Raiffeisen Bank International : Sustainability in Focus - As a Role Model and in Business Alignment

Influencers with a focus on sustainability are becoming increasingly popular. This trend is driven by growing awareness of the need for environmentally friendly practices in our daily lives. Consumers are increasingly turning to influencers to learn about a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. Influencers who promote sustainable practices therefore have the potential to reach a large audience.

In this sense, the RBI is a sustainable influencer - for customers, employees and society: "We need to spread more optimism and inspiration. A commitment that goes beyond pure banking business is a must for a responsible banker." For CEO Johann Strobl, imparting financial competence is a key to securing future prosperity. Therefore, the RBI has been working on a new approach to financial education in recent months, and for example has designed an interactive method with the "Minecraft Education Edition" to teach young students important financial aspects and terms through a computer game.

Christine Würfel, Head of Group ESG & Sustainability Management at RBI, informed about the sustainability framework chosen by the RBI, the UNEP FI Principles for Responsible Banking and the milestones achieved since signing in 2021. Since then, significant improvements have been made in areas such as climate change, environment, inclusion and governance. Examples include progress in sectoral guidelines for coal, oil and gas, or the expansion of sustainable financing as well as the internal anchoring of solid ESG governance and an ESG academy for employees. It's about "demonstrating the change", making the change visible. For Würfel, however, it is clear: "The integration of sustainability in all areas is not a sprint, but a marathon."