Green bank Triodos has spent two years trying to find a new president for its supervisory board without success, the Volkskrant reports on Wednesday.

The Zeist-based bank is looking for someone with banking skills but who also supports the Triodos ethical mission, and that seems to be impossible, the Volkskrant says.

‘It does appear to be a difficult combination,’ a spokesman told the paper. ‘We’ve spoken to various candidates. Some dropped out, some did not match us. So we have reappointed our current president.’

Code of conduct

This reappointment conflicts with the banking code of conduct which states supervisory board chiefs may only remain in the job for 12 years, the Volkskrant points out.

Nevertheless, Hans Voortman, formerly with the Worldwide Fund for Nature and a Mees and Hope banker, has now agreed to do the job for another year.

‘It’s irritating but we could not wait any longer,’ the spokesman said. ‘And once you have a candidate, they still have to be screened by the central bank, and that takes time as well.’