The economic sector is a catalyst for cooperation, exchange and positive change which are all necessary steps towards a more efficient flow of people, goods and services, and thus the prosperity of our region.
As one of the leading banking groups with nine banks in six markets of Southeast Europe, NLB is recognized as a systemic player with the capacity and motivation to improve working conditions and lives of employees, clients and all citizens of our region. We talked about large and important initiatives that they launched in the previous period with Vlastimir Vuković, Chairman of the Executive Board of Komercijalna Banka, a new member of the NLB Group in the largest Balkan market.
In which way does the NLB Group strive to improve the quality of life and work in the region in which it operates?
The NLB Group’s mission is to influence the quality of life and improve its home region, and today there is almost no topic or significant social issue in which we have not invested our time, resources and energy. For us, this region is not just a spot on the map. This is the home where we live, work and do everything to create prerequisites for an even more sustainable future for us, our children and all generations to come. As a systemic group, we provide systemic support to our community – always subordinating all regional capacities to common goals. Our activities are comprehensive and range from active participation in the circular economy, ESG initiatives, youth support, small local businesses, digitalization, networking to business facilitation for all companies in the region.
Have you integrated any of these initiatives into your line business?
This year, Komercijalna Banka will join the NLB Group initiative for the first time and launch a special offer of housing loans for young people. Under the auspices of this offer, we will support the decision of 300 young people to solve their housing issue with a “gift for moving in” and a monetary amount of 30,000 dinars. We will soon start working on the construction of a group IT hub in Belgrade, which will employ about 40 IT experts and data scientists from the get-go, and that number will only grow.
“The NLB Group formalized the sustainability principle back in 2011 and validated it in 2020 by placing it at the centre of its business activities and integrating it with all banking decisions”
The ultimate goal of both initiatives is to motivate young people to build their lives in the region, not abroad. Investing in their future is actually the best investment in a sustainable and better future for each of us. That is what we believe in and what we want to reflect through our line business.
What about the principle of sustainability, ESG and green initiatives?
The NLB Group formalized the sustainability principle back in 2011 and validated it in 2020 by placing it at the centre of its business activities and integrating it with all banking decisions. This year, we are expected to establish a comprehensive system of environmental management and social policy. This means that we are going to introduce environmental and social analyses as an official criterion for approving loans while encouraging everybody who operates following the rules of sustainable development and the circular economy, and demotivating those who do not. Important support for green initiatives also comes from the Organic Competition, during which NLB Bank has awarded 27 organic projects in the previous 10 years. This year, Komercijalna Banka joined the competition, and this strategic type of assistance to farmers who have chosen a sustainable, but far more challenging way of growing produce is another validation of the NLB Group’s readiness to invest in the sustainable development of the entire region.