Sustainability Pages

Taxonomy

In the financing of retail customers, the acceptance and disbursement of loans under the „Zöld Otthon Program” (“Green Home Programme”) continued in 2022. Following the closure of the programme, the Bank launched market-based products (available from 1 December 2022) that provide interest rate reductions for the purchase or construction of properties with an energy rating of at least "BB" and an annual primary energy consumption not exceeding 80 kWh/m2/year.

In addition, the Bank also applies environmental sustainability criteria in its acquisition activities for its clients. If a customer becomes a client through the referral programme, the Bank will plant one tree for every new client that comes in as a referral.

In 2023, the Bank plans to further broaden its range of products that support environmental sustainability. In both home loans and personal loans, it will launch products to finance new loan targets that support residential energy efficiency investments and, through this, environmental considerations.

In 2022, the number of small business customers, including both funded and non-funded customers, continued to grow. In 2022, the Bank continued to provide lending to businesses mainly through the „Kavosz Széchenyi Card Programme” (“Széchenyi Card Programme GO!” in the first half of the year, followed by “Széchenyi Card Programme MAX”), in addition to its own loan products. Within the framework of the programme, CIB Bank also introduced the Széchenyi Investment Loan MAX, which was available at a higher subsidy rate for improving energy efficiency and supporting technology change, thus strengthening the number of ESG products available at CIB Bank. The Hungarian government has announced that it will support the “Széchenyi Card Programme” in 2023 with an even larger amount of HUF 290 billion, so state supported Kavosz products are expected to be the focus of financing in the coming period. 

From February 2022, online lending will also be available for small business customers, so that some small business customers of CIB Bank can now borrow without visiting a branch. The service allows customers to access financing tailored to their specific needs in just a few hours, with favourable terms and conditions. The service is currently available on CIB Bank Vario's revolving and overdraft products, but the bank plans to gradually expand the range of products covered.

In 2022, the bank also placed a strong emphasis on the sale of e-commerce and POS services, as well as innovative solutions, with the successful launch of the CIB softPOS service at the end of the year, which provides merchants with a simple and cost-effective card acceptance solution.

Environmental sustainability is playing an increasingly important role in the financing of the corporate business, which has been accompanied by restrictions in the coal, unconventional oil and gas extraction sectors.  The Bank's loan portfolio has seen an increasing focus on investment loans for renewable energy generation (photovoltaic solar, biogas) and for the transition to renewable energy. 8 new projects were signed in 2022, creating 148 MW of renewable capacity.

The production of renewable energy and the shift to circular economy is promoted by the Bank's parent bank Intesa Sanpaolo through its subsidiary banks under the Circular Economy and Green Fund. The total amount allocated to the subsidiary banks for this purpose is EUR 300.000.000. CIB Bank in Hungary has signed loan agreements for EUR 49.700.0004 under the above programme. 

In addition, CIB Bank has access to EXIM Bank's “Green Refinancing Programme”, under which it has signed EUR 1 250 0004 in 2022 for sustainability-related lending. 

At the end of 2022, the S-Loan product line was launched, which provides funding for sustainability purposes for small and medium-sized enterprises and large corporates. The roll-out is expected to start next year.

Sustainable finance is increasingly taking a prominent place in the Bank's operations. It is important to be able to identify transactions from a sustainability perspective, as well as the legislation and guidelines under which transactions are categorised into compliance classes. A complete solution, compliant with Regulation (EU) 2020/852, has been developed and is being implemented.  A financing solution to support renewable energy production and the transition to circular economy, as well as other social, corporate governance and environmental financing solutions, is already available in the Bank. This rewards transactions in this category with a pricing discount.  In addition, the bank is looking for opportunities to provide financing from the green line provided by a refinancer, such as the EXIM Bank “Green Refinancing Programme” available at CIB Bank. As the framework conditions for the financing solutions available under the above differ slightly, we are able to meet a wider range of customer needs.

Full compliance with Taxonomy is the highest of our multi-level sustainability objectives. As of 31 December 2022, we have USD 30 million4 in contracted stock that complies with the legislation (aligned to EU Taxonomy1). The financed transaction is for an investment related to the production of battery copper foils. The product is mainly used in the battery production of electric vehicles. The investment will apply circular economy principles by recycling finished copper foil that does not meet quality requirements. However, the amount used (drawn down) is minimal and therefore its weight in relation to the total assets is minimal.

Intesa Sanpaolo Group is committed to sustainable and responsible investment. Eurizon Capital, the Group's asset management arm, was the first to establish an ethical investment fund in Italy in 1996 and in 2017 integrated ESG guidelines into its investment decision-making processes. In 2021, Eurizon adopted a sustainability policy in line with the European SFDR (EU Regulation on Sustainability Disclosures) and more than 41% of its products are compliant with Articles 8 and 9 of the SFDR. Eurizon Group takes into account the main adverse impacts of investment decisions on sustainability factors. In addition, Eurizon, in the belief that sound corporate governance policies and practices (covering environmental, social and corporate governance issues) can create value over the long term, has adopted the Italian Stewardship Principles and Italian Corporate Governance Principles (defined in line with the principles set out in the "External Corporate Governance Code" adopted by EFAMA, the European Federation of Fund and Asset Managers). Eurizon has adopted a strategy for the exercise of administrative and voting rights in listed companies, aiming at an effective integration between corporate governance and the investment process. Eurizon Asset Management Hungary Zrt., a member of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group, has made the implementation of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) and SRI (Socially Responsible Investment) aspects a priority in the development of new products, in compliance with the relevant EU regulations and the expectations of the Eurizon Capital Group, and has therefore issued a number of investment funds under Article 8 of the SFDR for the clients of CIB Bank Zrt:

• CIB ESG Talentum Total Return Funds Subfund
• CIB Euro ESG Talentum Total Return Funds Subfund
• CIB Sustainable Development Derivative Fund
• CIB Euro Sustainable Development Derivative Fund
• CIB Responsible Investment Derivative Fund
• CIB Euro Responsible Investment Derivative Fund
• CIB ESG Capital Protected Derivatives Sub-Fund
• CIB ESG 2 Capital Covered Derivative Sub-Fund

The table below shows the disclosures of CIB Bank pursuant to Article 8(1) of Regulation (EU) 2020/852 exposures to 

<sup>Notes: 
1. Taxonomy-aligned economic activity: economic activity meeting the requirements set out in Article 3 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852
2. Exposure to taxonomy-eligible and taxonomy non-eligible economic activities has been determined on the basis of the main activity of our corporate customers (TEÁOR).
3. We considered enterprises with more than 500 employees as enterprises subject to NFRD.
4. Amount in the currency of the contract</sup>