Networking Social Finance 3
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Table of Contents INTRODUCTION: NETWORKING SOCIAL FINANCE 3 PART I: SOCIAL FINANCE AND ITS NETWORKS 7 COMPETENCIES FOR SOCIAL BANKING 7 KATHARINA BECK, INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL BANKING ETHICAL BANKING 16 FRANS DE CLERCK BANKING AS A VEHICLE FOR SOCIAL CHANGE 33 DR. KATRIN KÄUFER, MIT COLAB, PRESENCING INSTITUTE BUILDING A GLOBAL MOVEMENT: THE GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR BANKING ON VALUES – AN INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF THE WORLD’S LEADING SUSTAINABLE BANKS 43 JAMES NIVEN, GABV AND TRIODOS BANK ON NETWORKING: ASSET AND CHALLENGE FOR A SMALL MISSION-FOCUSED BANK 47 LARS PEHRSON, MERKUR COOPERATIVE BANK FROM FINANCIAL CRISIS TO SUSTAINABILITY – IS THAT POSSIBLE? 50 LARS PEHRSON, MERKUR COOPERATIVE BANK COMMON TOOLS, COMMON GOALS, CONCRETE SOLUTIONS 64 KAROL SACHS, FEBEA INAISE, 20 YEARS OF NETWORKING: LOOKING BACK AND ASKING: WHAT’S NEXT? 69 VIVIANE VANDEMEULEBROUCKE, INAISE PART II SOCIAL BANKING AND SOCIAL FINANCE INITIATIVES 77 A DIFFERENT BANK FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT A DIFFERENT WORLD 77 MALCOLM HAYDAY, CHARITY BANK CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR MONEY TO “MAKE SENSE” 83 CHRISTOF LÜTZEL, GLS BANK CREATING ISLANDS OF INTEGRITY 87 ALLAN BUSSARD, THE INTEGRA CO-OP PROMOTING TRANSFORMATION AND SUSTAINABILITY: MERKUR’S AIM 90 KIRSTEN ARUP, MERKUR COOPERATIVE BANK LA NEF: A BANKING ORGANIZATION INVOLVED IN ETHICAL FINANCE 95 AURÉLIE DESCOURS, ROMAIN DONNEDIEU, NADINE THIERY, CÉCILE VERJUS 1 Networking Social Finance THE QUEBEC WAY TO SERVE A SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE AND SOLIDARITY-BASED ECONOMY 101 PAUL OUELLET, JOËL LEBOSSÉ, CLAUDE DORION THE ETHICAL AND SOCIAL APPROACH OF SIDI IN THE FINANCING TO THE SOUTH 108 CHRISTIAN SCHMITZ, SIDI THE POWER OF THREE 112 JAMES NIVEN, TRIODOS BANK PART III: PEOPLE IN SOCIAL BANKING AND SOCIAL FINANCE 117 TEMBEKA: A CATALYST FOR CHANGE 117 MICHAEL BRAND, TEMBEKA FROM LONE HERETICS TO A GROWING INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENT 122 PAUL ELLIS, ECOLOGY BUILDING SOCIETY OPINION LEADER IN SWEDISH SOCIAL BANKING 128 KRISTOFFER LÜTHI, EKOBANKEN MEDLEMSBANK CULTURA BANK: A SERIOUS BUSINESS WITHOUT THE GOAL OF MAXIMUM PROFITS 133 JANNIKE ØSTERVOLD, CULTURA BANK “SO CHILDREN CAN STILL LIVE ON THIS EARTH” 138 EMMANUEL VUILLOD, SIDI 2 Introduction Introduction: Networking Social Finance Created in 1989, INAISE, the acronym for International Association of Investors in the Social Economy, is a global network of socially and environmentally oriented financial institutions. It aims to foster the development of organizations and enterprises which through their activities and business operations work towards a more sustainable and equitable society. In its twenty years of existence, INAISE has grown into a leading social finance organization, with members from all over the world. Predominantly European initially, the network has now expanded to Africa, the Middle East, South East Asia, Australia, North America and South and Central America. Members range from fully licensed banks to savings and loans institutions, investment funds, venture capital and microfinance institutions. INAISE sees as its mission to lead the development of a thriving and sustainable global social banking and finance sector. Over the last decades, this sector has experienced considerable growth and now encompasses a wide and diversified range of institutions and services. It believes that it is through enhanced capacity and capital formation development and outreach by aligning capital with social, economic, cultural and ecological uses often in marginalized and underserved communities throughout the world, that it can achieve its goals. INAISE members have a long and successful track record in financing through loans, equity and guarantee, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), social businesses, co- operatives and community enterprises, educational, health and social care institutions, social housing, renewable energy and fair trade production and distribution and other pioneering innovations. They support projects, which because of their size and operational cost, the profile of their promoters, the type of activity and its risk scoring, the profit expectation, mainstream financial institutions are not usually prepared to finance. 3 Networking Social Finance Thus, they fill a crucial gap in the credit and financial product offering, particularly in rural areas in the lesser developed countries but also in unemployment-stricken socially-deprived urban areas in the northern hemisphere. INAISE members are successful and growing impressively. In the midst of a crisis of unprecedented magnitude which has made enormous casualties amongst banks and other financial institutions they have, on the contrary, increased their market share and profitability. Indeed, the financial crisis offers a unique opportunity for social finance to gain larger recognition from the media and public opinion and from the national and international institutions in the field of finance. They now also acquire political leverage in a world in disarray. Social Finance is based on a set of values which gives priority to ethical and ecological choices, social utility, public interest, local development and long term return over short term profit maximization. This focus has immuned it from the frenzy of financial speculation. Had its moderate and responsible behavior been followed by the rest of the industry, the crisis could have had far less severe consequences. Thus the consolidation and development of a robust Social Finance sector is not only an efficient way to reduce social exclusion by giving access to credit and financial services to a large portion of the world population to which it is still denied, but also to avoid the repetition of financial crises. Refounding the world financial system will not be achieved by regulation alone, however necessary. It will require entirely new thinking, a radical departure from the recipes of the past. It is INAISE members’ belief that Social Finance offers a convincing source of inspiration and a credible alternative for restoring sense to finance. We recognize that the total market share of the social finance institutions that INAISE and other international networks – such as the Global Alliance for Banking on Values, Institute for Social Banking and FEBEA – bring together is very small. In each respective country, many of these institutions are pioneers in Social Banking and Social Finance. But they only represent a small niche in a broadly traditional and conventional “mainstream” environment oriented towards profit maximization. 4 Introduction Because of the urgent need for a paradigm shift in banking, finance and society, the ability to form alliances and increase one’s outreach via networks and joint institutions are useful tools to reach the multi-dimensional goals of Social Finance, respecting the people, the planet and also the profit. This publication aims at increasing the visibility of the Social Banking and Social Finance approach. It highlights the existing variety and dynamics that have been developed over the past decades. Aimed at both the people within the Social Finance sector who can gain insights into the other initiatives, as well as those who have no clue yet about Social Finance and Social Banking, this publication portrays existing practical solutions on varying networking levels of Social Finance by using stories and accounts of the alliances, organizations and personalities who make all this happen. It introduces the concept of banking as a vehicle for social change. It presents the advantages of networks and the existing approaches of working together. It gives insights into Social Banking and Social Finance organizations by depicting different approaches from all over the world. And it tells inspiring personal stories of individuals in Social Banking and Social Finance. The publication has three parts. Part I Social Finance and its Networks focuses on two questions: “What is the broader perspective on the financial system as a whole?” And a more focused view of “What is the role of networks in social finance?” In Part II, Social Banking and Social Finance Initiatives, we present a wide array of social financial institutions that are members of INAISE. Various individuals write about their institutions, their history and their current goals. In Part III, People in Social Banking and Social Finance, we have invited individuals who are biographically linked to the development of social finance, to describe their work, reflect on how they moved into social finance, and to discuss current successes and challenges. 5 Networking Social Finance We hope that with “Networking Social Finance”, readers get a good understanding of Social Banking and Social Finance, both on an organizational and on a personal level. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the respective authors or us, the editors. You will find the e-mail addresses below the title of each article. Enjoy reading! Marcel Hipszman, president of INAISE, [email protected] Viviane Vandemeulebroucke, INAISE, [email protected] Katharina Beck, Institute for Social Banking, [email protected] Dr. Katrin Käufer, MIT-Co-Lab, Presencing Institute, [email protected] 6 Katharina Beck: Competencies for Social Banking Part I: Social Finance and its Networks Competencies for Social Banking Katharina Beck, Institute for Social Banking [email protected] www.social-banking.org Why would banks found an Institute that promotes education and research for Social Banking? Aren’t banks financial, not educational, service providers? Why should