Aktia has become an official Signatory of the UN Principles for Responsible Banking - a single framework for a sustainable banking industry developed through a partnership between over 270 banks worldwide and the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI).
The Principles are the leading framework for ensuring that banks' strategy and practice align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement. Under the Principles, signatory banks measure the environmental and social impact resulting from their business activities, set and implement targets where they have the most significant impact, and regularly report publicly on their progress. The banks will also share their best practices and work together to innovate useful guidance and tools for the entire industry.
"We are excited to join such an esteemed group of signatories within the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative. For years, sustainable thinking has been at the core of our business. We are keen to learn new practices from our colleagues across the world, as well as to share our own procedures related to sustainable banking. As part of the world's largest global banking community, we are convinced that together we can make real impact," says Mikko Ayub, CEO of Aktia.
Environmental and climate issues have long been taken into consideration in Aktia's business operations, and the company systematically develops its climate strategy, published in 2021. Before UNEP FI, Aktia has joined the international Net Zero Asset Managers initiative, which has become a standard in asset management and offers concrete tools for Aktia's ambitious sustainability work. Among its other environmental initiatives, Aktia has participated in the CDP non-disclosure campaign and the CDP led Science Based Targets campaign in addition to annually reporting information about climate change in the CDP portal. In 2021, Aktia became a public supporter of the TCFD (Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures) reporting recommendations in addition to Aktia's own TCFD reporting.
Signatories to the Principles take on a leadership role, demonstrating how banking products, services and relationships can support and accelerate the changes necessary. Aktia leads by example, aiming for carbon neutrality in its investment portfolios by 2050, the operating environment permitting. In lending, its goal is to decrease carbon emissions and exposure. For Aktia Group's own activities, one of the key goals is to achieve net carbon neutrality in the energy consumption of all rented premises by 2030.
More information on the Principles for Responsible Banking: www.unepfi.org/responsiblebanking
Further information:
Markus Lindqvist, Director, Sustainability, tel. +358 10 247 6846
Aktia is a Finnish asset manager, bank and life insurer that has been creating wealth and wellbeing from one generation to the next for 200 years. We serve our customers in digital channels everywhere and face-to-face in our offices in the Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, Vaasa and Oulu regions. Our award-winning asset management business sells investment funds internationally. We employ approximately 900 people around Finland. Aktia's assets under management (AuM) on 31 December 2021 amounted to EUR 15.5 billion, and the balance sheet total was EUR 11.7 billion. Aktia'ssharesarelisted on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd (AKTIA). aktia.com.
