Erste Group is strongly committed and actively contributes to the implementation of the UN sustainable development goals and Agenda 2030. In 2015 Erste Group signed the UN Global Compact and thus committed to supporting the Sustainable Development Goals, including women´s economic empowerment. Although the SDG’s make no direct mention of “social finance” or “social banking”, there is a very clear connection through Goal 1 of SDGs, which aims to “End poverty in all its forms everywhere” and especially Target 1.4. from Goal 1, which clearly mentions microfinance as one of the most important parts of social finance and banking. All in all, the goal of social finance and banking is to help tackle poverty, empower and provide access to financial products and services to vulnerable social groups. From the perspective of social finance and banking, it is of utmost importance to implement SDGs in internal policies and activities. Social banking aims to promote financial inclusion by easing citizen access to basic financial services as a vital part of fully participating in economic and social life.
In working towards
SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), “Step-by-Step” enables low-income people and disadvantaged communities to access credit and other financial services, as well as non-financial support, by providing financial literacy, business training and ongoing mentoring. This helps increase incomes for livelihoods and work opportunities, and promotes inclusive economic development. The impact assessment that we are conducting has established the clear contribution that social banking makes towards the achievement of promoting quality education
(SDG 4) by providing free access to financial literacy and business trainings,
SDG 5 (gender equality) by tracking the number of women entrepreneurs, and more broadly
SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth),
SDG10 (reducing inequalities) and
SDG 17 (partnerships for the goals).
In many countries where we operate, poverty is predominantly a rural phenomenon and our involvement directly addresses SDG 1 (no poverty), while good.bee Credit’s strategic focus on agriculture supports farming to benefit low-income people directly influences the fulfilment of SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth). Our agricultural microfinance lending and investments contribute to SDG 5 (gender equality) by tracking the number of women farmers, and more broadly SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth) and SDG 10 (reducing inequalities). It also supports SDG 2 (zero hunger) and SDG 17 (partnerships for the goals).
A two-hour FLiP tour is the first stepping stone in the process of becoming financially savvy and aware of challenges along the way into adulthood. With numerous additional offers, FLiP provides support for teachers and students to tackle these challenges. FLiP thus contributes to the implementation of the UN sustainable development goals by promoting quality education (SDG 4), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8) and reduced inequalities (SDG 10).
Its diversity strategy and activities support gender equality (Goal 5), decent work & economic growth (Goal 8), reduced inequalities (Goal 10) and partnerships for the goals (Goal 17).
Time Bank activities are directly contributing to the implementation and support of the following selected Sustainable Development Goals: No poverty (SDG 1), Zero hunger (SDG 2), Quality education (SDG 4), Gender equality (SDG 5), Reduced inequalities (SDG 10), Responsible production and consumption (SDG 12) and Partnerships for the goals (SDG 17).
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