• Lights will be switched off in 33 buildings across the Group in support of the planet

Tomorrow, Saturday 23 March at 20.30 local time, UniCredit will turn off the lights in 33 of its buildings across ten countries for sixty minutes – marking the pan-European bank's seventeenth consecutive year of participation in Earth Hour.

Since its beginnings in 2007, the World Wildlife Fund's (WWF) Earth Hour has been known for its symbolic ‘lights off’ moment, with individuals from around the globe switching off their lights to show support for the planet and to raise awareness of the environmental issues affecting it.

Last year, over 410,000 hours were given to our planet by supporters in 190 countries and territories.

This year, Earth Hour continues to expand its focus beyond switching off the lights…

With the call "Switch off. Give an hour for Earth", the WWF will use Earth Hour to shine a spotlight on nature loss and the climate crisis, inspiring action and advocating for urgent change.

Fiona Melrose, Head of Group Strategy and ESG at UniCredit, said: "We take part in Earth Hour every year because we know that organisations such as ours must lead by example in taking concerted action against climate change and nature loss. Our commitment to our communities, our people and our planet goes far beyond simply ticking a box – ESG principles represent one of the five strategic imperatives of our long-term UniCredit Unlocked strategy and we are embedding them in everything we do. To this end, we recently disclosed our inaugural Net Zero transition plan, which looks at how we integrate such considerations into all our core business activities, including the management of our own environmental footprint.”

Across the board, UniCredit is striving to reduce its direct and indirect environmental impacts whilst playing an active role in Europe’s green transition.

Having joined the Net Zero Banking Alliance in 2021, the bank has set Net Zero targets of 2030 for its own emissions and 2050 for its financed emissions portfolio.

Since then, it has also set additional interim 2030 targets to reduce financed emissions in three of the most carbon-intensive sectors in its loan portfolio: Oil & Gas, Power Generation, and Automotive – adding targets for the Steel sector in January this year.

Moreover, UniCredit is working to contain its environmental footprint by procuring electricity from renewable sources, improving the energy efficiency of its premises and data centres, supporting its people with sustainable mobility solutions and sourcing from environmentally friendly suppliers.

At the same time, the bank has reduced its own GHG emissions (scope 1 and 2, market-based) by 28% versus 2021.

To concretely demonstrate how ESG values are embedded across the bank, UniCredit has also signed up to the Finance for Biodiversity Pledge as the first bank from Italy at COP15, among other commitments.

Our 2023 Integrated Report describes in detail how we intend to create sustainable value over time under a common Purpose of Empowering Communities to Progress, as well as how we monitor the impact the bank’s activities have on Natural Capital.

More detail can be found on our dedicated microsite here.

 

 

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Additional media information:

Ekaterina Ancheva, tel +359 894 518 193 , flbufsjob/bodifwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch

Darina Radoslavova, tel +359 887 505273, Ebsjob/SbeptmbwpwbAVojDsfejuHspvq/CH