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EACB Study on Co-operative Banks in Europe: values and practices to promote development

The European Association of Co-operative Banks undertook an exploratory inquiry conducted into co-operative banking entitled « Values and practices to promote development ». This inquiry profiles their role and operational model of co-operatives banks in Europe, whose quintessential features can be synopsised as follows:

 

 

  • In a co-operative bank, shareholders (or members) and customers are the same group of people who elect the management in accordance to the principle “one person, one vote”. This is economic democracy in action, whose dominant purpose is to provide customer value by offering tailored-made products and services cost-effectively and ‘close to home’;
  • Having a firm foothold in local communities through nearly 60,000 outlets, co-operative banks have a sound knowledge of people’s overall financial situation. This enables  accurate decision making and risk control which, in turn, fosters regional development and social cohesion;
  • Co-operative banks have consistently pioneered sustainable development and corporate social responsibility, through their continuous engagement in the battle to defeat unemployment and eradicate social exclusion;
  • Their innovative capacity, in the interest of shareholder-members, is striking: it is co-operative banks who ushered in the concept of “bancassurance” in the ‘70s  and are today leading the way in what can be classed as ‘state-of-the art’ technologies, particularly in the payment systems industry;
  • Rating agencies recognise that co-operative banks are the passport that helps to stabilize Europe’s financial system and make it more competitive, through a meaningful input into modernization dynamics and into restructuring in its multiple facets.

It must also be remembered that co-operative banks are bound by the same rules – legal, fiscal and prudential – as their competitors.

English version

French version

German version

Press Release

Communiqué de Presse

Pressemitteilung

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): The Performance of Cooperative Banks

Cooperative banks practice transparency, democratic principles and a high degree of stakeholder involvement, be it of the member/shareholder, the staff, the customer or the local community. Their financing of local sustainable development helps sustain employment opportunities in remote areas and often contributes to ensuring the continued livelihood of whole communities. Through their specialised sectoral knowledge, they are able to offer adequate products for SMEs, farmers and fisheries, for which they are among the main providers of credit.

 

Cooperative banks are also among the market leaders for Socially Responsible Investment, such as SRI-funds, SRI savings accounts and more. Green finance is increasingly gaining importance, as a variety of investment solutions allow the customers of cooperative banks to make a difference and to contribute to the preservation of the environment.

 

Based on their philosophy of fostering economic initiative of individuals and of an inclusive society, cooperative banks are also participating in various schemes, such as microfinance, to support the social reintegration of e.g. long-time unemployed. Similarly, cooperative banking networks have a long tradition of development work in developing countries, where they supply knowledge and funds to help setting up cooperative banking infrastructures, which are key to local sustainable development and to fostering civil society structures.

 

Finally, cooperative banks participate in the life and the development of their local communities through cultural sponsorship initiatives, responsible citizenship and foundation work.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): The Performance of Cooperative Banks

La Responsabilité sociale des Entreprises:les activités des banques coopératives

Making the Single Euro Payment Area a reality - a communication tool

SEPA Storyboard - A communication tool for EPC stakeholders
This document draws together essential information for the banking community about SEPA from a number of different perspectives. It provides the source material from which banks can create their own tailored communications for all their stakeholders and audiences. It covers :

·                the overall vision and scope of SEPA,

·                the design philosophy adopted for the Schemes and Frameworks

·                the various design components that collectively make up SEPA

·                the end-user experience of SEPA

·                the roles and responsibilities of the stakeholders in the SEPA

·                the benefits delivered by SEPA

 

Making SEPA a reality

Press Release: IMF Working Document - Cooperative Banks and Financial Stability

Cooperative Banks and Financial Stability

Contrary to some suggestions in the literature, we find that cooperative banks are more stable than commercial banks.....

Press Release IMF

Oliver Wyman releases study on "Co-operative Bank: Customer Champion"

To dowload a copy of the study, please click here

Press release: EACB launches a think tank on co-operative banks in Europe

Dr. Christopher Pleister, President of the EACB and of the National Association of German Co-operative Banks (Bundesverband der Deutschen Volksbanken und Raiffeisenbanken [BVR]), stated: “This is a very valuable initiative for our sector. With the think tank, we build a network of professional research about co-operative banks. This initiative aims to correct the disproportion between existing literature on co-operative banks and their weight in the European economy.”

EACB press release: think tank on co-operative banks

EACB launches new key statistics on cooperative banks

In 2008 the EACB has undertaken the effort to enhance the quantity and quality of figures available on co-operative banks to give concrete measures of the contributions of our sector to the economy. Accordingly, the range of available financial figures has been increased, while a totally new set of figures assessing the social responsibility of co-operative banks, or what we have called the “co-operative performance” is presented for the first time.  The two tables with cooperative and financial figures are now available hereafter. Please do not hesitate to contact the EACB secretariat for any questions (secretariat@eurocoopbanks.coop) 

Financial Key statistics 2007

Co-operative (CSR) Key Statistics 2007

Explenatory Note on key statistics

EACB Annual Report 2008

 

Remark: Downloading this document can take a while ...

EACB Annual Report 2008

Interview with H. Guider, EACB General Manager, on Europolitcs

"Co-operative banks defend their unique identity", this is is the title of the interview appeared on Europolitics today 7th of April at the eve of the 4th Convention on Co-operative Banks.

Interview with H. Guider

EACB Press release 4th Convention "Co-operative Banks concerned about possible impact of new regulation"

Press Release 4th Convention

EACB response to the Commission's Consultation on CRD 4

The members of the EACB support the Commission’s overall goal of improving the banking sector’s ability to absorb shocks arising from financial and economic stress, while at the same time promoting sound credit and financial intermediation activity. Improving risk capture and the quality of the capital base, controlling excessive leverage in the financial system, addressing procyclicality in capital requirements and managing systemic risk are all goals that we endorse.

As said, we support the dual objective of improving the resilience of the global financial system and ensuring a level playing field sought by the reform package, but at the same time we think modifications will be needed to manage the tradeoffs between layers of protection on the one hand and prudent credit provision for economic growth on the other.

 

EACB response to European Commission consultation on CRD 4

EACB Annual Report 2009

The European Association of Co-operative Banks is an international non-profit association which was founded in 1970 and is based in Brussels. As the voice of co-operative banks in Europe and more recently at international level, it is a leading trade associations in the financial sector, representing 28 national associations and their member banks. The co-operative banking sector contributes significantly to growth, stability, and to the competitiveness of the European banking industry at a local and regional level. Moreover, in the unique context of the financial crisis, this sector demonstrated its robustness and resilience, as well as its ability to act as a key driver for economic recovery at the local level*:

·         Co-operative banks serve more than 170 million customers

  • Co-operative banks are mutual banks, owned by their 50 million members
  • Co-operative banks share common values and foster local development and entrepreneurship through their 4,100 member banks and 65,000 branches
  • Co-operative banks adhere to the key co-operative principle of “one person-one vote” and apply democratic principles in accordance with the European Co-operative Statute
  • Co-operative banks contribute to the competitiveness and stability of the European banking industry. Their strong performance is a result of their strong focus on retail banking, solid capitalisation, and their high-quality credit portfolio
  • Co-operative banks strongly believe that their customer-oriented business model benefits Europe, its banking system, its SMEs, its consumers and its economy.

EACB Annual Report 2009

Commissioner Barnier stresses importance of co-operative banks

 

During the speech held in Berlin on 20th May “Delivering on G-20 Commitments”, Commissioner Barnier talking about the revision of the definition of capital in CRD4, underlined the specificities and the importance of co-operative banking sector as follows:

“This revision will be based on the work of the Basel Committee, but I will not hesitate to take into account the specificities of the European banking market: Banks as the main providers of credit to the real economy. And the importance of our mutuals and cooperative banks.”

 

Commissioner Barnier speech 20 May
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