The company discloses how the socially and economically relevant stakeholders are identified and integrated into the sustainability process. It states whether and how an ongoing dialogue takes place with them and how the results are integrated into the sustainability process.
Rentenbank is in continuous dialogue with all stakeholders relevant to our business. A communications work group identifies stakeholders through an analysis of our stakeholders containing the following questions:
- Who can exert influence over the success of Rentenbank?
- Who is involved in core business at Rentenbank?
- Who is impacted by Rentenbank’s activities?
- Who has a stake in Rentenbank?
The communications work group has generated the following outcomes, which were approved by the Management Board:
- Local banks and intermediaries, promotional banks at federal state level
- End borrowers
- Ministries (BMEL, BMF)/policymakers
- Chambers and associations
- Internal and external committees
- Employees
- Suppliers and service providers
- Investors/analysts/issuers
- Rating agencies (credit and sustainability ratings)
- Universities
- The General Public
Key communication channels with stakeholders can consist of discussions with banks, client events, meetings of the Management Board and General Meeting, specialist events and exhibitions as well as PR activities (press releases, website, annual reports, presentations, and surveys). Outcomes from dialogues with stakeholders are discussed by our experts in work groups and any actions points are submitted to the steering committee.
In 2020, Rentenbank got in touch with its stakeholders regarding sustainability via the following communication channels:
- The consultancy 'Lust auf besser leben gGmbH' and the Institute for Responsible Investments (NKI - Institut für nachhaltige Kapitalanlagen GmbH) held workshops on various sustainability issues in 2020, at which members of the Management Board participated.
- Information on Sustainable Finance and on our ESG project as part of internal committee meetings (Supervisory Board and General Meeting)
- Collaboration with external bodies (e. g. Sustainable Finance Commission at the Association of German Public Banks (Bundesverband Öffentlicher Banken Deutschlands)
- Bilateral exchange with key stakeholders (e. g. ratings agencies and associations)
- Extension of the information published on our website on how we achieve our sustainability goals
- Workshops and informative events for employees regarding our ESG project
- Presentation of our promotional offering at the BIOFACH exhibition in Nuremberg and at the second 'Suderburger Dorftag' held by Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences, Wolfenbüttel
- Taking part in online conferences such as ‘innovate! X’, a forum for startups in agribusiness to network with established companies, or the Digital Farming Conference, where digital solutions for improvements in animal welfare, climate protection and sustainability in agriculture were discussed
- Guest speakers at numerous universities
As part of Rentenbank’s ESG projects, we monitor how our stakeholders’ needs and ideas can be better captured and how the participation process can be expanded. The continuous communication with its stakeholders boosts the development of our sustainability strategy. Rentenbank gains from the knowledge and experience of its stakeholders and faces up to critical issues.