Sustainability

Environmental & climate protection

Different, because:
we do not leave environmental protection to others, but assume this responsibility ourselves.

Oberbank is expressly committed to taking ecological and social aspects into account in all its deliberations. In the banking sector in particular, principles such as frugality, reliability and soundness have proven to be values that must be handled with special care, because the trust of customers, employees and other social groups is of utmost importance.

Decarbonisation and CO₂ footprint

Greenhouse gas emissions according to the Green House Gas Protocol

According to the Green House Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol), greenhouse gas emissions can be categorised into three different impact areas.

Direct emissions, also known asscope 1 emissions, occur directly at the company (for example through its own vehicle fleet).
Scope 2 emissions are upstream emissions that occur in the course of providing energy to the company (for example, through purchased energy)
Scope 3 emissions are indirect emissions that occur along the value chain through upstream emissions (such as employee mobility) and downstream emissions. The most relevant portion of scope 3 emissions for the bank are the emissions resulting from the loans and investments made by the bank.

Measures to reduce direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions

Scope 1

Increase e-mobility: increased purchase of e-cars.

Scope 2

Energy efficiency measures (see details below)

Scope 3

Financed emissions: Implementation of various decarbonisation measures.

Emissions in our own operations:

The goal to reduce the carbon footprint in Scope 1 (emissions – fossil fuels, vehicle fleet) and Scope 2 (energy purchases – electricity, steam, heating, cooling) to under a ton of CO2 equivalents per employee by 2025 was achieved in 2024.

Oberbank’s new climate target, aligned with the SBTi methodology, aims to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 42% by 2030, compared with the 2022 base year.

Oberbank has taken the following measures:

Energy efficiency

Energieeffizienz

Increasing energy efficiency through space management (location analyses, consolidations, reductions); modernisation, new working models, processes; increasing the efficiency of the self-service areas in the branches; efficient cooling of the technical rooms, elimination of servers in the branches.systems, heating and advertising elements.

Green Verifiably renewable

Purchase of electricity from renewable sources; in Austria and Germany, Oberbank has been using 100 percent green electricity since 2020, and in CZ since 2021.

Renewable energy

Investition in Neuanlagen

Shift away from oil and gas; investment in new installations (photovoltaics, e-mobility).

Target for e-mobility: The share of electric/hybrid vehicles is to be increased to 30 percent by 2025 and to 50 percent by 2030.

Indirect greenhouse gas emissions: scope 3

Since 2022, we have been collecting data on indirect greenhouse gas emissions that occur along the value chain (scope 3 emissions).

Employee mobility

This includes business travel and commuting (employees travelling to and from work). With the exception of the company's own vehicle fleet, the CO₂ emissions generated in the process are classified as scope 3.

Since 2022 a mobility survey is conducted across all Oberbank Group locations in Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic. Based on the results, the CO₂ emissions generated by mobility are calculated in emitted tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂ in t).

The emissions for commuting to work correspond to the emissions caused by the electricity consumption of around 1,249 households.

The emissions for business travel correspond to the emissions caused by the electricity consumption of around 345 households.

Financed emissions

Oberbank AG has been a member of the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF) since October 2021. The PCAF methodology allows for a globally standardised calculation and disclosure of greenhouse gas emissions resulting from financing and investments. These greenhouse gas emissions are categorised as scope 3 category 15 (according to GHG Protocol)

The financed emissions were calculated for the following asset classes:

For further information on the results as well as the applied methodology please view the sustainability report in brief

Decarbonisation

Oberbank started the development of a decarbonization strategy for its entire portfolio in 2023.

Decarbonization targets have been set for the vast majority of the loan portfolio in the course of 2025 and are written down in a decarbonization strategy with appropriate measures. The decarbonization strategy is a central building block for Oberbank on its way to making a measurable contribution to achieving the Paris climate targets and meeting the regulator's requirements.

For further details please see the sustainability report.

The Eco Management and Audit Scheme EMAS

Further improvement of sustainability within our own operations:

The Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) is a voluntary tool for any company that wants to improve the environmental performance of its operations and is a significant extension of the environmental management system according to ISO 140001. Following an audit by an accredited body, Oberbank AG (headquarter in Linz and all Austrian branches) has been certified under EMAS as of December 2022. The implementation of the regulation is reviewed once a year by an external audit, which was also successfully completed in2024.

In addition to an even stronger focus on environmental aspects, the EMAS assessment is further proof of our commitment. By publishing the environmental statement featuring detailed information on the environmental impacts, targets and key figures, we are taking another step towards transparency with regard to our progress in sustainability management.

Resource conservation in mobility, internal processes and procurement

The careful use of all resources is part of our responsibility. This is why Oberbank strives to achieve the highest possible environmental compatibility in its activities, processes and products.

Oberbank E-Auto

E-mobility at Oberbank

To ensure that Oberbank employees can get from A to B in the most environmentally friendly way possible, even on business trips that cannot be made by public transport, we have been increasingly using e-mobility since 2018. The share of electric/hybrid vehicles is to be increased to 30 percent by 2025 and to 50 percent by 2030.

Green IT

In our procurement policy, we are committed to purchasing IT equipment in an environmentally friendly and resource-saving manner. Our hardware is purchased in compliance with Energy Star, Blue Angel and The Eco Declaration. At the end of the equipment’s life cycle, it is either disposed of properly or passed on to families or institutions in need, such as Future for Children or public educational institutions.

Green Location

The Oberbank Donau-Forum (event centre at the Oberbank headquarters in Linz) is certified with the Austrian „Green Location“| UZ 200 Ecolabel. Oberbank thereby seeks to demonstrate its high quality standards and, at the same time, sets an example for sustainabilty. With the eco-label it undertakes to comply with strict criteria and to have ourselves monitored by independent bodies. In addition, we implement measures such as, to name a few, purchasing regional and organic products, sensible use of energy and water, the reduction of CO₂ emissions, avoidance and separation of waste, training our employees on all matters, preservation of natural diversity and cultural heritage, promotion of the regional economy.

Umweltzeichen Nachhaltige Location

Prospect of an even greener Oberbank – ongoing further developments

Further investment in new e-charging stations and photovoltaic systems
Conversion of advertising from paper to digital media
Gradual conversion to digital transmission of electricity meter readings in Austria

Practising sustainability with our “Honey Stock”

Since April 2018, four beehives have found a home on the terrace of the new Oberbank building. Since then over 160.000bees have been swarming out into the area near the Danube banks and the neighbouring grasslands. Our “Honey Stock” is an important investment in the future, because bees ensure lower pesticide exposure and higher flower diversity. Oberbank deliberately supports the trend towards locating more and more bee colonies in urban areas.

Together with the beekeeper in charge of the bee colonies, two employees extracted more than 100 kg of pure Oberbank honey. Honeyland Upper Austria tested the honey and awarded it the “GOLDEN Blossom Honey Quality Seal” certificate.

Another initiative to protect bees is our “Feed the Bees” campaign. Every time we open an Oberbank be(e) green account, we make a joint contribution to the preservation of the bee population by creating large-scale flower meadows, thereby providing a habitat for bees and other flower-pollinating insects.

To the “Feed the Bees” initiative