Sustainability

Goal 4: Quality Education

Ensure inclusive and high quality education for all.

Goal 5: Gender Equality

Achieve gender equality and end discrimination.

Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

Promote higher productivity, innovation, entrepreneurship and job creation.

Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Produce and consume goods and resources responsibly.

Goal 13: Climate Action

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

Goal 16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies.

More information on United Nations SDGs https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs

In all our work we take economic, social and environmental aspects into account, and we integrate issues such as human rights, environment and anti-corruption into business decisions. This supports risk management and creates value for our stakeholders.

Development of digital services allows us to reduce resource consumption and minimize direct footprint of our services. Integrating sustainability issues into financing and investment decisions allows us to direct money towards more sustainable businesses, which contribute to positive impact on environment, society and economic growth. How do we do that? Here are some examples:

• More favourable financing conditions are offered when financing environment-friendly customer decisions: e.g. lower emission cars, domestic solar power generators, etc.
• Investment into sustainable funds: our pension funds helps us direct investments towards businesses with highest sustainability ratings.
• Sustainability issues have been integrated in the bank’s lending process. An extensive sustainability analysis is being run whenever our corporate customers apply for loans exceeding EUR 0.8m.
• Digitalizing our services allows to reduce the “paper” processes and create remote service solutions without the need to physically travel to the bank.
• Home Energy Efficiency Loan for renovating your private house.

Swedbank Group also has an official Exclusion List for companies which we do not do not finance or invest in. The current policies and position statements leading to exclusions of companies are Swedbank Policy on Human Rights, Swedbank Position Statement Climate Change and Swedbank Position Statement Defence Equipment. More information: https://swedbank.com/sustainability/responsible-business/finance.html

Swedbank also takes comprehensive actions in order to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing. More information on this topic is available here.

Swedbank integrates sustainability risk into the investment decision-making process as well as investment advice being provided. Also, Swedbank considers the possible negative impact an investment has on environmental and social matters, and provides disclosures to end investors.

With our products and services we contribute to:

Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

Promote higher productivity, innovation, entrepreneurship and job creation.

Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Produce and consume goods and resources responsibly.

Goal 13: Climate Action

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

Goal 16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies.

In all our activities we apply the highest standards of business ethics and we have actual mechanisms that enable us to implement them

All operations in Swedbank must be characterised by high ethical standards, which necessitates that Swedbank and its employees actively examine every business transaction and ethically questionable situation on the basis of ethical norms and attitudes.

Swedbank and its employees actively refrain from transactions, assignments and other actions that are incompatible with this policy, instruction or approach, or for any other reason risk adversely affecting confidence in Swedbank. Internal policies, procedures and regulations in the area of anti-corruption are established and constantly renewed in Swedbank Group.

In our work we follow a Swedbank Code of Conduct, we comply with procedures that regulate potential conflicts of interests and employee transactions involving financial measures. The bank applies a whistle blowing procedure for reporting conflicts of interest and breaches of ethics. We promote a working environment where employees can report without fear any violations of internal and external laws, legislation or unethical behaviour. Our employees also submit an annual declaration of economic interests. A special Business Ethics Committee is established to take care of this area.

These activities allow us to contribute to this goal:

Goal 16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies.

• Swedbank Group Anti-Bribery and Corruption policy

• Green work environment. In all premises of Swedbank Lithuania we use 100 per cent “green” energy, we constantly decrease the amount of waste, actively recycle and constantly work to reduce electricity and water consumption.
• Sustainable mobility. The employees of the central headquarters have an opportunity to arrive at work by bikes or scooters. There are special premises provided for their storage. Vehicles used for business trips are renewed into environmentally friendly hybrid or electric cars.
• Reducing business travel. We are continually trying to decrease the amount of business trips, especially flights. The first week of each month at Swedbank is a week without flying – all physical meeting are replaced by remote ones.

Our operational sustainability helps us contribute to these SDGs:

Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Produce and consume goods and resources responsibly.

Goal 13: Climate Action

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

• Physical and emotional health. We implement various health initiatives for our employees. In Vilnius HQ we have established a gym for our employees. Health insurance is provided to employees, and additional paid day-offs for health checks. We also have a special emotional help phone line staffed by professional psychologists.
• Flexibility and personal development. We help our employees to grow by giving them opportunities to participate in various training and professional development programmes and career consultations. We value and encourage the flexibility of our work time, place and methods, which helps our employees maintain balance between work and personal life.
• Equal opportunities. We create an open and inclusive workplace; we value the diversity of our employees and have zero tolerance for any discrimination. Men and women are offered equal pay for the same job. We aim to build gender balance on all managerial levels. We also help to minimise the career gap when returning after parental leave. More information at: https://blog.swedbank.lt/zalia-sviesa
• Meaningful activities together. The employee volunteering programme We Care allows employees to volunteer in teams or individually, for which the bank gives paid day off and helps to provide the requisites.

These activities help us contribute to following goals:

Goal 5: Gender Equality

Achieve gender equality and end discrimination.

Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

Promote higher productivity, innovation, entrepreneurship and job creation.

Swedbank has a large number of suppliers and therefore has a big responsibility but also good opportunities to influence them based on sustainability specifications and expectations. The aim is to work together to promote sustainability at every level.

When working with partners and suppliers of various services, we always pay attention to sustainability aspects. We seek to work only with service providers which follow the highest standards of business ethics and sustainability. The Swedbank Supplier code of conduct, which must be signed by all service providers, states that the company must behave responsibly with its employees, must ensure equal opportunities and follow the requirements of environmental sustainability, while guaranteeing transparency and prevention of corruption.

It helps us contribute to following goal:

Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Produce and consume goods and resources responsibly.

Swedbank Lithuania provides annual overview of social responsibility activities as part of the annual report (please see section Social Responsibility). Reports are available here.

Detailed Sustainability Reports of Swedbank Group (in English) are provided at: https://swedbank.com/sustainability/reporting-monitoring.html

• Statement on principal adverse impacts of investment decisions on sustainability factors version3
• Sustainability risks integration and impact statement
• Policy on sustainability risk integration
• Remuneration in Swedbank
• Information on the application of the Gambling Sector Guidelines

Statement on principal adverse impacts of insurance advice and investment advice on sustainability factors

• documentStatement on principal adverse impacts of insurance advice and investment advice on sustainability factors

Expertise in personal and business finances as well as macroeconomics is our greatest competence. By sharing this competence with the society we can create biggest positive impact. To help people and businesses gain financial skills, we actively work with various educational initiatives targeted at different segments of society. Our aim is to help people gain knowledge and skills to successfully manage their personal finances, build financial security and accelerate growth.

• Swedbank Institute of Finances monitors, analyses and investigates different financial aspects of national economy, personal finances and business finances. The Institute’s experts educate society on sustaianel personal finances, entrepreneurship, economic trends, risks and opportunities.
• Swedbank Finance Lab is a unique educational venue for schoolchildren. It allows build knowledge in areas economics and personal finance management in a smart and interactive way. All pupils from the 1_st to 12_th grades are welcome here. More information at: https://blog.swedbank.lt/finansu-laboratorija
• In the Swedbank Blog we provide relevant advice, analysis and forecasts that will help people manage their private and business finances better. Follow the news at: https://blog.swedbank.lt/
• On Facebook group “Pinigai ir reikalai” we discuss various questions on finance and share our experience and advice. Join us on:https://www.facebook.com/groups/276699909909670/

These activities contribute to following goals:

Goal 4: Quality Education

Ensure inclusive and high quality education for all.

Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Produce and consume goods and resources responsibly.

Swedbank Entrepreneurship platform “Everyone can” was created for small Lithuanian businesses to grow and develop more quickly. About 2500 Lithuanian small businesses have joined the „Everyone can“ platform and have used this opportunity to attract more customers and increase visibility of their business. The project can be joined both by businesses running physical sales, and those operating electronically.

The platform “Everyone can”

It allows us to contribute to this goal:

Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

Promote higher productivity, innovation, entrepreneurship and job creation.

We believe that open and progressive society is impossible without equal opportunities and inclusion. Since 2015 we have been working actively on issues of equal opportunities, gender equality and diversity. We run diversity trainings for all our managers. We offer equal pay to men and women in the same professional positions. We have set goals in the field of equal opportunities such as gender balance among managers, equal pay, implementation of non-discrimination principles, employee engagement into diversity related topics and initiatives.

We have implemented gender equality campaign Green Light (www.zaliasviesa.lt), which encourages equal pay, reducing gender pay gap and increasing public awareness in this field. In cooperation with public partners, we constantly strive to raise discussions on the topics of gender equality and encourage progress at the national level. We also actively work with various various women’s leadership initiatives (e.g. the Go Forward conference, the Women’s Innovation Sprint, etc.)

Swedbank is an ambassador of the Lithuanian Diversity Charter and was among the first companies in Lithuania to publicly express support to the Baltic Pride events. In 2019 Swedbank became the major partner and sponsor of the Baltic Pride International Human Rights Conference and participated in the March for Equality in Vilnius. The bank is also the major partner and sponsor of the National Equality and Diversity Awards.

This helps us contribute to following goal:

Goal 5: Gender Equality

Achieve gender equality and end discrimination.

Women for Global Challenges is a continuous sustainable innovations programme, based on the methodology of design thinking. It aims to encourage more women to take active role in creating innovations and turning them into actual business ideas. It also aims to promote and grow sustainable innovation culture among entrepreneurs. The business ideas in this program must contribute to at least one of the SDGs. Swedbank is the main partner and one of the initiators. More information at: www.inovacijusprintas.lt

Futurepreneurs is a sustainable entrepreneurship per-accelerator for students run by Sunrise Valley Science and Technology Centre. During the programme participants learn how to create a business which is not only innovative but also makes a positive impact on the environment, society and economy. Swedbank is the main partner and sponsor. More information at: www.futurepreneurs.eu

“Būtent” (“Makes Sense”) Opinion and Discussion Festival. This is an open, non-political, free of charge event, the aim of which is to encourage the culture of open discussions, listening and tolerance, build societal engagement and improve the quality of important national level decisions. In this festival Swedbank initiates various discussion on the topics related our prioritized SDGs based areas: education, economic growth and entrepreneurship, open and inclusive society, sustainability and environmental protection. More information at: http://diskusijufestivalis.lt

Our societal initiatives help us contribute to following goals:

Goal 4: Quality Education

Ensure inclusive and high quality education for all.

Goal 5: Gender Equality

Achieve gender equality and end discrimination.

Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

Promote higher productivity, innovation, entrepreneurship and job creation.

Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Produce and consume goods and resources responsibly.

Goal 13: Climate Action

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

Goal 16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies.

In order to create positive social, economic and environmental impact, Swedbank cooperates with various societal partners. When building partnerships, we prioritize long-term initiatives that have a wide reach and strong impact, and which correspond to the Sustainable Development Goals and our bank values.

Swedbank assesses every proposal for support or cooperation according to clearly defined criteria. We take into account the following aspects:

• Whether the project corresponds to Swedbank values, as well as to the existing and future needs of customers and society,
• The relevance of the project to the general public, to what degree it engages people, what kind of actual changes it helps to achieve, and how it contributes to the welfare of society,
• The professionalism and experience of the partner and sustainability of the project,
• The possibilities for engaging Swedbank employees and customers in the project.

Swedbank does not support:

• Projects that do not correspond to the values of the bank,
• Political and religious organisations,
• Initiatives that pose any danger or other risks to the environment and security of the population,
• Personal initiatives and projects.

In order to communicate with us regarding opportunities for cooperation and sponsorship, please fill in the following form: