Increasingly widespread financial culture and better quality of knowledge for conscious and sustainable economic choices. It is starting from this objective that banks, through financial education initiatives, strengthen their commitment to sustainability and inclusion in support of citizens and their communities of reference. The commitment, which goes hand in hand with that for fair and lasting economic growth, contributes to the achievement in Italy of the 17 objectives of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, promoted by the United Nations.
The theme of sustainability takes on an increasingly important role in the choices and strategies of banks and is at the center of the 'Esg in banking' event: the second edition of the event promoted by ABI and organized by ABIServizi is dedicated to the sustainable transformation of the banking sector which takes place today and tomorrow and is freely available online.
Since the latest BusinEsSG survey, which ABI has dedicated to integrating the environmental, social and business management dimensions (ESG acronym from the English Environmental, Social and Governance) into banking activities - in which banks representing approximately 90% of the total total assets in the sector - it emerges that almost 97% in terms of total assets of the responding banks have already implemented financial education initiatives.
According to the survey, most of these activities are aimed at students of all backgrounds and levels (in particular upper secondary schools), retail customers and small and medium-sized enterprises, employees through initiatives aimed at families.
This occurs both through the adoption of numerous programs implemented independently, and through initiatives of a transversal nature, carried out in collaboration with the Institutions and with other public and private subjects, starting with consumer associations and business representatives, also in coordination. with the Foundation for Financial Education and Savings (Feduf) set up by the ABI in 2014 to promote training projects throughout the country. A commitment, that for financial education, which Abi has also included in its statute.
The 17 sustainability goals
With respect to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs in the English acronym), the survey finds that their dissemination in strategic planning and industrial plans is implemented by 82,6% of responding banks. In particular, the SDGs that recur most frequently, for over 78% of the total assets of the sample of banks, are: good employment and economic growth, quality education, defeating poverty, health and well-being, reduction of inequalities, cities and sustainable communities.
In the non-financial statements, almost 90% in terms of total assets of the respondent banks refer to the Sustainable Development Goals.
The 'Esg in banking' event
The role of banks is increasingly crucial, both as promoters of investments aimed at fair and lasting growth, and as companies affected by sustainable transformation, within the evolving European regulatory perimeter. The criteria of sustainable development are thus increasingly at the basis of the strategies, service models and communication addressed by banks to retail customers. This is why ABI and ABIServizi have decided to develop the 'Esg in banking' event this year in synergy with #ilCliente, the conference dedicated to the retail financial market. During the two days of work, scheduled for today and tomorrow, banks, companies, institutions, trade associations and experts discuss how to deal with the transformation underway in order to support the sustainable transformation of the economy.
The event is also freely accessible online this year to promote ever more exchange and contamination of knowledge and ideas, and to allow the widest possible participation in relation to the topics. The complete program and all useful information on the conference are available on the website https://esg.abieventi.it/.