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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
Engaged citizen
We consider ourselves to be an engaged corporate citizen who actively champions sustainable development in
our society. The commitment of RBI as a corporate citizen extends beyond its core business. It involves combatting
social problems, promoting culture, and protecting the environment. Diversity, tolerance, and a strong focus on
people are the mainstay of our efforts to bring about future-oriented development of society. As defined in its
sustainability strategy, RBI’s key areas of action – including in its role of committed corporate citizen – always
take economic, social and environmental factors into consideration.
At the head office, a regulation that applies to all employees governs the procedure for donations, sponsorship
and advertising requests as well as for memberships. While there are national rules at the network banks, the
Code of Conduct (see page 20 et seq.) forbids any employee from using charitable contributions under any
circumstances as a condition or means of influencing decisions or public officials.
In our role as engaged citizen, we champion issues that are essential to becoming a sustainable society. In that
context, sustainability is not limited to environmental protection, but rather, environmental protection is linked to
economic progress and social justice.
As an international banking company, we think it is important to play a part in future issues being openly discussed
in conjunction with a sustainable financial economy, and these issues being deliberated with our stakeholders
and the wider public.
Cooperation with the relevant socio-political representatives and stakeholders is very important, as new systems
can be created through cooperation only and also mean a new quality to economic activity. The RBI Group
champions an active civil society and social well-being. It supports an open society and considers itself to be a
promoter of integration, awareness, and openness. Social awareness is a driving force for sustainability. This means
that RBI is trying to show the effects of social action and to make discussion of sustainable solutions public.
At Raiffeisen, protecting the environment and the climate has been incorporated into the “Raiffeisen Nachhaltigkeits-
Initiative” (Raiffeisen Sustainability Initiative, RNI) since 2007 and is implemented through a multitude of projects
and measures. The RNI is considered a platform, service, and representational device for all the activities of its
members (RBI AG is one of its founding members) in the area of sustainability. It supports its members in the
conception, implementation, and communication of measures related to this issue. Driving sustainability and
r aising awareness are among the priorities of the platform.
In order to achieve long-term success, dialog with internal and external stakeholders and comprehensive
communication were of great importance from the outset. For example, an annual networking event has been
established which, in addition to expert lectures and panel discussions, also enables sharing of best practices.
In addition to the RNI website and Facebook page, we have hosted a separate, content-rich eco-energy blog
since 2015. Selected collaborations, such as the student ideas competition “Jugend Innovativ” (Innovative Youth),
have also been successfully implemented for many years.