Triodos Bank, a conscious choiceSustainable development is a choice we have made based on our principles. Consequently, we also want to make responsible financial choices. So our collaboration with Triodos Bank, which is committed to sustainable development, is no more than logical.
“We have worked with two company banks for many years”, says controller Jos Rutten, “but from April onwards, we now also have an account with Triodos Bank. This bank plays a leading role in national sustainability initiatives. Furthermore, the sustainability objectives of Triodos and Van Houtum are a perfect match. So collaboration is an obvious step.”
Matthijs Bierman, the director of Triodos Bank Nederland, concurs. “I am very impressed by the way in which Van Houtum approaches sustainability issues. It is more than just a green tint to the company: Van Houtum is actively working on making the entire chain sustainable. If you want to do that thoroughly, you have to look at every aspect of your operations. Details like the cars you drive, the office furniture you use and even the financial institution where you do your banking.”
Specific projectsJos Rutten sees opportunities for financing specific projects with Triodos Bank in the future. Matthijs Bierman comments that this is their core business. “Our credit customers tell us that they choose Triodos mainly because of our approach. We help companies with investments in sustainability. Increasingly making your business more sustainable is always a voyage of discovery. There are no handbooks! You have to have intensive contact with other entrepreneurs and that is inspiring.”
Matthijs Bierman has worked for Triodos Bank for fourteen years. Before joining Triodos, he was active in Botswana. “After working in development cooperation for three years, it was clear to me that I really wanted to better the world within a business environment. Triodos combines the two perfectly: it is a bank, there is an involvement with money and it has to make profit. But that is no more than a means to an end, not an end in itself. Through our work as a bank and the companies to which we provide finance, we want to speed up the process of making society sustainable as much as we can. That has been our aim ever since the bank was founded nearly thirty years ago.”