Our impact in 2022
How we strive for positive, sustainable impact on society.
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At Rabobank, sustainability is an integral part of our corporate mission:
Growing a better world together
We are committed to making a difference as a cooperative, client-driven, all-finance bank. We aim to be a responsible bank, championing issues that have a major impact on society, the environment, and on our clients.
This is why we actively engage in facilitating transitions which matter to us and stakeholders now and in the future.
Our Impact
Our impact Report 2022 tells who we are, how we want to facilitate transitions and how we strive for positive and sustainable impact. We also tell that the result of our financing activities is not only positive. View the highlights below or read more in the report.
Rabo Carbon Bank
With the 'Rabo Carbon Bank' we want to help farmers switch to regenerative agriculture, a form of farming which does not deplete the soil but rather strengthens it. Healthy soil not only yields better crops, it’s also better at absorbing CO2 from the air.
Rabo Carbon Bank is providing an alternative earning model for CO2 farming. This is an important step because only when farmers can go on earning a good living, they can make the transition toward large-scale regenerative agriculture.
Acorn
Let’s zoom in on new business models for farmers. Through our Acorn program, smallholder farmers in developing and emerging countries can earn money with carbon credits (Carbon Removal Units, CRUs). These farmers are planting trees on their land that absorb CO2. 80% of the proceeds from the carbon credit sales goes to the farmers.
This approach can make a difference on both the small and large scale. It can be a driver for the transition to more climate-resilient agriculture that can improve biodiversity and farmers' livelihoods.
More sustainable farming
A livable world requires revolutionary ideas. That is why, together with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), FMO (the Dutch financing company for developing countries) and the IDH (Sustainable Trade Initiative), we have set up the AGRI3Fund for sustainable agriculture and the protection of forests. Rabobank will use this fund to cover financial risks in financing projects involving sustainable agriculture, protection of forests and improved livability in rural areas.
Farmers have always been important to Rabobank. That's why we are helping them in the transition to more sustainable farming. To do so, they require money – for example, to buy more land or transform their business. Rabobank wants to provide loans to these farmers, those with an adequate earnings model, with special conditions. Such as charging less interest or farmers not having to make repayments for a period of time. This gives farmers room to adapt their farms. We are ready to lend €3 billion on top of the €13 billion we currently have lent to the sector.
HomeQGo Scan
Everyone can contribute to a better world. Homeowners can do it by making their homes sustainable. The HomeQGo scan is a calculation module that gives our customers and mortgage brokers instant insight into how they can make a home more sustainable (by installing insulation, for example, or solar panels or a heat pump), what that will cost and what else is involved. This scan is fully integrated into our banking app and mortgage application process.
A key feature of using the HomeQGo scan in the app is that within a couple of clicks of the button, customers receive price quotes directly from selected suppliers. What a smooth start to making your home sustainable!
Renewable Energy
Rabobank is one of the biggest participants in financing large-scale, offshore wind farms and other renewable energy generation. Our financial support has contributed to the generation of an estimated total of 4.9 gigawatts of green power in various parts of the world.
This has saved 4.8 Mt of CO2e.
15,000 affordable rental homes
The Dutch housing market is above all struggling with a shortage of affordable and sustainable rental housing for middle-income households. We want to help find and implement a solution to this problem through our subsidiary BPD Bouwfonds Gebiedsontwikkeling, with the help of the BPD Woningfonds (established in late 2019).
These housing funds allow us to help build and rent sustainable homes for the mid-range segment. At the end of 2022, we rented out 1,027 of these properties, with an additional 2,746 properties under construction or in the process of being purchased. Our aim is to deliver 15,000 new affordable and sustainable rental homes by 2030.
Private investors can invest in sustainable business through Rabo Groen Bank.
Rabo’s Green Bank is the largest bank in the Netherlands to issue green loans.
EUR 2.6 billion up to 2022 in sustainable and climate transition loans
EUR 497 million in new loans were granted in 2022
EUR 350 million of savings flow in to Rabo Groen Bank in 2022
Help with Financial Worries
We believe everyone can make the move toward a financially healthy life. That’s important today, and tomorrow.
2022 was a difficult year of extreme inflation with more people facing energy poverty. Our special support desk for people with money worries wants to help avoid financial distress.
In collaboration with Geldfit, we pay close attention to energy poverty and the opportunities for support from local and national governments for people who, for instance, must cope with reduced purchasing power. Geldfit has launched a special website for energy poverty.
The Rabo App
The Rabo App gives you insight in your types of spending, in your estimated CO2 emissions, and your energy costs as well.
With Carbon Insights in our Rabo App, customers can track the CO2 emission of every euro they spend.
We are the first Dutch bank to provide customers with insight into spending-related CO2 emissions. We aim to increase climate awareness among consumers. The ambition is to make Carbon Insights available for all interested customers.
Banking together
We believe it is important for everyone to be able to manage their banking independently and actively participate in society. And we are happy to go the extra mile to achieve this. We help our clients through various channels with questions about their daily banking needs. Sometimes clients are simply no longer able to manage their banking themselves in this way or to come to one of our branches to do so. To still be able to help them properly and thus increase their self-sufficiency, we have introduced the Mobile Banking Service. Watch the video to see how the Mobile Banking Service works.
Secure and independent banking
As many as 2.6 million people in the Netherlands struggle with online banking. That's why SeniorWeb and Rabobank have joined forces to help seniors become digitally self-sufficient. SeniorWeb volunteers conduct workshops on safe Internet and mobile banking in partnership with Rabobank. In this way, the two partners have helped thousands of people in recent years find their way through the digital society.
Rabo ClubSupport in 2022
An all-inclusive society must be about connection, belonging, and being able to participate. That’s why we are committed to strengthening social cohesion and providing opportunities for everyone to participate.
Through our Rabo Club Support program, we are supporting clubs and associations, not just financially, but by sharing our knowledge and networks we want to facilitate them in becoming inclusive and future-proof. Annually we organize a voting campaign where our members can vote on a project of a club or association. More votes means more money.
Diversity and Inclusion @Rabobank
Our Colleagues
per 31 Dec 2022
Our Networks
Our Diversity Networks
We have several diversity networks at Rabobank. They represent various groups of employees, serve as sounding boards for the organization, and can help employees feel seen and heard.
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GLOBO:
Network for non-Dutch speaking colleagues -
RAP aan de Slag (Back to work):
Network for colleagues with physical and/or mental health challenges -
Rainbow:
Queer & friends (LGBTQ+) network -
Young Rabo:
Network for employees under the age of 36 -
Kleurrijk Rabo (Colorful Rabo):
Multicultural network -
Rabo Active:
Community for employees above the age of 35 -
Rabo Women:
Network to empower women
Diversity means being invited to the party. Inclusion means being asked to dance.
Janine Vos Chief Human Resource Officer
Our Impact in 2022
Want to know more about our Impact?
Read all about it in Our Impact in 2022 Report.
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