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The Banco Espírito Santo Group, under its strategy of sustainability, includes a number of institutions that help to reinforce its environmental, social and economic commitment through its business model and investment in the community.
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Banco Espírito Santo was the first private Portuguese bank to subscribe to the United Nations’ Environmental Program for the Financial Sector. The UNEP FI is a partnership of Financial Institutions acting on a global level with the United Nations’ Environmental Program (UNEP), with the purpose of discussing, studying, implementing and divulging the best environmental and social practices adopted or to be adopted by the financial sector. Over 180 Institutions, such as Banks, Insurance Companies, Investment Fund Managers or Companies, work with the UNEP in order to grasp the financial sector’s impact on environmental and social aspects that are relevant for society.
Click here to find out more about the UNEP FI.
Banco Espírito Santo was, in 2005, the first Portuguese bank to subscribe to the Equator Principles. Established in 2003, in partnership with the International Finance Corporation, a Financial Institution which is a member of the World Bank Group, these principles make it possible for financial institutions to make a socio-environmental assessment of projects according to three risk classifications in the financing of large infrastructures worth over 10 million dollars.
Click here to find out more about the Equator Principles.
Banco Espírito Santo was the first Portuguese bank to join the LBG model, which helps to measure the impact of companies’ investments in the community.
Click here to find out more about the LBG.
Banco Espírito Santo subscribed to the Equator Principles in 2004. The Global Compact is a set of universal principles of business conduct developed by the United Nations in 1999. It arose from an initiative of the then Secretary General, Kofi Annan, who appealed to all business leaders, civil society and governments to come together in a collective action that would promote a more sustainable and participative world economy. Companies subscribe to the principles voluntarily, undertaking to use them to guide their business conduct and to disseminate them to their interested parties. By subscribing to the Global Compact the BES Group undertakes to include the principles of the Compact in all of its activities and strategies and to work towards and promote partnerships aimed at supporting the objectives of the United Nations.
Click here to find out more about the Global Compact.
Banco Espírito Santo became a member of Grace in 2005. Formed by companies and essentially aimed at companies, GRACE seeks to disseminate socially responsible business management practices. GRACE is a privileged platform for reflection on and the promotion of the topic of the Corporate Social Responsibility, as well as the creation and sharing of good practices in this area.
Click here to find out more about GRACE.
Banco Espírito Santo joined the Business Council for Sustainable Development (BCSD Portugal) in 2005. A not-for-profit association created in October 2001 upon the initiative of the companies Sonae, Cimpor and Soporcel, associated to the WBCSD – World Business Council for Sustainable Development, together with another 33 leading companies in the Portuguese economy, it has the mission of transposing the guiding principles of the WBCSD into the national sphere. The BCSD Portugal’s main mission is to ensure that corporate leadership acts as a catalyst for change towards Sustainable Development, promoting eco-efficiency, innovation and social responsibility in companies. Since it was formed, the BCSD Portugal has been a member in the regional network of the WBCSD and currently has 125 members.
Click here to find out more about the BCSD Portugal.
This has the object of promoting social responsibility in companies, contributing towards development and sustainable competitivity through the conception and execution of and support for programs and projects in educational, training, social, cultural, scientific, environmental, civic and economic areas, on a national, international and transnational level.
Click here to find out more about RSE Portugal.
 BES is part of the Portuguese Banks Association, and joined the working group that is developing a financial literacy program with the goal of having citizens more educated and informed on issues such as basic financial concepts and useful money management, to make better informed decisions that will contribute to their quality of life and macroeconomic stability. For more information click here.
 BES sponsored the Portuguese Advertisers Association second edition of the study "Public Opinion and Sustainability in Portugal." This study represents an important tool for all that act in sustainability in Portugal.
For more information click here or consult Public Opinion and Sustainability in Portugal 2009.
 BES was the first Portuguese bank to sign up to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI).
The PRI aims to help investors to include environmental, social and governance issues in their investment decisions and practices, thereby improving the long term return.
Click here to find out more about the UNPRI Portugal.
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