Rabobank: Overcoming Reputational Challenges During a Pandemic (C)

In 2013, the Dutch multinational banking and financial services company Rabobank suffered a major fallout following the LIBRO scandal. Communications expert, Leendert Bikker, was brought in to rectify the situation in 2016. He re-organized the Communications and Corporate Affairs department at the bank and launched the bank's new mission 'Growing a Better World Together'. Challenges remained, however, such as helping farmers - the banks major customers - become more sustainable in a volatile economy. Bikker continued working with the bank's senior management to address these challenges. Another crisis hit when Rabobank began to show results in mitigating external risks while maintaining its good reputation. This time, the COVID-19 pandemic. Bikker and his team had to communicate to the outside world that the bank was stable, in control and could help clients with government aid while simultaneously motivating employees to stay connected while dispersed.