Tried and tested Triodos

Earlier this week I went to a meeting with Triodos bank. They had invited their Depository Receipt Holders (think of them as shareholders) to round table discussions on some of the issues currently facing them. More than one of us commented how astonishing it would be if RBS or Barclays were to offer us a free lunch and access to their management teams just for owning shares.
But on many levels Triodos does not behave like a conventional bank. Its attitude to risk, its interest in supporting sustainable and ethical projects and the humility demonstrated by the board members and senior managers at this meeting were all testimony to its character.
It brought me to thinking about connectedness. About how the privilege I have had to travel the world and meet inspiring people has helped me see the connections between investment and innovation, consumption and communities.
A shift of emphasis to a more thoughtful, less egotistical approach could benefit many areas of our lives.
One thing the UK boss, Charles Middleton said struck a chord. "I considered taking the whole thing outside". He was talking about the sunny weather we could see from the meeting room, but I felt it reflected a healthier ethos. Enough of cronyism and deals behind closed doors, lets get it all out into the open.