Sport, sustainability & community
Rabobank and BINBIN:
Turning Deposit Returns Into Community Impact
Rabobank has always been more than a bank. As a cooperative with deep roots in Dutch communities, Rabobank actively invests in local sports clubs, events, and sustainability initiatives. One of the most visible expressions of this is Rabo ClubSupport: a programme that lets customers vote to direct sponsorship money to local clubs and associations. When Rabobank started looking for a way to make that community impact even more tangible, BINBIN and NOC*NSF were ready with a solution.
A clear challenge
How do you make donating easy at a sports club?
Sports clubs run on volunteers, tight budgets, and community goodwill. Collecting deposit returns on plastic bottles is a practical way to raise funds, but it only works if the infrastructure is in place.
The challenge was twofold: how do you give clubs a simple, reliable way to collect bottle deposits, and how do you make it easy for visitors and members to actually donate rather than pocket the return?
The answer needed to be physical, visible, and low-maintenance. Something that fits naturally into a sports canteen or outdoor facility without requiring extra staff or complicated systems.
Why this works for sports clubs
Simple infrastructure, real community value
Deposit return collection only works when the act of donating is easier than the alternative. Place a clear, well-designed collection point at the right spot: next to the bar, near the entrance, at the exit and people will use it.
Together with NOC*NSF and Rabobank, BINBIN has helped dozens of sports clubs across the Netherlands set up deposit collection points through the Rabo ClubSupport programme. In the early years of this partnership, the PETman was the product used to collect deposit bottles at clubs and community events. A familiar fixture at football pitches and canteens across the country.
BINBIN now supplies The Barrel as its dedicated deposit hub: a purpose-built collection point for plastic bottles, designed for high-traffic public and semi-public environments like sports canteens, event venues, and outdoor facilities. The Barrel is the product behind the Drink Drop Donate campaign. An initiative that makes it easy for visitors and members to donate their deposit return directly to their local club.
Clubs including football associations, hockey clubs, and running events have benefited. Turning every donated bottle into direct funding for their own activities.
For Rabobank’s own offices, BINBIN also supplied The Public: a robust waste separation solution suited for high-use indoor environments.
The solution
The Barrel: the next step in deposit collection
BINBIN’s current offering for deposit collection is The Barrel: a dedicated deposit return hub built for sports clubs, canteens, and community events. It is the product at the heart of the Drink Drop Donate campaign.
Where the PETman was previously used to collect deposit bottles at clubs and events through this partnership, The Barrel is its successor: designed for the same high-traffic environments, but built for today’s deposit return infrastructure and the growing demand for visible, branded collection points.
Clubs that are part of the Rabo ClubSupport network and are looking to set up or upgrade their deposit collection have The Barrel as the natural next step. A simple, low-maintenance setup that makes donating the easiest option for every visitor.
Takeaway
More clubs, more impact
Rabobank’s investment in local sports through Rabo ClubSupport goes beyond financial sponsorship. By partnering with BINBIN and NOC*NSF to provide deposit collection infrastructure, Rabobank is helping clubs build sustainable revenue streams that don’t depend on one-off donations.
For sports clubs, the opportunity is clear: the Drink Drop Donate campaign is an accessible way to turn everyday bottle consumption into structural funding. Every match, every training session, every event becomes a small fundraising moment.
If your sports club or association is part of Rabo ClubSupport, or if you’re looking for a way to add deposit collection to your facility, BINBIN and The Barrel are the practical next step.
That is where BINBIN adds value: a clear setup, built for real use, that turns good intentions into consistent community impact.
Ready to set up deposit collection at your club or venue?
BINBIN helps sports clubs, community organisations, and event venues collect deposit returns with The Barrel. A simple, visible solution that makes donating the easiest option.
