I arrived at the Triodos annual meeting with some trepidation. As an accountant-turned-musician, I’m usually horrified by the idea of returning to business environments. While suspecting this might be different, I really had no idea what to expect. I needn’t have worried. If nothing else, the ethical marketplace would have entertained me all afternoon. Chocolate; smoked almonds; olive oil; there is definitely more than one advantage to choosing an ethical bank!
The biggest surprise, however, was that I found the meeting itself both engaging and enlightening, inspiring me to think more deeply about the ethos of the bank. Triodos takes its public responsibility seriously, and its new building in Bristol is a perfect illustration of this. Before the meeting, I wondered why such a fuss was being made of these offi ces. After hearing about the ethically-sourced wood and glass, organic paint, locally produced artwork, and pleasant relaxation areas, I finally understood. Triodos sticks to its values in everything that it does. Many companies present a faceless front to the world, but with Triodos, nothing is further from the truth.
The annual meeting showed me that Triodos’ top executives are friendly and approachable, with a real desire to tell the stories behind their work. As well as the new building, stories were told of investors, customers, and every aspect of the organisation you can imagine. The flow of money, usually a rather dull subject, was brought to life in a way that I never thought possible. I was struck by the realisation that if I ask myself what I would like the ideal bank to do, the answer is exactly what Triodos offers: it looks after my spare money and uses it to improve society. It’s easy to feel powerless in a world in which inequality is rife, but I came away from the meeting inspired in the knowledge that, simply by choosing the right place to store my spare cash, I can actually make a difference. Next week I’ll give priority to something I should have done months ago: I will finally transfer my remaining savings to Triodos!
WWW.TRIODOS.CO.UK/ANNUALMEETING
