12
Visual implementation of SDGs
For the first time, the 2011/2012 Sustainability Report ushered in the concept of giving our report layout a socially
relevant character. Over the years this has given certain artists and amateurs an opportunity to present their
works as part of the report layout.
Given the motto for this Report, we not only included global sustainability goals as the centerpiece of the report’s
content, we also used graphic design to further highlight those sustainability goals. We wanted to include the
generation whose future the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to secure, and came across a college
close to Mödling just south of Vienna, i.e. the Höhere Lehranstalt für wirtschaftliche Berufe (Federal College of
Business Administration) in Biedermannsdorf (Lower Austria). The in-depth courses at the Federal College include
the subjects “Leisure management and the environment,” “Culture and creative subjects” and “Communication
and media design.” The fact that “Digital photography” is taught at the initial stages of the “Communication and
media design” in-depth course was particularly interesting in terms of developing a new report layout.
The partnership began with a visit by two employees from Group Sustainability Management in the winter
semester 2017/2018 to discuss the topic of sustainability with students, and specifically, the SDGs along with the
framework for implementing the project.
A photo competition on the SDGs was launched for the first two classes (1C and 1D) in agreement with Professor
Reinhold Wagner. This required the students to examine the global sustainability goals and also allowed them to put
their basic photographic knowledge to use in a practical and creative way. Using the SDGs as specified by RBI (SDG
1: No poverty; SDG 4: Quality education; SDG 5: Gender equality; SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy; SDG 8:
Decent work and economic growth; SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure; SDG 13: Climate action; SDG 16:
Peace, justice and strong institutions) the students, with guidance from their teacher, were given the task of finding
appropriate photographic subjects and creating an original work with due respect for the principles of image composition.
The students mastered the task within the team by working independently, both during lessons and in their own
free time. This freedom allowed the students to exploit their potential and to create something using their own
imaginations and creative talents. They were also able to put their theoretical technical knowledge to practical
use and link their knowledge with their skills. The students were highly motivated through the project work and
were now able to use their design abilities directly in a professional context.
Seeing how these young people document critical topics of our times in the form of their photographic contributions
for the Report’s artistic design is both impressive and also bears testimony to their professional approach. Selecting
the images for the cover and the chapter pages was an extremely difficult task. It resulted in all of the shortlisted
images shown on the next page.
We would like to say a big thank you to the HLW in Biedermannsdorf, especially to Professor Reinhold Wagner
and all of the students for their fantastic support.
Students at the HLW Biedermannsdorf (together with Prof. Wagner) whose submissions were
selected, © HLW-Biedermannsdorf
Raiffeisen Bank International | Sustainability Report 2017
Students at the HLW Biedermannsdorf whose submissions were selected,
© HLW-Biedermannsdorf