Zullen we de bank verkopen?

Once owned by farmers. So who does the bank belong to now?

Rabobank was founded by farmers and growers who could not get credit anywhere else: members' savings were lent to members. Of more than 1,300 local banks, one independent bank now remains, with 2.4 million members. And the farmers' bank now lends mainly to homebuyers: only around 5 percent of its loans go to farmers and growers in the Netherlands.

Formally, the members are still the owners, but they no longer have a direct vote. The board nominates the candidates for the members' council, and the council's minutes are not public. The only thing members vote on themselves is Rabo ClubSupport: around 0.4 percent of the profit. Imagine the shareholders of a listed company having no say: it would be unthinkable. So why do we accept it at the members' own bank?

In an ordinary cooperative, the members receive the assets if the cooperative is dissolved. At Rabobank, that right has been removed from the articles of association. The bank is estimated to be worth some 55 billion euros, built up by generations of members: perhaps close to 20,000 euros per member. So shall we sell the bank and share the proceeds among the members?

The documentary retraces the steps one by one and invites Rabobank to take part. The members are making the film themselves: crowdfunding starts in early 2027 on Voordekunst.nl. Sign up now at zullenwedebankverkopen.nl.

Type

Documentary

Status

In development

Genre

Documentary

Theme

Cooperatives, banks and ownership