Contents Management report Corporate governance Consolidated financial statements Financial statements Pillar 3
Rabobank expects the same sustainability goals from each
company it does business with, such as vendors and parties
with which Rabobank forms alliances. We strive to have a long-
lasting relationship with our 6,000 suppliers, focused on the
active sharing of knowledge, the permanent increase of our
sustainability performance, and the stimulation of a cooperative
for a sustainable economy. In contracts with vendors we include
preconditions for sustainability performance. Rabobank expects
the parties it does business with to meet the stipulations
that arise from national or international laws and regulations.
These stipulations have been documented in a Sustainability
Statement, which must be signed by each vendor. We assess
all our suppliers of a substantial size according to their
sustainability performances, based on the IS026000 subjects
given a substantive assessment on the FIRA platform. We then
discuss any issues with suppliers who (still) do not comply with
the requirements. In this assessment, we involve their chain of
vendors and prepare an analysis of the relevant sustainability
risks. Furthermore, we actively encourage our vendors to apply
sustainable product innovation, among other things with
regard to logistics and document services.
Rabobank is purchasing partner of the FIRA platform.
This is a digital register based on IS026000, in which
companies (vendors) make their MVO performance visible
to customers (purchasers). FIRA verifies all sustainability
information of vendors, so that Rabobank is able to evaluate
the vendors based on sustainability.The FIRA platform and
Rabobank improve transparency with this in the chain and
contribute to the growth of vendors in this area. Rabobank itself
has also increased its performance in the FIRA platform and
received the highest status attainable for its report (Platinum).
Furthermore, Rabobank keeps working to reduce the C02
emissions per FTE by 10% and operates in a climate neutral
manner. The focus is on energy consumption in homes, ICT and
mobility. In 2015, it became clear that the challenge to reach
these goals is becoming greater.This is due among otherthings
to the (projected) decrease in the number of employees and
virtualisation. Due to the latter development, our energy needs
increase to support our digital services. In 2016, we searched
for opportunities to save on IT energy, for example with more
efficient equipment and applications.
Public perception in the Netherlands
Rabobank measures its perception in the Netherlands among
otherthings via the Societal Image Monitor - an initiative
of the Flope Glory agency, which performs the research in
cooperation with Motivaction. Participants in the study in
2015 were presented with the following goals with regard to
Rabobank and were asked to what degree they found these
suitable or recognisable for Rabobank:
Main goal: Contribution to sustainable development in
the Netherlands
Four sub goals related to 'sustainable agriculture and food
supply'and 'vital communities', namely:
1 stimulating the sustainability of agriculture and food supply
in the world
2 helping companies in the field of agriculture and food that
are customers of Rabobank be economically successful
3 supporting local and social initiatives with manpower,
knowledge and money
4 supporting farmers and small businesses in developing
countries.
The main goal was measured for the first time this year
and with the exclusion of the answer 'do not know', 42.3%
indicated they found this recognisable. The end goal for 2020
is 80%. The percentage of respondents that found at least
1 of the 4 goals with regard to the social themes suitable
and/or recognisable (excluding the answer 'do not know')
has increased in 2015 when compared to the previous
year. A majority of two-thirds indicates that it finds at least
1 of 4 goals recognisable and this percentage is increasing.
An overwhelming 84.8% thinks at least 1 of 4 goals is suitable.
This strengthens our idea that the social themes in Sustainably
Successful Together are the right ones for Rabobank.
A challenge in creating the positive public association with the
theme sustainability is the fact that this perception is influenced
by other subjects related to the bank. If people are positive
about Rabobank in general terms, they are also more positive
about the subject of sustainability and vice versa. By asking
specifically about the sustainability topics we are trying to avoid
this effect as much as possible.
70 Rabobank Annual Report 2015
