ABI: environmental, social and business management issues in bank reporting activities

The environmental, social and corporate governance issues are part of the banks 'reporting activities and an integral part of the banking companies' strategies. According to the ABI data, considering the banks that fall within the scope of the 254 / 2016 decree and those that have published voluntary non-financial information, in the 2018 banks representing 99,6% of total sector assets have published a report of the non-financial information. The 254 / 2016 decree incorporates the European 95 / 2014 Directive on the obligation for listed companies or with more than 500 non-financial information employees on environmental, social, and human rights issues and the fight against corruption.

In this context Abi and Luiss, with the collaboration of the Global reporting initiative (Gri), have created an operating manual "Guidelines for Non-Financial Reporting in the Bank", published by Bancaria Editrice, for Italian banks, which helps to fulfill to the decree and to promote the communication of non-financial factors in the sector. The survey, which Abi promotes annually on the topic, confirms the banks' strong focus on the integration of the ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) themes, at the heart of the UN's 2030 Agenda on sustainable development, in its strategy.

Non-financial reporting as a tool for dialogue with communities

Non-financial reporting aims to represent the company's ability to manage risks and face the complex scenario in which it operates. Economic, social and environmental challenges make it necessary for companies to measure, manage and describe their impacts on the environment and society, for the benefit of the reference communities.

From the Abi 2018 survey, on a sample representing 88% of total sector assets, it emerges that:

  • all the banks involved formalized at least one company policy related to sustainability issues;
  • about 94% inserts a comparison of the information with those provided in the previous exercises; the 90% describes the priorities of the stakeholders, while the 63% sets out precise commitments made to them;
  • almost all the banks explain the activities that are consistent with the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda, such as: defeating poverty; quality education; clean and accessible energy; good employment and economic growth; fight against climate change; peace, justice and solid institutions;
  • the publication of the sustainability report is communicated mostly on the internet (99,4% of the sample), intranet (87,5%), social media (81,7%).

ABI: environmental, social and business management issues in bank reporting activities