BKS Bank wins sustainability price: Responsibility for the future!

BKS Bank wins sustainability price: Responsibility for the future!

BKS Bank was recently awarded a sustainability price that rewarded its commitment to responsible business and sustainability. Claudia Höller, head of the bank, personally accepted the award and underlined that sustainability was "part of the DNA of the BKS Bank". This award motivates the bank to continue to take responsibility for a sustainable future. Last year, the volume of the sustainable financial products of the bank was 1.6 billion euros, which corresponds to a remarkable plus of 13.4 %. BKS Bank is also involved in social projects such as “Carinthian in Need” and Caritas learning cafes.

The BKS Bank's offer includes sustainable services but also products such as Green Bonds that have been specially developed for environmentally conscious investments. The bank has undertaken to align its entire credit and investment portfolio at the Paris climate goals by 2040. This is part of your membership in the Green Finance Alliance, which is an initiative of the Climate Protection Department in Austria. The Alliance combines companies in the financial sector that want to voluntarily contribute to climate neutrality with the clear goal of achieving the global temperature goals.

strategic orientation and sustainability goals

BKS Bank, one of the founding members of the Green Finance Alliance, pursues ambitious climate goals. This includes the orientation of your credit and investment portfolio on the 1.5 ° C goal and the obligation to climate neutrality by 2050. A central point of your strategy is the decarbonization of the portfolio, combined with a planned exit from business relationships to fossil fuels. These measures are supported by close cooperation with stakeholders in order to implement the necessary switch to a low -carbon economy.

In 2024, the bank intends to update its climate strategy and engagement strategy. The central fields of action include the reduction of CO2 emissions in direct business activity and the integration of environmental, social and governance risks (ESG) in risk management. The further training of employees and managers on climate protection issues is also the focus.

role of the sustainable finance industry

The rise of BKS Bank as the leading sustainability bank in Austria reflects a larger trend within the finance industry. As the bafin can make a decisive contribution to social changes by evaluating investment risks and chances. Sustainable financial management aims to transform social, economic and environmental factors. This happens, taking into account environmental and climate risks, which are becoming increasingly important for the stability of the financial markets.

Bafin has therefore decided to systematically integrate sustainability in all business areas and to encourage companies to integrate sustainability risks into their risk management. This requires validated information and standards to ensure a clear and transparent evaluation. In this context, the BKS Bank is acting as a pioneer and actively participating in the discussion about the role of banks in sustainable development.

Due to its continuous efforts, BKS Bank shows that a responsible financial industry, which is aimed at sustainability, is not only possible, but also necessary to effectively counter the challenges of climate change.