What makes a code of conduct effective? For Triodos Bank, it's not about rules on paper, but about creating a lasting culture where ethical behavior is the norm. In 2023, the bank developed a new code of conduct with an ambitious mission: to strengthen ethical conduct at all levels of the organization, in all five countries where the bank operates. But how do you implement something like this in a way that is not only sustainable, but also inspires and connects people? In this article, Ike Lieshout and Wibout de Klijne (Triodos Bank) share and Simone Halink (Summaries) how they came up with an innovative approach that focused on ownership, creativity and collaboration.

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Contributing to a sustainable culture

Triodos Bank is an international bank that focuses on sustainable and ethical banking. The bank has a clear mission: to contribute to positive social, environmental and cultural change. But how do you ensure that the bank is also a forerunner in ethical behavior? In 2023, the bank took an important step in developing a new code of conduct. This focuses on ethical behavior by its own employees and a strong organizational culture. After approval by the Executive Board, implementation began in 2024, with the aim of stimulating an ongoing dialogue about ethical behavior and strengthening ownership within the organization.

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The challenge: implementing with minimal resources

Triodos operates in five countries and wanted to bring the code of conduct to life in a uniform way everywhere, taking into account differences in culture and language. Ike Lieshout is Compliance Officer at Triodos Bank Netherlands and project leader of this specific project. Ike: “We wanted a creative approach that allowed us to achieve optimal results in an appealing way and with limited resources.” The bank asked Summiteers to help us think about an appropriate approach. “Based on a clear objective and definition, we linked the code to a wide range of ongoing initiatives to strengthen what was already there. In addition, we developed new initiatives around urgent themes in the code that were not covered by the existing one.” Triodos took control of the execution. Ike involved a rich group of ambassadors within the organization with whom she actually realized the ideas.

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A solution based on ownership

Wibout de Klijne, Compliance Director at Triodos Bank, explains: “The starting point was clear: we did everything we could do ourselves. We don't lend hands, but knowledge does. Of course, picking things up yourself when you don't have the expertise is risky. But letting someone else do what you can do yourself is also a big pitfall. We wanted to keep focused on that. And yes, if we had completely outsourced the project, it would undoubtedly have gone faster but would not have stuck as well.” So it's important to find a partner who understood this.

Wibout continues: “I had worked with Summiteers before, and I really liked it. They understand exactly what you need. They support without overpowering, so that the learning element remains and results are better maintained. In addition, they come up with innovative ideas and like to think outside the box. Smart people who work with great energy and deliver quality; that's what makes Summiteers the ideal partner for us.”

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Light-touch coaching

Summiteers provided light-touch coaching and helped with structuring, stakeholder management and strategic support. Ike: “Simone played a coaching role and helped me stay focused on project management and communication. We did the hands-on work ourselves, such as running meetings, making slidedecks and making products. We did this together with the working group and the steering committee.”

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Bottom-up approach

Simone Halink, management consultant at Summiteers: “When you talk about pace, I wonder if we could have done it so much faster. The strength from Triodos lay precisely in how Ike took this approach. She knows the organization inside out and - where necessary - was able to lay the right new lines. What I really like about this project is the bottom-up approach. Together with a working group and a group of ambassadors within the organization, the thinking was done and the implementation took care of. That's something Ike can do faster and more decisively than we could have done as an external party.”

Success factors: collaboration and creativity

An important part of the project was connecting existing initiatives. “There are already dozens of projects about culture and behavior at Triodos. We have made every effort to ensure that these projects reinforce each other. We actively sought cooperation with existing programs, such as onboarding, Equity Diversity & Inclusion initiatives and HR processes. This has helped enormously to make everything work well in the organization,” says Ike. She also emphasizes the importance of involvement from different countries. “In this way, we not only stimulated creativity, but at the same time ensured local relevance.”

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Results

Wibout: “I think we've put in a very nice implementation. We are not quite ready yet, but there is already a very valuable result.”

“For me personally, it has also brought a lot,” adds Ike. Simone's coaching has not only helped the project in terms of content, but perhaps even more with my personal development. Examples include skills such as project management, communication, stakeholder management and monitoring timelines. It was very valuable to have an external expert who always looked at this critically. She was a coach and a kind of stick behind the door at the same time. She often asked questions like: “Is this feasible? Are you sure you spoke to the right people? Did we tick everything off? ' That not only made the project stronger, but also gave me a lot of new insights and skills.”

“What's also very helpful is a fresh look from the outside,” Ike continues. “You do that well as an organization, especially when it comes to topics such as culture and narrative. It forces you to explain how you look at something, and that helps you understand it better yourself.”

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Refreshing and educational

“I share that experience,” says Simone. “What I remember well is that we made a plan of action together and you said: “We want to do it ourselves and you want to do it in a coaching role.” I found that refreshing and it is very educational to take on that role so explicitly.

The points that Wibout mentions, such as knowledge that lasts and making employees stronger in their roles, are a perfect fit for our approach. It forces you to think: how do you get this done in the best possible way with as little effort as possible? You often do the work yourself, so you don't dwell on the deeper layers. In a coaching role, you have to constantly think: what is really helpful? And you have to ask yourself: should I do this? No? Then you let go.

Some things went differently than how we would have done it ourselves, but it led to wonderful results. A good example is the dilemma cards created by a Triodos employee. These cards are creative and beautiful, and received a lot of support and involvement within the organization. That success is really due to how Ike has tackled this, with her ability to get people involved and inspire them with her creativity.”

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Impact: a lasting change

The approach has not only led to practical results, such as e-learning and working methods, but also to internal connections. Ike: “The project has broken through silos. People who previously worked side by side now know how to find each other better. This is essential if you want to build a sustainable culture.”

Tips for others: maintain ownership and focus on what matters

For organizations that are considering implementing a code of conduct, Wibout has a clear message: “Make sure you use help where it's needed, but maintain ownership within your organization. It's not just about the result, but also about the process and what you learn along the way.”

Both Triodos and Summiteers look back on a successful collaboration that brought the code of conduct to life while providing interesting insights and possible new ways of working for all parties for future projects.

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