Sound
sustainability policy
Sustainability is one of Rabobank's core values.
Financial performance is important, but there is
more than financial gain alone. Ecological and social
achievements are key factors too. Rabobank wants
its cooperative business practices to contribute to
sustainability.
Focus on key performance indicators (KPIs)
Sustainability KPIs in 2012
Rabobank's ambition of becoming one of the most sustainable financial institutions in
the world was reviewed again in 2012. The yardsticks that Rabobank uses for measuring
performance include the Sustainable Asset Management (SAM) sustainability rating, which
has been called RobecoSAM since January. A new SAM rating was determined in the year
under review. Compared to the banks that are included in the global Dow Jones Sustainability
Index, Rabobank ranked tenth in absolute terms and scored 91% in relative terms: 91% of
the benchmarked banks scored the same or lower than Rabobank, and 9% scored the
same or higher. Rabobank's absolute rankings are comparable with the benchmark of 2010.
An important barometer in the Netherlands is the annual Transparency Benchmark survey
organised by the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Rabobank ranked 20th overall in the year under
review, down from eleventh in 2011. Although the bank's exact position in such rankings is
not an end in itself, Rabobank does endeavour to improve its scores.
Based on the previous strategic framework, Rabobank focused on four central sustainability
ambitions in 2012: 1) working towards a secure and sustainable food supply; 2) innovating
production methods and encouraging the efficient use of renewable energy; 3) promoting
equal opportunities and economic participation; and 4) encouraging local cohesion and
partnerships both in and outside the Netherlands. Within Rabobank, these ambitions were
transposed into a number of key performance indicators (KPIs):
1helping customers move towards sustainable business operations;
2. helping customers make responsible investments;
3. supporting community partnerships;
4. providing climate-neutral and energy-efficient services.
These KPIs serve as the starting point for the sustainability policy of each group entity.
The extent to which sustainability objectives have been achieved is reported to the Executive
Board and the Supervisory Board on a quarterly basis. The KPIs relate to the bank's core
business and the support provided to our customers. As a result of the revision of Rabobank's
strategy on sustainability, the targets and KPIs will be updated in 2013 to match the principles
described in the chapter on strategy.
The KPI for helping customers move towards sustainable business operations did well in the
year under review. This KPI shows an increase in the total amount of sustainable finance from
EUR 7.3 billion to EUR 7.7 billion.The KPI for helping customers make responsible investments
was stable at EUR 55.2 billion. Disregarding the effect of the sale of Sarasin, the score on this
KPI rose by EUR 10 billion. Total cooperative dividend, which comes under the scope of the KPI
for supporting community partnerships, was up from EUR 60.2 million to EUR 67.9 million.
The fourth KPI, i.e. that for providing climate-neutral and energy-efficient services, was slightly
up to 146,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
21 Sound sustainability policy
