability in value chains. We
also set great store by sustainability in our own operations. As part of our
commitment to society, Rabobank Group wants to encourage social cohe
sion within communities and to make financial services accessible to all.
www.rabobank.com/csr
Rabobank Group Code of Conduct
The Code of Conduct describes our core values of respect, integrity, professionalism and
sustainability, and the approach that Rabobank Group wants to take to society, clients and
employees. It serves as a basis for all other internal rules of ethics. The worth is not in the
document itself, but in offering a platform for discussing dilemmas we encounter in our
conscious conduct.
Guidelines and general business principles
Rabobank Group subscribes to a range of internal and external codes on business principles,
including guidelines issued by the United Nations, the OECD, the International Chamber of
Commerce and the International Labour Organisation. For a list of codes and guidelines used,
see: www.rabobank.com/csr-guidelines.
Food Agribusiness Principles
Rabobank Group has defined five Food Agribusiness Principles to contribute its share towards
creating more sustainable value chains in the food and agribusiness: adequate and secure
food production, sustainable use of natural resources, a responsible society where public
welfare is key, ethical treatment of animals, and sustainability awareness among consumers
and citizens. These principles form the basis for building on our service offering of socially
responsible loans and achieving a sustainable value chain.
Central CSR themes
Pursuing a sound CSR policy is a strategic choice for Rabobank Group. Four central CSR themes
were defined in 2009:
- working towards delivering a secure and sustainable food supply, based in part on the Food
Agribusiness Principles;
- innovating production methods, and encouraging efficient use of renewable energy;
- championing equal opportunity and economic participation;
- promoting local coherence and partnerships in and outside the Netherlands.
Secure and sustainable food supply
Rabobank Group has formulated Food Agribusiness Principles to further integrate sustaina
bility into our lending practices and into our sustainable value chain policy. The principles
were shared and discussed with clients, non-governmental organisations and other stake
holders on a global level in 2009. Rabobank also talked about the draft value chain policy
with clients following which it was fleshed out.
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Report 2009 Rabobank Group
