Risico op schadelijke investeringen door Triodos Bank

Companies that give support to dictatorships are not excluded from investment by Triodos in a comprehensive manner. In the three other areas that were researched, there are clearly developed investment policies that avoid investment in socially damaging practices and projects. The risk of a harmful investment with Triodos is low.

Explanation of the Triodos Bank ranking

The money that customers put on Triodos saving accounts is used to finance companies in the culture, welfare, environmental and development sectors. This money is also invested in bonds of the countries where Triodos is itself active: Belgium, Netherlands, UK, Germany and Spain.

For customers wishing to invest in companies listed on the stock market, Triodos Bank uses specific positive as well as negative criteria. The negative criteria that apply to all investments of the bank exclude investments in many damaging companies and practices.

Triodos Bank has a thorough policy regarding the themes of environment, peace and labour rights.

As far as the environment is concerned, Triodos Bank does not invest in companies that regularly and/or seriously breach environmental law, codes or conventions. The policy of Triodos does not allow investments in companies that regularly cause serious environmental damage.

Triodos uses a strict policy for the theme of peace. Triodos Bank does not invest in companies that produce or trade weapons. Triodos does not invest in companies that produce essential components for weapon systems, or companies that supply services related to weapons. Important shareholders in arms producers are also ineligible for investment. Triodos also does not to invest in companies that give significant amounts of credit to producers of controversial weapons.

Concerning the theme of labour rights, Triodos does not invest in companies that are frequently criticised for their involvement in abuses of fundamental labour rights. Companies that use subcontractors that are regularly and significantly criticised are also excluded.

The policy of Triodos Bank on environment, peace and labour rights has been evaluated as satisfactory for the following reasons:

• Clear criteria: Triodos Bank has clear limits to its investments. The policy includes guarantees that damaging investments will be avoided.
• Wide applicability: this policy is valid for all investments of Triodos Bank.
• Clear application: Triodos Bank makes its investments public.

The Triodos Bank policy covering freedom & democracy is unsatisfactory. The bank excludes companies that are active in Burma. Companies that are active in countries with repressive regimes, or in sectors with a high risk, are only excluded when they have no thorough policy and training programme for dealing with the use of security services. Triodos Bank also excludes companies that provide products or services that result in the breach of political or civil rights.

This policy has been evaluated as unsatisfactory for one reason:

• Insufficiently strong criteria: Except for Burma, the policy does not guarantee that investments are not made in companies that give significant support to oppressive regimes.