Hrvatska poštanska banka (HPB d.d.) became a member of the International Institute for Climate Action (IICA), the Republic of Croatia’s first association of experts dealing with climate change and policies. This membership demonstrates how the banking sector recognizes the importance of investing in sustainability and climate policy, as the banking sector will be a key player in transforming the economy into a sustainable economy.

“By joining the International Institute for Climate Action, Hrvatska poštanska banka continues to pursue its strategic orientation toward sustainable business while accepting the role and responsibility for realizing the ambitious goal of transforming the entire European economy and society in accordance with the principles of sustainability, green growth, and circular economy, and achieving complete climate neutrality for Europe by 2050. I believe that by working together with other stakeholders who share the same goal, we can contribute to greater developments more quickly and easily, enabling the transition to a low-carbon and sustainable economy; thus, I am very excited about the new collaboration.” said HPB Management Board President Marko Badurina.

It is necessary to integrate ESG criteria into your business as soon as possible in order for the organization and management of the entire business to be more successful, and this is why HPB d.d. is dedicated, demonstrating the expressed sensitivity and awareness of its management towards climate issues.

“Directing and measuring the success of achieving environmental, social, and management goals is part of the strategy and high on the priority list of Hrvatska poštanska banka. We began the process of incorporating sustainability criteria into all segments of our business in 2022, and by the end of the year, we had laid the groundwork for their complete integration. Recognizing that by working together, we can make a greater contribution to the transformation of the economy toward a more sustainable one, we have joined IICA in order to build a better future for everyone alongside other members of the business community. I’d also like to take this opportunity to announce that in April 2023, HPB Group will release its first Sustainability Report, in which we will present all of our activities to date, as well as plans for creating a sustainable society” Nikolina Kolarić, director of HPB’s Office for Sustainable Business, added her voice.

The goal of IICA is to assist the business and financial community in combating climate change, reducing CO2 emissions, incorporating the Low Carbon Strategy, the Adaptation Strategy, and the European Green Plan into their business plans and processes, and thus achieving sustainable, green economic development and growth in the Republic of Croatia and the EU while preserving the environment and climate. Additionally, the implementation of ESG education aids in the faster transformation of the financial and business sectors, as well as the fulfillment of their reporting obligations to the appropriate authorities.

“We are delighted that Hrvatska poštanska banka (HPB d.d.) has joined our Institute because the financial industry, specifically banks, can make a significant contribution to the decarbonization of our economy and our lives in general, both by developing sustainable products and advising clients on the transition to sustainable corporate management. Due to the demands of climate policymakers and regulators for banks to invest larger portions of their portfolios in sustainable formats, sustainable financing is quickly becoming a necessity. We look forward to collaborating to ensure that HPB d.d., along with other banks – our members – is a leader in the transition of the economy to a low-carbon, sustainable economy!” president of the International Institute for Climate Action, Marija Pujo Tadić stated.