Objective 4: We are part of Society
The entire J. Safra Sarasin Group and its employees have a natural desire to make an active contribution to sustained social development. This can be done by entering into various commitments. It is important for the Group to uphold an ongoing dialogue with all its stakeholders. For business-policy decisions made at corporate management level, management strives to take account the interests of all stakeholders connected with the Group.
Sustainable Events and Procurement
Bank J. Safra Sarasin has developed and introduced the “Handbook of Sustainability” that includes standards for events and hospitality, donations and sponsorships, procurement and guidelines for suppliers. The handbook ensures that corporate activities do not support projects or partners whose values diverge from those of J. Safra Sarasin Group. The principles set forth therein include, for example, minimum standards for the procurement of paper and wood products as well as office equipment within the scope of building management and in the automotive segment.
Sustainability in Sponsoring
The Bank invests in its social environment by engaging in sponsoring partnerships. To ensure that these activities do not support projects or partners whose values diverge from those of the J. Safra Sarasin Group, the “Handbook of Sustainability” was extended to the entire Group. Philanthropy, art and sports are the main strategic focuses for the Group’s sponsoring activities.
Membership
For many years, J. Safra Sarasin has been actively involved in numerous initiatives and organisations which work for sustainable development. This is another way in which the Bank is fulfilling its responsibility to make a contribution to sustainable development. The Bank participates exclusively in political opinion forming via these initiatives and its membership in various organisations.
- Business Energy Agency (EnAW)
- Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)
- CDP Water Disclosure Project
- Climate Action 100+
- European Sustainable Investment Forum (Eurosif)
- Forum Nachhaltige Geldanlagen (FNG)
- Global Footprint Network
- öbu – Network for sustainable business
- UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI)
- Science Based Targets initiative
- ShareAction
- Sustainable Finance Geneva (SFG)
- Swiss Climate Foundation
- Swiss Sustainable Finance (SSF)
- United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI)
- UNEP FI Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB)
- UNEP FI Responsible Property Investment (PWG)
- UN Global Compact
- We are Paris – The Paris Pledge for Action
Furthermore, we base the Sustainable Investment Policy on international conventions and norms, including:
- The United Nations Global Compact
- The OECD Principles of Corporate Governance
- The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
- The Children’s Rights and Business Principles
- The ILO conventions on labour standards
- The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development
- The UN Convention on Corruption
- The Convention on Cluster Munitions