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ÖGUT certification: The Valida staff provision fund is audited and
certified annually by the Austrian Society for Environment and Technology
(ÖGUT). In 2017, the Valida staff provision fund once again
received the “ÖGUT Gold” award, the best possible, for the year
2016. This is the fifth ÖGUT Gold certification in a row. In addition
to the ethical investment factor, communication and transparency in regard to
sustainability, in-house ecological aspects, staff policy and corporate citizenship
all play a role.
The Valida Group also supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As part of its sustainability
efforts, it contributes in particular to the achievement of three SDGs: Goal 7 Sustainable Energy, Goal 13
Combating Climate Change and Goal 16 Justice. Sustainable energy generation is one of the positive criteria
for investing in the staff provision fund, while investments in nuclear power are excluded. (SDG 7). Valida has been
regularly measuring the CO2 footprint of the staff provision fund’s equity portfolio since 2016. Among the criteria
for exclusion in the case of government bonds is a “Passive Climate Policy” (SDG13). With strict compliance
regulations, RBI Code of Conduct, which applies to Valida employees and suppliers, as well as the strict exclusion
criteria for investments of the staff provision fund, Valida applies regulations that go far beyond the legal
requirements (SDG16). As a member of the UNGC (United Nations Global Compact), Valida is the first member
of the industry to have been included in the list of participants of the SDG movement.
Services of Kathrein Privatbank Aktiengesellschaft for foundations and the needs of entrepreneurs
Based on their legal structure, foundations are particularly oriented toward long-term viability and sustainable
management of Austrian wealth. Kathrein Privatbank is highly specialized in the needs of entrepreneurs,
entrepreneur families and private foundations. The service spectrum encompasses all services important to this
clientele: This includes advice on the founding and management of a foundation, succession arrangements,
inheritance and gifts as well as the purchase and sale of companies. Thanks to many years of experience, Kathrein
Privatbank has established itself as Austria’s leading foundation bank. The Kathrein Privatbank Foundation Award,
which has been given out for the past ten years, is another way in which the bank promotes a well-researched
approach to the topic of foundations. Every year, this award highlights academic works on matters of civil law
and tax law relating to foundations as well as works of comparative legal analysis.
Other sustainable products and services at the network banks
Central Europe (CE)
In Poland, the government created a new residential program in 2014 for young adults under the name “Apartment
for the Youth”, which can still be handled through Raiffeisen Polbank (ends in 2018). The aim is to support young
adults when buying an apartment. Families with children receive additional support. The debt restructuring
scheme for non-performing mortgage loans is also worth mentioning. This system is directed toward mortgage
holders who have lost their jobs and whose monthly installments exceed 60 percent of their household income.
These persons receive monthly interest-free payments in an amount corresponding to about € 350 for a maximum
period of 18 months and the loan only needs to be repaid in eight years (after two years of deferred repayments).
In Slovakia, the use of electronic sales channels for private and micro customers was continued at Tatra banka,
a.s. during 2017. Customers can receive and accept their contracts electronically via internet banking or mobile
applications. For investments and private loans, customers can even confirm their contracts on a tablet. They then
receive a confirmation in paper form, while the bank stores the records electronically. For giro accounts, the share
of electronic account statements for private customers has now risen to 87 percent, while the figure for micro
customers is 81 percent. Free giro account packages for private individuals on a low income of less than € 400
are required under Slovakian law. A universal application also exists for small enterprises for the processing of
micro and small enterprise loans. This eliminates the need for additional visits to the bank. The customers
communicate with the bank concerning the details of the loan applications by telephone or mail. They can also
receive all important documents required for the approval process electronically by email. This also applies to
Raiffeisen Bank International | Sustainability Report 2017