At the largest annual event of the Forum for Responsible Business, Erste Bank in Serbia was awarded the “Champions of Sustainability” award for the ErsteZnali financial education program, it was announced today.

The award is given to companies for projects that clearly demonstrate and prove the connection to meeting and contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The bank was awarded for its contribution to the goal in the field of quality education.

“I am very happy that our strategic commitment in the field of financial literacy has been recognized. We are aware of the importance of education in order to make good and informed financial decisions, which are the basis of a healthy and prosperous society. This award additionally obliges us to continue to improve and develop this program,” said ErsteZnali program coordinator Marija Mutić.

Last year, Erste Bank received this recognition for its social banking program Step by Step, which directly affects the goals related to the fight against poverty, dignified work and economic growth.

At the meeting under the slogan CSR & ESG FORUM – Compliance, Performance, Leadership,
dedicated to socially responsible business in Serbia, which brought together professionals in this field from Serbia and the region for the 13th time this year on December 9, Erste Bank was also awarded recognition for its support and contribution to the “Save Food, Save Humanity” campaign implemented by the Serbian Philanthropic forum.

“We are glad that this year we made a significant contribution to the campaign that deals with a sensitive topic in our society. We hope that our example will motivate other companies to join and support this or similar socially engaged campaigns, which contribute to the betterment of society”, said Sonja Konakov Svirčev, an expert in socially responsible business at Erste Bank.

She added that it is particularly significant that this recognition is not only for the donation, but also for the support provided to the campaign in terms of communication and promotion, giving advertising space, and engaging in various humanitarian actions and formats.

In the announcement of Erste Bank, it is emphasized that since the beginning of its operations in Serbia, the bank has strategically integrated social responsibility into all spheres of its operations and is committed to making decisions responsibly, sustainably, transparently and systematically.