Members Have Their Say: Trentino Rural Banks assess their social foundations
‘La parola ai Soci’ (Members Have Their Say) is a survey promoted by the Fondo Comune delle Casse Rurali Trentine (Trentino Rural Banks Common Fund) and conducted by EURICSE, with the aim of understanding how members currently view their relationship with rural banks. It is a way of listening to the membership base, giving a direct voice to those who, from within, represent the identity and strength of cooperative credit.
The project involved nine rural banks in the province of Trento, which decided to launch a participatory evaluation process through an online questionnaire sent to over 73,000 members. More than 7,500 responded, offering a rich and detailed picture of their perceptions, expectations and motivations.
The report clearly shows that members feel that their Cassa Rurale is strongly linked to the local area and recognise that it plays a role that goes far beyond banking. The main reasons for becoming and remaining a member are not so much the economic benefits as the institution’s connection to the local area, trust, the perceived solidity of the institution and the value of the social actions carried out in the local area.
Alongside this “value-based” participation, however, attendance at meetings and discussions is not always high. The reasons? On the one hand, limited time; on the other, a certain mistrust in the possibility of really influencing decisions. Members who do participate, on the other hand, are interested in the presentation of financial statements, in being able to vote for their representatives and in learning more about their institution. Among younger members – although less represented in the sample – there is a growing interest in tailor-made initiatives, such as the youth associations promoted by some credit unions.
The non-banking activities undertaken through foundations and associations set up by the credit unions themselves – which carry out cultural, social or environmental projects – are also generally known and appreciated, and are seen as effective tools for strengthening ties with the community.
The report shows how members recognise and appreciate the distinctive characteristics of cooperative credit: its strong local focus, attention to the social impact of its actions, and the importance given to direct interpersonal relationships between members and staff, the latter being a key distinguishing feature and strength. The Trentino rural banks are still recognised as “local banks”, but in order to remain so, they must continue to cultivate an authentic relationship with their members, investing in listening and sharing.
