Swedbank´s activity in the CSR area the best in Estonia
The result of Responsible Business TOP 2009, organised by the daily business newspaper Äripäev, was published on 27 April. The announcement manifests that Swedbank has acted in strategic and well-considered manner within the CSR area in Estonia. The responsible activity of Swedbank was certified the strongest in Estonia, and the company was joint first (92.7% out of 100%) with Tallinna Vesi AS.
Under the leadership of Äripäev, Responsible Business Forum and EBS Ethics Centre, the Responsible Business Index was conducted this year for the second time. A total of 49 companies took part in the index this year, which included companies of different size and operating in different areas of activity that are based both on Estonian and foreign capital. The number of respondents that contributed in 2009 and the profoundness of completing the index indicated that the interest towards the area is growing, and the same applies to the large amount of good practice.
Out of four main areas (strategy, integration of principles, areas management and assessment of results, reporting and communication), corporate strategy (the result of 63%) and management of areas of activity (62%) were stronger than the average. The strongest area of Swedbank was corporate strategy (98%) and the weakest was the area of results integration (79%).
Examples of CSR activity in Estonia:
- Swedbank brought to the market the first “green bank product” in Estonia – Green Home Loan, which provides favourable interest rate to a borrower, who builds his or her house as passive house. In addition, we plant a tree for each electronic application and contract.
- The Internet bank offers a donation environment (www.swedbank.ee/tuletoeta), which is unique in the Baltic Region and which intermediates the donations made by private individuals to approved and reliable organisations.
- Swedbank supports HIV prevention and information by funding different foundations and raising the awareness among employees of Swedbank. At the initiative of SA Terve Eesti [Foundation Healthy Estonia] and Swedbank, the companies' coalition "Companies Against HIV” was created.
- Some novelties for employees to improve health: a day off for medical examinations and fitness centres in the main buildings in Tallinn.
