Local Savings Banks distribute a significant proportion of their earnings annually to support local vitality and well-being. 

Each year, we carry out the Good Deeds campaign, in which local Savings Banks decide on the recipients of their donations based on suggestions made by local residents. In 2020, we donated to more than 300 charities, including sports clubs and volunteer organisations. Food assistance for low-income families emerged as a major theme due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2020, we introduced e-signing for credit documents and a digital housing transaction service. This means that customers do not have to come to the bank in person. It also enables us to work with our customers to reduce our carbon footprint.

We have also helped our private customers with personal discussions called “A Moment with Your Personal Finances”, where customers can review their personal financial situation together with our experts, remotely or face-to-face. In 2020, we carried out nearly 51,000 of these discussions with our customers.

We also offered financial coaching in 2020. Financial coaching suits most life situations – whether the issue involves current financial problems, wanting to learn to manage one’s finances better or to prevent financial problems in the future. Financial coaching is suitable for customers of all banks and does not include product sales. www.saastopankki.fi/talouden-valmennus

During the COVID-19 crisis, we wanted to support our corporate customers by granting instalment-free periods and by offering liquidity financing to companies suffering from a cash crisis, for example. We also organised webinars on current topics to support entrepreneurs.

In 2020, we carried out the Tahdo uudistua programme to help companies with the renewal of their business during a difficult time. The programme provided entrepreneurs with networking opportunities and helped them develop their business in cooperation with specialists and other entrepreneurs. The programme was completely free of charge for businesses and it reached more than 1,000 entrepreneurs.

We believe that responsible investing helps achieve good long-term returns. We are committed to taking environmental, social and governance issues into account in our investment activities.

In late 2018, we launched Säästöpankki Ympäristö, a special investment fund whose investments are focused on environmental innovation and the mitigation of climate change.

In spring 2020, we participated in a project that measured the net impacts of investment funds with regard to environmental, health-related and social factors, for example. The net impact of Savings Bank investment funds was positive, with the most significant positive net impacts being related to society, such as the payment of taxes, job creation and infrastructure.

We also increased general awareness of responsible investing in 2020 at Savings Bank events and online seminars, for example.