Arion Bank, Stefnir and Vörður sign declaration of intent on investment for a sustainable recovery

Arion Bank, its subsidiaries Stefnir and Vörður and a number of other companies in the financial sector have today signed a declaration of intent on investment for a sustainable recovery.

The Prime Minister’s Office, Festa – Center for Sustainability, the Icelandic Financial Services Association (SFF) and the National Association of Pension Funds (LL) devised the declaration in close cooperation with representatives of the main participants in the financial market. The declaration of intent conforms to Arion Bank’s policy and goals on greater sustainability.

Benedikt Gíslason, CEO of Arion Bank:

“We are placing increasing emphasis on financing projects which support sustainable development and green infrastructure. We have already evaluated the Bank's loan portfolio according to green criteria and we are currently working on implementing ambitious targets in this regard. We are continuously developing our product range to enable us to better support those customers who want to be able to choose sustainable options. For example, we are the first Icelandic bank to offer green deposit accounts. It is hugely important to us that we contribute to this issue so that Iceland can meet its obligations under the Paris Climate Agreement and other national and international climate and environmental agreements."

Arion Bank is an active partner in the field of sustainability and has undertaken commitments both domestically and internationally in this area. The Bank is a signatory to the UN’s Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), the Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB) and the UN Global Compact. Arion Bank is an active participant in the shaping and development of responsible investment in Iceland and is one of the founding members of IcelandSIF, the Iceland Sustainable Investment Forum. The Bank has also been recognized as a model company in good corporate governance and has been awarded the Ministry of Welfare’s equal pay symbol.

Further information on sustainability at Arion Bank can be found here.

The picture shows Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Prime Minister, Þórey S. Þórðardóttir Managing Director of LL, Hrund Gunnsteinsdóttir Managing Director of Festa, Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir Minister of Tourism, Industry and Innovation, Kristján Þór Júlíusson Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture, Guðmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson Minister for the Environment and Natural Resources, and Katrín Júlíusdóttir Managing Director of SFF at today’s signing ceremony.