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Raiffeisen Bank International | Sustainability Report 2018
Management Overview Foreword
of sustainability
Responsible
banker
Fair partner –
Human Resources
Fair partner –
Inhouse ecology
Engaged
citizen
GRI index and
Assurance report
Fair partner –
Inhouse ecology
The management of climate risks – not just in inhouse ecology – is an increasingly important task for the economy.
Not for nothing does the World Economic Forum classify climate change as one of the greatest risks in the 2018
Global Risks Report. Companies that do not set climate protection targets or only do so to an inadequate extent
or rather do not incorporate any climate-related aspects into their corporate strategy should expect that their
profitability will suffer in the medium to long term. Effective climate protection has long been a competitive factor
in the capital market.
We view environmental and climate protection as part of our responsibility toward society, and we see ourselves
as a fair partner to the environment. The direct environmental impacts of our operational activities are limited
compared with those of production industries. Nevertheless, RBI has the goal of limiting negative environmental
impacts at all of its sites to the greatest possible extent, and – where possible – going beyond basic compliance
with statutory requirements and demands.
RBI is committed to minimizing its environmental impact as much as possible. The company therefore works to
continuously improve the main environmental parameters in the most relevant areas. The environmental management
system in Austria is based on international standards (e.g. ISO 14001). The network banks in CEE are also
conscious of their responsibility for the environment and work to continuously improve this.
In general, energy efficiency, renewable energy, environmentally friendly mobility and sustainable purchasing
are particularly important in corporate environmental protection. Nevertheless, because of RBI’s carbon footprints
energy consumption in the contexts of building management and the mobility sector are the two most essential
areas for action. These are also key for attaining the environmental targets (see page 120).
Impacts, risks and opportunities
The impacts of corporate environmental activities on the environment and society are assessed annually. The
most important measures are those of carbon footprint, and the meeting of environmental goals. With 2011 as the
baseline, comparisons of changes in emissions are made from one year to the next. As the changes in the world’s
climate have far-reaching consequences which stretch beyond national borders, there is no regional limitation of
effects in this regard. The impact of greenhouse gas emissions on the environment is entirely negative, however,
use of renewable energy, or the promotion of energy efficiency, can lead to improvements in the situation. These
areas also have a positive effect on society, for example by creating or preserving jobs.
The greatest risk for the economy, society and environment – if companies are unwilling to counter climate change –
is the onset of global warming with the known negative impacts. For this reason, RBI defined environmental targets
for the entire group in 2015. The base year is 2011, the first year in which corporate environmental protection
figures were recorded for the entire group.
There are risks for RBI, particularly in terms of cost. Examples of such risks are one-off additional costs during
work on the shell of the building and conversion to LED lighting. Additional costs can also accure due to higher
procurement costs, combined with the longer time required to assess products and a smaller purchasing selection.
RBI is making a positive contribution to society with concrete steps related to environmental management. We
are trying to contribute to meeting the goals of the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris (COP 21) by working
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and promoting the renewable energy sector of the economy. The area of
consistent cost-cutting offers an important opportunity for RBI in inhouse ecology. Because business transactions
and energy consumption are among the largest generators of emissions in inhouse ecology, measures to reduce