Contents Introduction Management report Appendices Corporate governance Consolidated Financial Statements Company Financial Statements
Promoting the circular economy
The circular economy is of importance to Rabobank. It serves
as a point of reference for our Banking for the Netherlands
and Banking for Food focus points. Circular economy methods
offer our clients a way to deliver value and profitability in a
sustainable manner. By designing products to be recycled,
reused or remanufactured atthe end of their first life cycle,
manufacturers can help reduce pressure on the planet's finite
resources. We believe that transforming the linear economy into
a circular one will strengthen the competitiveness of the Dutch
economy and of clients active in global food supply chains.
Our leasing arm DLL, supports its partners in their transition to a
circular economy by providing financial solutions through its
Life Cycle Asset Management (LCAM) programme. In this
programme DLL collaborates with dealers and manufacturers
who sell used equipment, but also increasingly refurbish or even
remanufacture assets to extend their useful life significantly.
For more information on the sustainability activities of DLL,
please refer to https://www.dllaroup.com/en/annual-report.
For more information on circular economy, see textbox.
Sustainable real estate opportunities for retail and
corporates
The focus on Sustainable real estate is growing in our services
and products for retail and corporate customers. Real estate is
responsible for 40% of global energy consumption. Reducing
the energy usage of the properties in our real estate portfolios
will contribute to the current Dutch climate goals. To accelerate
and merge current sustainability strategies, we have set up
a real estate strategy for the Netherlands with the aim of
making our real estate portfolio more sustainable. Besides the
requirements for our customers, we also set internal goals to
improve our own real estate. We intend for all Rabobank offices
to have at least an A-label within the next 5 years.
Mortgages
We have placed a special focus on the energy efficiency of
houses as this provides retail customers with an accessible way
to reduce their use of energy. The new Dutch government has
decided that all houses must have an average of energy label
rating of A in 2030. Currently, about 45% has a D-label or even
lower which means much needs to be done. Rabobank strives
to align its financial product and services with the customers'
sustainability requirements and our knowledge and network
opportunities.
Creating circular networks
Circular enterprise requires entrepreneurs to develop a
new way of thinking, looking beyond the boundaries of
their own businesses and cooperating with others. This
creates new ideas and business models.The Rabobank
Circular Economy Challenge (CE Challenge) is a regional
initiative to help entrepreneurs transition to circular
entrepreneurs.
The goal of the CE Challenge is to map circular
opportunities for regions and for individual businesses,
bringing entrepreneurs together to devise new ideas
and solutions to achieve their circular ambitions. The
CE Challenge consists of a region scan, company scan,
various workshops and the design of a circular action
plan. In 2017, 32 businesses participated.
To make the CE Challenge as effective as possible, we
partnered with CSR Netherlands and KPMG in 2017. CSR
Netherlands deployed its network, knowledge and active
matchmaking capabilities to guide entrepreneurs during
the challenges. KPMG worked on the analyses performed
for the region and company scans.
The CE Challenge has added value for entrepreneurs.
It encourages them to initiate circular enterprise, gives
them access to new circular networks, and makes
businesses into important role models for their regions.
The challenges also inspire entrepreneurs to form new
alliances and circular solutions, because of the cross-
sector discussions facilitated by the dialogue sessions.
Recent success stories include two entrepreneurs who
met at a CE Challenge in the province of Zuid-Holland,
and have since teamed up with their new 'product as a
service'business model. Property maintenance company
Etro Vastgoedzorg was the 2017 CE Challenge winner for
the Amsterdam metropolitan area, with its realistic and
feasible plan to repurpose existing buildings.
Rabo GreenMortgage
A product that testifies to our sustainability efforts is the 'Rabo
GreenMortgage (GroenFlypotheek)'.The green mortgage offers
retail customers a discount of 0.5% on the interest rate when they
buy a newly built energy-efficient house. It makes use of the
so-called green measure ('groenregeling'), so Rabo Groen Bank's
green capital can be used to finance energy efficient houses.
Rabobank Annual Report 2017 - Management report
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