History

While BankTrack as a network has existed only since early 2004, it is founded on activities that started back in 1996. This overview tracks the roots of BankTrack.

2010

• In January BankTrack organises a strategy meeting in Zuerich, Switzerland
• At the same time BankTrack launches an open letter, signed by over 100 civil society organizations, urging Equator Principles banks to take ‘bold steps forward'.
• In May BankTrack launches a new website on nuclear energy and banks: www.nuclearbanks.org
• Also in May, the research report ‘Close the Gap' is launched, in which bank policies of 49 internationally operating banks are scored.
• In June the Palestinian organization BDS movement joins BankTrack
• In September 2010 a climate coordinator joins the secretariat

2009

• In the beginning of 2009, BankTrack welcome a new communication officer and a campaign officer.
• The Wilderness Society (Australia), Greenwatershed (China) and Amazon Watch (USA) join the network.
• In December BankTrack launches the updated Climate paper: "a Challenging Climate- What banks should do to combat climate change".

2008

• In May, BankTrack moves secretariat from Utrecht to Nijmegen.
• November; Banktrack strategy meeting in El Escorial, Spain

2007

• In February, BankTrack published its position paper "Human Rights - Banking Risks".
• In March, BankTrack hires two new staff members: a campaigner & south liaison officer and a research & communication officer.
• Pacific Environment (USA), SOMO (NL), Global Witness (UK), Setem (Spain), Wise (NL) and Friends of the Earth Europe join the network.
• In December, BankTrack launches its position paper "A Challenging Climate - What banks should do to combat climate change".
• In December, BankTrack also publishes "Mind the Gap - benchmarking the credit policies of mayor international banks" a big report on credit policies of banks.

2006

• In January, BankTrack secretariat moves to a bigger office.
• In March, BankTrack welcomes its new communications officer.
• In July, CEDHA from Argentina, Fair Finance Watch from the United States and WEED from Germany joined BankTrack network as members.

2005

• In January, BankTrack opens secretariat in Utrecht, Netherlands.
• In February,  two new members joined BankTrack at 1st formal network meeting in Zuerich, Switzerland. The BankTrack network counts 14 members.

2004

• In January, twelve civil society organizations launch a new network under the name of BankTrack.
• In June, BankTrack publishes its 1st anniversary assessment of the Equator Principles.
• In September, BankTrack establishes independent foundation to act as legal entity to represent the BankTrack network.

2003

• Release of the Collevecchio Declaration at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
• Early that year, some Collevecchio signatory organizations engage with private banks on draft principles for project finance.
• The Quantum Leap project merges with the Netherlands based Focus on Finance (FoF) research project, coordinated by Dutch consultant firm AIDEnvironment.
• In June, ten major banks launch the Equator Principles. FoF members active before and during launch, become prime target of work.
• In October, a meeting of finance campaigners in Netherlands takes place. The Focus on Finance project is remodeled as a NGO network with an advocacy mission. FoF hires a full time coordinator to oversee development of this network.

2002

Meeting of NGO campaigners in the Italian village of Collevecchio to draft the first civil society statement on the role of financial sector and sustainability. Over 100 civil society organizations sign up to it.

2000-2002

Private banks increasingly begin to feel the pressure of civil society. NGOs start highly visible campaigns on projects co-financed by private banks, such as the OCP pipeline in Ecuador, the Chad Cameroon oil pipeline, the Camisea gas project in Peru and the financing of oil palm plantations in Indonesia and Malaysia.

1998-2000

The Quantum Leap project conducts training in three continents.

1997

Start of the Quantum Leap project, a project of Friends of the Earth and the National Wildlife Federation in the US. The aim of the project is to train campaigners so they become financially literate and are able to influence the private financial sector. The project's newsletter 'The Bull and the Bear' informs the financial sector on civil society concerns.

1996

US activists realised there was a need to focus on private financial institutions within international development operations, in addition to work on IFIs such as the World Bank.