Relationships - Banco Itaú

Sustainability Vision
• Commitment to
Sustainable Development
The Essence of Sustainability
In late 2008 we held the first review of the key
challenges for our sustainable performance and
released the document entitled the Essence of
Sustainability. The text covers the views of staff
and specialists, as well as best global practices
in the financial sector. Like any policy it is a
“living” document, open to adjustments and
reviews so that it is continually aligned with the
demands of society.
The stakeholder consultation process continued
in December 2009, when two panels were
held. The first was for employees, while the
second featured a group of market experts and
analysts. Both panels however, shared the same
goal: evaluate the relevance to the Organization
of the eight challenges listed in the Essence of
Sustainability. The meetings also helped
broaden these groups’ knowledge of our
concepts and sustainability practices.
Following are the eight challenges that make up
our Essence of Sustainability document and which
impact directly on sustainable performance.
Their respective symbols also appear throughout
the Report, indicating how the Organization is
responding to these sustainability challenges.
1. Transparency and Governance
The culture of transparency in the corporate
world leads to improved quality in stakeholder
relations, which results in greater trust. Good
corporate governance ensures increased
desire to provide transparent information
internally and externally, which is the first step
on the road to sustainability.
2. Customer Satisfaction
Customer satisfaction indicates how sensitive
we are to the needs of our most important
strategic relationship group. Respecting
and satisfying our customers are the means
to making this relationship long lasting to
ensure business continuity. Accordingly, we
must also offer products and services that
meet their real needs. This issue has gained
ground with the Bank’s new vision - “Be the
leading bank in sustainable performance and
customer satisfaction” – and is also one of the
commitments taken on in the Sustainability
Policy: “Maintaining our business over the
short, medium and long-term, to deliver
continual value to our stakeholders”.
3. Socio-environmental Criteria
By adopting socio-environmental criteria in
our policies and management, we are
committing to promote sustainable
development. Socio-environmental criteria
should be applied in all our business activities,
from financing to investment and throughout
the entire supply chain.
4. Diversity
Promoting diversity means building quality
relationships with people of different
backgrounds, races, cultures and opinions,
without discrimination but understanding their
differences and promoting inclusion. We must
encourage respect for diversity among our
employees and other stakeholders.
5. Climate Change
Climate change is one of the great challenges
that society and our planet will continue to
face in the quest for sustainable development.
Everyone should consider themselves agents as
we seek to understand the phenomena and find
viable solutions to the impact caused by human
activity on the climate. Itaú Unibanco believes
that it has much to contribute as a financial
institution committed to promoting sustainable
development for people and businesses.
24 Itaú Unibanco Holding S.A.