Ilustration from the catalogue of 9th exhibition of NLB Art Collection
Sponsoring and supporting social, culture and sporting activities in NLB Bank are an integral part of broader strategy of communication with society.
NLB Bank is closely associated with cultural events in Slovenia and participates in projects across the country. NLB Bank is a long- standing partner of the Ljubljana Jazz Festival, Lent Festival, Borštnik theatrical event, Ljubljana Summer Festival, and other prominent regional and national events.
The Bank has been compiling an Art Collection for several years thus supporting Slovenian cultural heritage. This collection includes major works of art of Slovenian sculptors and painters of the 20th century. Each new acquisition complements the collection and expands the representative selection of Slovenian artistic creation. In this way, we contribute significantly to the creation of the national artistic fund together with museums and galleries.
The long-standing cooperation developed with the Slovenian UNICEF, reflects NLB Bank's support for children's charity. We also support the activity of the Institute for education and training of disabled youth and other societies, providing help to children on local and national levels. Our sponsorship support to Slovenia's Reading Badge award and our support for improving the reading culture among pre-school and school-age children well reflect NLB Bank's mission in this area.
Sport represents the lifestyle of Slovenes and is an important element of national identity. With its support to Slovenia's individual top sportsmen and national teams NLB Bank is ranked among the major generators of victories of Slovenian sportsmen. Among the major projects are the general sponsorship of the men's alpine ski team, the 6th European men's handball championship that met with a wide response in the media and proved a great success for the Slovenian national team, and support to individual top sportsmen: Rajmond Debevec, the gold medal winner in marksmanship at the Sydney Olympics; Aljaž Pegan, a multiple world and European champion and some top-ranking sports clubs.
In the business community NLB Bank also has an active input.
2003 was the third year of NLB Bank's support of projects initiated by the Small business development centre. NLB Bank played an important role in existing traditional international events like the international conference and round table on SME financing and events on risk capital. In this way NLB contributes to the development of a significant part of industry creating the highest share of new jobs. NLB Bank cooperates with funds, companies and fostering centres for SME, regional trade and economic chambers and communities mainly in the area of subsidized lending for SME.
For the first time NLB Bank expanded its cooperation to the sector of development programs for entrepreneurship and creativity of the youth. In 2003 NLB Bank entered the project PLATO, the objective of which is management professionalism in SME's. NLB also participates in promotion projects of enterprises and entrepreneurship in the society such as 'Gazela leta' (Fastest growing Slovenian companies) and 'Podjetnik leta' (Entrepreneur of the year).
NLB Bank will continue to support arts, culture, sports and local business as a fundamental part of its social policy.
