Glossary

Raiffeisen-Glossary

• Gable Cross - The international Raiffeisen logo is the Gable Cross. It consists of two stylized crossed horses' heads and can be traced back hundreds of years to European folk traditions. It is a symbol of defense against evil and life's dangers and can still be found on rural houses in Central Europe. According to their founder's objectives, Raiffeisen's members have safeguarded themselves against economic hazards by uniting within the cooperative and therefore chose the Gable Cross as an emblem of protection under a shared roof. The logo has developed into an internationally well-known and very positively associated trademark and is in use around the world.
• Raiffeisen Banking Group - The Raiffeisen Banking Group (RBG) is Austria's largest banking group by total assets. As per year-end 2007, RBG's consolidated balance-sheet total amounted to € 236.3 billion. It represents about a quarter of all domestic banking business and comprises the country's largest banking network with 2,250 business outlets and approximately 22,700 employees. RBG consists of Raiffeisen Banks on the local level, Regional Raiffeisen Banks on the provincial level and RZB as central institution. RZB also acts as the "link" between its international operations and RBG. Raiffeisen Banks are private cooperative credit institutions, operating as general service retail banks. Each province's Raiffeisen Banks are owners of the respective Regional Raiffeisen Bank, which in their entirety own approximately 88 per cent of RZB's ordinary shares.
  The Raiffeisen Banks go back to an initiative of the German social reformer Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen (1818 - 1888), who, by founding the first cooperative banking association in 1862, has laid the cornerstone of the global organization of Raiffeisen cooperative societies. Only 10 years after the foundation of the first Austrian Raiffeisen banking cooperative in 1886, already 600 savings and loan banks were operating according to the Raiffeisen system throughout the country. According to Raiffeisen's fundamental principle of self-help, the promotion of their members' interests is a key objective of their business policies.
• Raiffeisen Bank International AG (RBI) regards both Austria, where it is a leading corporate and investment bank, and Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) as its home market. In CEE, RBI operates an extensive network of subsidiary banks, leasing companies and a range of other specialised financial service providers in 17 markets. 56,000 employees service about 15 million customers through around 3,000 business outlets in the region. RBI is the only Austrian bank with a presence in both the world’s financial centres and in Asia, the group's further geographical area of focus. RBI is a fully-consolidated subsidiary of Raiffeisen Zentralbank Österreich AG (RZB). RZB which indirectly owns around 78.5 per cent of the common stock, which is listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange; the remainder is in free float. RZB is the central institution of the Austrian Raiffeisen Banking Group, the country's largest banking group, and serves as the group head office of the entire RZB Group, including RBI.
• RZB - Raiffeisen Zentralbank Цsterreich AG (RZB) is the central institution of the Austrian Raiffeisen Banking Group. Founded in 1927 and domiciled in Vienna, RZB is the third-largest Austrian bank and a specialist in commercial and investment banking. As the parent company of the RZB Group, it ranks among Central and Eastern Europe's leading banking groups, offering the full scope of commercial, investment and retail banking services practically throughout the region.
• RZB Group - The group owned and steered by RZB. Raiffeisen International forms the Group's largest unit, acting as holding and steering company for the network of banks and leasing companies in Central and Eastern Europe. The RZB Group's second geographical focus is Asia. Branches, specialised companies and representative offices in Europe and the USA complement the presence on the world's most important financial markets.