Meaningful cooperative
The cooperative model always has and always will be the foundation of
Rabobank. Nearly two million customers in the Netherlands are members of
their local Rabobank.They have a voice in determining the bank's policies
via a members council. A number of different customer councils have also
been set up outside of the Netherlands for this purpose. Our members and
customers keep us on our toes, ensure that we stay connected to the
community and help us build and sustain a meaningful cooperative.
Our cooperative identity is reflected in our day-to-day actions. In the Netherlands this is
expressed via our local Rabobanks, but also especially in our impact on society. Rabobank does,
after all, want to strengthen its customers' living and working environment. This is why we
invest extensively in all sections of society, support vulnerable groups, promote corporate
responsibility and investment, and engage in ongoing discussions with social welfare
organisations. The local Rabobanks contribute to this through local programmes and initiatives.
Vital communities
Societies all over the world are changing at a rapid pace. Government influence is dwindling
and individuals everywhere are feeling the urge to take charge of their communities and
achieve change together. These developments offer a type of 'grassroots' environment that
cooperatives tend to grow and thrive in.
We aim to increase the vitality of the communities in which we are active. Not only in our role
as a bank, but also as a driver of social initiatives. This is how we encourage people to become
more self-sufficient while at the same time making society more sustainable. By the year 2020
we intend to support 1,000 collective local social initiatives to improve their business success,
including 500 in the Netherlands and another 500 in developing countries.
Local cooperatives in the Netherlands
The citizens' initiatives supported by our local Rabobanks in the Netherlands in 2014 were
devoted to three key themes: solar energy, care for the elderly and internet access. We tend to
be inspired in our work by individuals who, after becoming aware of some form of social ill,
decide to take action to turn the situation around. These initiatives are born of a direct need
and virtually always end up improving the vitality of the community in question. This is why we
are pleased to support them. While we do sometimes donate from one of our social funds, we
are generally able to support people by sharing our knowledge and providing them with access
to our networks.
WeHelpen
The website WeHelpen.nl is a national platform in the Netherlands whose purpose is to bring
people and communities closer together. People who require assistance place advertisements
on the website and volunteers who provide such assistance can then respond to these ads.
Meaningful cooperative
