Santander Bank Polska with the best sustainability report
Santander Bank Polska’s ESG 2022 Report won in the 'Sustainability Report’ category, in which 62 publications competed. This year’s 17th edition of the competition received a record number of entries – 86 reports, 10 more over the previous year. One in five (22%) was subject to independent verification, and 26 were debuts. A jury of 34 experts in ESG, CSR and sustainable development made their decisions based on 360 reviews.
The purpose of the 'Sustainability Reports’ competition is to promote ESG reporting, i.e., environmental, social and governance issues, and to identify good practices in each of the areas. This is expected to contribute to transparent data reporting and the highest standards of communication with stakeholders. The competition is organised by the Responsible Business Forum and Deloitte.
According to the competition organisers, both the number and quality of submissions are increasing from year to year. The growing advancement of organisations in the ESG sphere is not only due to regulatory provisions. Skilful communication of relevant sustainability information is something that investors and counterparties are placing increasing emphasis on. There is a growing need to present reliable data and ESG reporting is seen as a process that supports organisational management. This is important, especially as it will soon become mandatory for many more businesses in the European Union. All the publications submitted can be found in the 'Report Library’ available at: raportyzr.pl/biblioteka-raportow.
At Santander Bank Polska, ESG strategy is an integral part of our business strategy and we have been reporting on our activities in this area for the past 10 years. The current report provides a detailed matrix of the materiality of ESG aspects that guide us in our daily work. Climate change will affect the operations of every business in the world, which is why it is so important to be adequately prepared for its effects and to report ESG data accurately. I am pleased that once again our report has been acknowledged. It is the outcome of the efforts of many people from different units in the bank, Santander Bank Polska Group companies and our Foundation.
This year, for the first time, the bank had its Scope 1 and 2 carbon footprint assessed according to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. This means that the assessment covered the bank’s direct carbon footprint, as well as indirect emissions related to the consumption of the electricity, heat and steam that was purchased. This is the second time the report has included a climate analysis developed based on TCFD recommendations. It presents the opportunities and risks that arise from climate change in two scenarios and three time dimensions. With this approach, we can understand how different the impact of these changes can be on the bank’s business and its customers.
The publication is in line with the European Commission’s guidelines on the disclosure of climate-related non-financial information, the UNEP FI Principles for Responsible Banking and the selected Sustainable Development Goals identified as strategic for the bank. Furthermore, the report has been prepared in accordance with the latest version of the international guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).
Santander Bank Polska’s ESG 2022 Report is available at: esg.santander.pl/2022/
