Society and the environment

In 2011, NLB began to fulfill the goals set out in the document Social and Environmental Policy of NLB, and thus met the requirements of international development institutions with whom NLB cooperates, primarily in various forms of borrowing. The Social and Environmental Policy of NLB was also introduced by NLB Group companies in 2011.

Social and environmental aspects will be included in contractual relationships with customers and suppliers. Environmental aspects have also been introduced to the Bank's internal rules. Procedures have also been initiated for the application of so-called Equator Principles. The areas in which changes must be made to facilitate the Bank's acceptance to the association of banks that follow the Equator Principles were identified in 2011. The aforementioned principles are applied to loans in projects where costs exceed USD 10 million.

NLB also expresses its social role in sponsorship activities and donations, and is perceived as an integral part of the environment in which it operates. The Bank's sponsorship of nearly 500 projects in 2011 demonstrates its social consciousness.

Sports

In 2011, the NLB Group was the general sponsor of the NLB League regional basketball league for the fifth consecutive year. In parallel with the NLB League, a regional wheelchair basketball league, NLB Wheel, has also been developed with NLB's assistance. The league includes teams from Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Italy. The Bank was also golden sponsor and partner of the Slovenian men and women's alpine skiing teams in 2011.

Recreation and sport go hand in hand. In recent years, interest in running and biking has increased dramatically in Slovenia. NLB works with recreational sports organizers. Many employees are members of teams that regularly participate in such competitions. The Bank was also sponsor of the Ljubljana Marathon, in which a large number of NLB employees participated.

Culture

As a result of its long-standing collaboration, the Bank has become an important partner of the Ljubljana Jazz Festival, which celebrated its 52nd anniversary in 2011. NLB has played a role in the Ljubljana Festival for more than 10 years. Every large Slovenian town has numerous cultural events, and NLB is involved nearly everywhere it operates. In 2011, the Bank sponsored more than 50 cultural events, organizations and institutions. For decades, the Bank has been assembling its own art collection with the aim of preserving Slovenian cultural identity. NLB's long-term goal is to build one of the most representative collections of Slovenian artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. A commission of experts expands the collection every year with important works by prominent Slovenian artists. By purchasing artworks by renowned artists, the Bank supports the development and promotion of Slovenian art. The NLB Gallery hall, with its 40 years of tradition, has featured creators and trends in visual communication from Slovenia, Europe and America, as selected by the Emzin Institute of Creative Production, for 12 consecutive years.

Humanitarian activities

NLB participates in more than 100 humanitarian projects in all regions where it operates. Among the largest and longest standing are Karitas, the Slovenian Red Cross, and numerous hospitals and institutions, to which NLB makes annual donations for the purchase of equipment. NLB donated funds to retirement homes in 2011 in the scope of the Slovenian-wide humanitarian campaign Dobra zvezda (Good Star). All branches have collection boxes, through which local humanitarian organizations organize the collection of contributions to support their activities. NLB supported the Slovenian Red Cross in its campaign "Peljimo jih na morje" (Let's Go to the Seaside). In the scope of the aforementioned campaign, the Slovenian Red Cross organizes holidays every year for children and the elderly who otherwise could not afford them. A blood drive for employees was also organized at the end of the year. The Bank also gives its attention to ensuring easier access to business premises for functionally limited persons. The Bank aims to facilitate easier access to all of its branches.

Environmental protection

Environmental responsibility and conduct are factors that can no longer be overlooked. Employees of the NLB Group are very aware of that responsibility. In 2011, NLB received the Green Office award, presented every year by Planet GV to public and private sector organizations that function primarily in an office environment, and wish to raise awareness of environmental issues through their conduct and resolve them in an appropriate manner.

NLB has begun to take into account objectives linked to environmental protection in the purchase of office materials and the execution of tenders for other purchases. A tremendous amount of effort has also been exhausted in reducing the use of paper, water and electricity. A rational approach to the sending of account statements was introduced in 2011, which will contribute significantly to reducing the use of paper, while resulting in considerable savings for the Bank. Waste separation containers were placed in all commercial buildings, while collection points for used batteries were also set up in larger buildings.