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Corporate Sustainability
Retaining credibility in a challenging environment
2011 was a year enveloped in deep mistrust towards the financial
industry. Banks are expected to carry out their role as mediators in
the economic system with integrity and calculate the social and
ecological consequences of their commercial activities.
UniCredit Bank AG (HVB) can depend upon a good reputation that
it has built up with the aid of its consistent, multi-award-winning
sustainability management. Many years ago, we integrated the
principles of corporate sustainability in our business strategy and
made long-term value creation a corporate objective. This is driven
by the conviction that companies can only be successful in the long
run if they operate responsibly and take account of the justified
expectations of their stakeholders in their core business.
Within the financial world, HVB plays a leading role in terms of sustainable
business operation thanks to its consistent strategic orientation.
Alongside our strong core capital ratio and high level of customer
satisfaction we have enjoyed for years, this is also affirmed by numerous
awards and good rating results: the sustainability rating agency
oekom research AG has given HVB its “Prime” designation for ten
years in a row. HVB’s parent company, UniCredit, is listed in the DJSI
and FTSE4Good, the leading international sustainability indexes.
UniCredit Sustainability Framework
Business
sustainability
Outstanding
performance
for customers
Stakeholders
Orderly
company
management
– Employees
– Customers
– Shareholders
– Regulatory authorities
Seamless
risk
culture
Industry leader in sustainability rating
Rating agency oekom research AG is one of the world’s leading
assessment bodies for sustainability. Its corporate ratings evaluate
the performance of companies from over 45 industries and more
than 50 countries. In February 2012, oekom published the industry
report for the financial sector and analysed the sustainability performance
of 73 international commercial banks. The assessment
criteria included customer and product responsibility, ecological
and social standards, and the treatment of employees. HVB was
again awarded first place in the rating of commercial banks, which
makes it the industry leader in the area of sustainability.
UniCredit’s Sustainability Framework
Our understanding of responsible company management is
wide-ranging and based on UniCredit’s Sustainability Framework.
Alongside a good reputation, our long-term success is built upon a
firm foundation of various programmes to ensure compliance with
the statutory and regulatory provisions and a values-based corporate
culture. The Integrity Charter, which is applicable throughout the
corporate group, acts as the yardstick for the behaviour of all employees
across every hierarchical level. We communicate the values it
encompasses – fairness, transparency, respect, reciprocity, freedom
and trust – to our staff during workshops.
Value
creation
processes
– Media and opinion leaders
– NGOs
– Consumer and industry associations
– Trade unions and works councils
People
engagement
Investing
in our
workforce
Corporate
citizenship
Corporate
social
responsibility
Compliance · Profitability and dividend distribution · Living values · Mission · Brand · Reputation
HypoVereinsbank · 2011 Annual Report 23