The ambition of the Swedbank Group is to be one of the most sustainable financial sector companies in the world. Thus, we integrate sustainability into all our business processes and decisions. We aim to create positive impact not only through our own activities but also through our customers and suppliers - by helping them make more sustainable decisions.
We connect our vision and business to key stakeholders’ needs and development of society through UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We have prioritized some SDGs where we believe our business can make the biggest impact. We have also chosen some additional SDGs to work on:
Quality Education
Ensure inclusive and high quality education for all.
Gender Equality
Achieve gender equality and end discrimination.
Decent Work and Economic Growth
Promote higher productivity, innovation, entrepreneurship and job creation.
Responsible Consumption and Production
Produce and consume goods and resources responsibly.
Climate Action
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
Peace and Justice Strong Institutions
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies.
More information on SDGs: https://www.globalgoals.org/
Affordable and Clean Energy
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.
Decent Work and Economic Growth
Promote higher productivity, innovation, entrepreneurship and job creation.
Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.
Sustainable Cities and Communities
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
Climate Action
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
Peace and Justice Strong Institutions
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies.
In all our work we take economic, social and environmental aspects into account, and we integrate issues such as human rights, environment and anti-corruption into business decisions. This supports risk management and creates value for our stakeholders.
Digital services. Digitalizing our services allows reducing the "paper" processes and create remote service solutions without the need to physically travel to the bank.
Sustainability analysis. Sustainability issues have been integrated in the bank’s lending process. An extensive sustainability analysis is run whenever our corporate customers apply for loans exceeding EUR 0.8m.
Sustainable products and services. Integrating sustainability issues into financing and investment decisions allows us to direct money towards more sustainable businesses which contribute to positive impact on environment, society and economic growth. Here are some examples:
Green Bonds. Green Bonds issued by Swedbank Group enable companies to finance investments that have a positive environmental impact and to build awareness of their sustainability work.
Exclusion List. Swedbank Group also has an official Exclusion List of companies which we do not finance or invest in. The current policies and position statements leading to exclusions of companies are Swedbank Policy on Human Rights, Swedbank Position Statement on Climate Change and Swedbank Position Statement on Defence Equipment.
Prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing. Swedbank also takes comprehensive action to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing. More information on this topic is available here.
Sustainability in managing clients’ investments. Swedbank integrates sustainability risk into the
investment decision-making process as well as investment advice being provided. Also, Swedbank considers the possible
negative impact an investment has on environmental and social matters, and
provides disclosures to end investors.
Peace and Justice Strong Institutions
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies.
In all our activities we apply the highest standards of business ethics and we have actual mechanisms that enable us to implement them.
All operations in Swedbank must be in conformity with high ethical standards, which necessitates Swedbank and its employees to actively examine every business transaction and ethically questionable situation on the basis of ethical norms and attitudes.
Swedbank and its employees actively refrain from transactions, assignments and other actions that are incompatible with this policy, instruction or approach, or for any other reason pose risk of adversely affecting confidence in Swedbank. Internal policy in the area of anti-corruption is established and constantly updated in Swedbank Group.
In our work we follow a Swedbank Code of Conduct, we comply with procedures that regulate potential conflicts of interest and employee transactions involving financial means. The bank applies a whistle blowing procedure for reporting conflicts of interest and breaches of ethics. We promote a working environment where employees can report without fear any violations of internal and external laws, legislation or unethical behaviour. Our employees also submit an annual declaration of economic interests. A special Business Ethics Committee has been established to take care of this area.
Affordable and Clean Energy
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.
Responsible Consumption and Production
Produce and consume goods and resources responsibly.
Climate Action
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
Climate change is one of today’s most important issues. As a systemically important bank, Swedbank has an obligation to support its clients in the transition to a low-carbon society (see Products and services section). At the same time, we can also do a range of things that reduce resource consumption and emissions.
On the way to the green office. An overview about the positive impact of our initiatives is published in the page section Reports, Evaluations and Membership.
Sustainable employee mobility. Workers working in the central building have both a safe parking area and the possibility of using shared bicycles and scooters, as well as easily accessible public transport and micro-mobility infrastructure.
We are reducing the amount of travel. Nearly half of the bank's CO2 emissions come from business travel, so we strengthen and make digital communication habits comfortable.
Our environmental objectives. At Group level we have increased our ambition to reduce the bank's direct greenhouse gas emissions by 60% (2019-2030) and energy consumption by 15% (2017-2025). For workers to be knowledgeable and supportive, we provide the training on sustainability and climate change issues.
Good Health and Well-being
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
Gender Equality
Achieve gender equality and end discrimination.
Decent Work and Economic Growth
Promote higher productivity, innovation, entrepreneurship and job creation.
Reduced Inequalities
Reduce inequality within and among countries.
The wellbeing of employees. At the heart of Swedbank's concept of wellbeing is the idea of what it means to be a human, covering the bank's support for the mental, physical, financial and social dimensions of work life.
Flexibility and personal development. We help our employees grow by giving them opportunities to participate in various training and professional development programmes and career consultations. We value and encourage the flexibility of our work time, place and methods, which helps our employees maintain balance between work and personal life.
Equal opportunities. We create an open and inclusive workplace; we value the diversity of our employees and have zero tolerance for any discrimination. Swedbank does not discriminate against anybody based on gender, age, sexual orientation or sexual identity, ethnicity, religion or disability - everybody is welcome. Men and women are offered equal pay for the same job. We aim to build gender balance on all managerial levels.
Meaningful activities together. Within the framework of the "Ready for Life" school programme, employees have the possibility to visit, as guest lecturers, pupils of grade 11 throughout Latvia with lectures on financial literacy. Participation in the programme is an opportunity for employees for social engagement and enables them to develop professional skills.
Reduced Inequalities
Reduce inequality within and among countries.
Climate Action
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
Peace and Justice Strong Institutions
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies.
Swedbank has a large number of suppliers and therefore has a big responsibility but also good opportunities to influence them based on sustainability specifications and expectations. The aim is to work together to promote sustainability at every level.
When working with partners and suppliers of various services, we always pay attention to sustainability aspects. We seek to work only with service providers which follow the highest standards of business ethics and sustainability. The Swedbank Supplier Code of Conduct, which must be signed by all service providers, states that the company must behave responsibly towards its employees, must ensure equal opportunities and follow the requirements of environmental sustainability, while guaranteeing transparency and prevention of corruption.
Peace and Justice Strong Institutions
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies.
Swedbank has signed several international agreements, and is a member of and certified by various organizations.
Sustainability framework documents are published in Corporate Governance page.
Reports. The sustainability performance of the bank is explained in the following reports:
Achievements. Swedbank AS has received the following assessments on sustainability performance:
Memberships
International agreements and regulations. International agreements and sustainability regulations binding for the Swedbank Group can be reviewed on the Swedbank Group's website.
