Redesign the Royal Bank of Scotland for Sustainability
Open brief from Amelia's Magazine and PLATFORM, Closing date: 2nd Nov 2009
Written by Amelia
The Royal Bank of Scotland. RBS. Formally known with pride as the "oil and gas bank" due to their close alliance with the fossil fuel industries. What on earth would I have to do with them? They may have lost the unfortunate moniker, partly due to a hugely successful campaign by People and Planet student activists who launched a spoof ad campaign and website named the Oyal Bank of Scotland before delivering a host of greenwashing awards - but they're certainly not due for any special ethical mentions yet.Not yet.
There was of course a massive £33 billion bank bailout from the taxpayer for RBS last year. But RBS didn't spend the money on anything worthwhile. Oh no, the truth is that RBS still has oily blackened hands. Most people will remember the Fred Goodwin debacle, he who managed to retire at the age of 50 on a £16 million pension funded by taxpayers. But that's not the whole of it - since the bailout some of our money has been used to arrange loans for the fossil… read more
