Contacts with stakeholders
The Supervisory Board of Rabobank Nederland supervises the policies pursued by the Executive
Board and the general conduct of business at Rabobank Nederland and its affiliated entities in a
national and international perspective in accordance with the cooperative governance model
and with a focus on sustainable operations and the continuity of the entity as a going concern.
The Supervisory Board also advises the Executive Board on matters concerning the management
of the bank. In performing its duties, the Supervisory Board focusses on the interest of the
Rabobank Group, with a view to which the Board judiciously balances the interests of the
parties involved, including customers, members, employees and society at large.
The Chairman of the Supervisory Board is in close contact with the Chairman of the Executive
Board and consults on a monthly basis with the internal auditor and the Group Compliance
Officer. The Chairman of the Supervisory Board, the Chairman of the Audit Committee (formerly
the Audit, Compliance Risk Committee - see below in this chapter), the external auditor and
the internal auditor meet at least four times a year. Several times a year, the Supervisory Board
receives information on relevant topics from directors and managers during committee
meetings and other meetings and continuing professional education sessions. During the year
under review, the members of the Supervisory Board attended, as observers, meetings of
Rabobank Nederland's Works Council and of the Group Works Council of Member Banks on a
rotation basis. Given the importance of these bodies in Rabobank's cooperative model, the
members of the Supervisory Board spend much time attending Regional and Central Delegates
Assemblies. The Chairman of the Supervisory Board is also the Technical Chairman of the
Central Delegates Assembly, the Emergency Affairs Committee of the Central Delegates
Assembly and of the General Meeting of Rabobank Nederland. In addition, the Chairman of the
Supervisory Board attends the meetings of the Coordination Committee and the Confidential
Committee of the Central Delegates Assembly.
The members of the Supervisory Board also attend, as appropriate, conferences and information
sessions for members of the Local board of directors and Supervisory Boards of the local
Rabobanks or, on invitation, meetings of local Rabobanks for their members. The Supervisory
Board or its Chairman, alone or together with the Executive Board or its Chairman, as appropriate,
maintains contact with external regulators. By doing so, the Supervisory Board keeps in touch
with developments at key internal and external stakeholders.
Meetings
Meetings of the Supervisory Board
The Supervisory Board met sixteen times in 2013. This comprised both regular and additional
meetings scheduled. The meetings were also attended by the Executive Board. The meetings
were often followed by consultation of the Supervisory Board in general committee. In addition,
the full Supervisory Board met twice, without the Executive Board being present, with
representatives of DNB as part of the annual policy consultation and the feedback of the
results of the DNB risk analysis. Besides one supervisory director who struggled with health
issues, no member was repeatedly absent from regular scheduled meetings of the Supervisory
Board or its committees.
Committee meetings
The Supervisory Board has various committees. With effect from September 2013, the Audit,
Compliance Risk Committee was split into an Audit Committee and a Risk Committee.
Before the split, the Audit, Compliance Risk Committee met five times, including one brief
extra meeting. Following the split, the Audit Committee and the Risk Committee each met
three times. The Cooperative Affairs Committee met four times in the reporting year, the
Appointment Committee five times and Remuneration Committee six times.
Report of the Supervisory Board of Rabobank Nederland
