TlB Annual Report 2009 - Triodos Bank

website will include various ways that stakeholders
can engage more closely, and more
often, with Triodos Bank.
Internal communication at Triodos Bank
mainly takes place during weekly co-worker
meetings, which are organised at all its branches.
Co-workers are encouraged to contribute to the
policy-making process and to feel involved in
all the Bank’s activities.
Through the charitable foundations operating
within the Triodos Bank Group, we support
innovative initiatives in the field of organic
farming, renewable energy and economic
development in developing countries. In 2009
the foundations made donations totalling
eur 1.0 million (2008: eur 1.2 million).
During the year, a study group was also formed
to review the organisation and content of the
annual report. Triodos Bank particularly wishes
to examine how the impact that the Bank has
through its loans and investments can be
communicated better and more clearly, and this
work will be taken forward in 2010.
In 2009, Triodos Bank, along with more than
200 international institutional investors, once
again signed the Carbon Disclosure Project
Four (cdp 4) appeal, which calls on the 500
largest listed companies in the world to publicly
disclose their CO2 emissions. The aim of this
appeal is to encourage companies to reduce
their emissions.
Triodos Bank co-founded the Global Alliance
for Banking on Values early in 2009, bringing
eleven of the world’s leading sustainable banks
together, to help build a more sustainable
economy. Launched at Triodos Bank’s head
office in The Netherlands, the network went on
to make a significant commitment at the
Clinton Global Initiative in the Autumn, to
work together to raise usd 250 million in capital
over the next three years. Triodos Bank is also
the co-founder and a member of Social Venture
Network Europe, European Social Investment
Forum (Eurosif) and the International Association
of Investors in the Social Economy (inaise).
In addition, it is a member of the Global
Reporting Initiative (gri), Carbon Disclosure
Project above (cdp) and the United Nations
Environmental Programme Finance Initiative
(unep fi).
In 2009, confidence in the financial sector
continued to decline in the face of the financial
crisis and a deep-seated economic downturn.
While Triodos Bank is not directly affected by
the credit crunch and has continued to maintain
positive and sustained growth, it is indirectly
impacted as are many of its customers in the
real economy. Through letters and emails to its
customers, and advertisements in national daily
newspapers in some countries, Triodos Bank
shared its view of the crisis with all its stakeholders.
The Bank received many positive
responses to this pro-active communication. In
the media, Triodos Bank was regularly featured
as an example of how responsible banking is
possible and is operating successfully in a
number of countries. During 2009, Triodos
Bank was awarded the Financial Times Sustainable
Bank of the Year Award. The award’s
judges were careful to point out that Triodos
Bank’s sustainable banking model is particularly
relevant at a time when the shortcomings
of the dominant banking model have become
so apparent.
In 2010, Triodos Bank expects to continue to
actively contribute to the debate on the future
social, environmental and cultural role to be
played by banks, on an increasingly international
stage. This will mean backing words with action,
and sharing the Bank’s knowledge of, and
experience with, sustainable banking.
For more information:
www.gabv.org
www.neiw.org
www.cdproject.net
www.ftconferences.com/sustainablebanking
66 TRIODOS BANK - ANNUAL REPORT 2009