PKO Bank Polski and the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management begin cooperation on environmental projects

On March 15, 2023, the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management and PKO Bank Polski signed an agreement on environmental projects. As part of the cooperation, the bank will develop financing proposals for projects subsidised by the National Environmental Protection and Water Management Fund, including those related to thermo-modernisation and support for individuals to get out of fuel poverty. Environmental protection and ESG activities are one of the key pillars of PKO Bank Polski's 2023-2025 strategy ‘Ready for the challenges, focused on the future’.

- PKO Bank Polski wants to develop in an even more sustainable way - this is one of the pillars we focus on in our 2023-2025 strategy ‘Ready for the challenges, focused on the future’. We have implemented a renewable energy policy, have recently increased the value of green financing and are committed to green projects. Signing an agreement with the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management is the next step in implementing green solutions. As part of the agreement, we will develop ways to support projects subsidised by the Fund for both individual and corporate customers. This will be a real help for, among others, people emerging from energy poverty

- emphasised Paweł Gruza, Vice-President of the Management Board of PKO Bank Polski, heading the Management Board's work.

- The National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management has been an environmental protection institution for almost 34 years, implementing priority schemes and programmes financed from foreign resources, including EU funds. Their objectives include air protection, support for ecological forms of transport, development, modernisation and energy transformation of Poland. Currently, Poland is facing the necessity to transform its energy sector, which - due to air and climate protection requirements - has to move towards zero-emission solutions, including decarbonisation of the Polish energy, heating and industry. It is important to emphasise that our activities are first and foremost to serve people, whom we support with co-financing in numerous programmes addressed, for example, to individual beneficiaries,

- emphasised Dr Przemysław Ligenza, President of the Management Board of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management.

The cooperation between the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management and PKO Bank Polski will at all times be oriented to the another human being.

- he added. 

The agreement signed between PKO Bank Polski and the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management is based on three main assumptions: the development of a model of cooperation in terms of the bank's provision of financing for projects subsidised by the Fund, the issuing of green bonds and the joint financing of solutions related to thermo-modernisation and support for individuals in overcoming energy poverty. Environmentally-friendly solutions are an important part of the activities that PKO Bank Polski is implementing as part of its strategy. The Bank is aware of the challenges posed by climate change and sets goals for sustainable development, supports environmental education and is guided by the principle of social responsibility in its daily activities. The Bank takes into account the impact of its activities on society, customers, suppliers, employees and shareholders, and continuously monitors and improves its corporate governance and ensures the transparency of its management principles. 

A pillar of PKO Bank Polski's new strategy for 2023-2025 is the implementation of its ESG objectives - both in the aspects related to sustainable financing and the reduction of own emissions, the social aspect and intra-organisational governance. PKO Bank Polski intends to implement unique energy transition financing solutions to support the competitiveness of Polish companies in the face of high energy prices, business and regulatory requirements. The signing of the agreement with the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management is part of the implementation of the bank's new strategy described above. The National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management creates conditions for the implementation of financing environmental protection and water management, in particular by providing support for and promoting activities aimed at such implementation, as well as by cooperating with other entities, including local government units or entrepreneurs. 

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PKO Bank Polski is the undisputed leader of the Polish banking sector, with assets of PLN 431 billion. In 2022, the bank made a net profit of PLN 3.3 billion. The company serves 11.7 million customers. It is the primary provider of financial services to all customer segments, achieving the highest market shares in deposits, loans and in the personal investment funds market. Thanks to the development of digital tools, including the IKO application, which is actively used by 7.2 million customers, PKO Bank Polski is the most mobile bank in Poland.