You are here:
- Newsroom >
- Swedbank’s Valentine to the world
Swedbank’s Valentine to the world
13-02-2012 09:30
There is a saying, “Charity begins at home”, but it doesn’t have to end there, at least not for Swedbank’s and the Savings Banks’ clients. For many reasons Tuesday the 14th of February is a red letter day for Swedbank and its clients. True, Swedbank will be making public and explaining its year-end figures and, well, everyone knows that the 14th of February is Valentine’s Day, and Swedbank employees and clients have loved ones just like everyone else, but what I’m talking about goes beyond that. Because on the 14th of February our investors are donating 33 million Swedish Crowns to the charities of their choice. Let me explain.
Swedbank Robur,the Swedbank group’s mutual fund company, is somewhat unique. It has a high proportion of SRI funds, it is a signatory to the United Nations principle of responsible Investments on a company level and, the subject of this blog, it runs Charity Funds. As a matter of fact, in 2011 Swedbank Robur was named the "Leading European Charity Fund Provider". So how does it work?
Charity Fund investors save for the future in mutual funds with a built in charity component. In other words they save for themselves and once a year, on February 14th, they reach into their pockets and send a financial “Valentine” to those who really need it, giving 1 or 2 percent of the value of their savings to a Non Governmental Organization (NGO). Today Swedbank Robur partners with 71 different NGOs, all attached to the funds. Organizations like Save the Children, Amnesty International and SOS Children. The choice, like any Valentine, is personal, with each client picking the NGO that he or she feels is most deserving. Together we (yes I´m proud to be a Charity Fund investor :-) ) have given 830 million Swedish Crowns since the funds started in 1992. No, that’s not a typo – 830 million!!
After all, when the bank was founded in 1820 we made a social commitment to help poor people save for a better future. I think it’s safe to say that the bank has taken that commitment to heart. So I think we all have good reasons to call tomorrow a special day for a special bank - for me, for our clients who save in the charity funds and for the NGOs that will be opening those financial Valentines. But no, I won’t tell you which NGO I chose. Because Valentines should be personal :-).
But If I have piqued your interest in the charity funds, in Swedbank Robur or in Swedbank’s engagement in society, please read more at these related links (in Swedish):
