1. The European guidelines on sustainability reporting are being further developed. How do the savings banks assess the approach taken?
Sustainability reporting is intended to highlight where risks lie, where resources can be used more efficiently, and which investments make business models more sustainable. To achieve this, we need workable rules.
The European Commission has partially scaled back the requirements under the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). This was the right decision: it reduces the administrative burden without undermining the substance of the reporting – and it provides relief for smaller institutions and businesses in particular.
We also see great potential in voluntary sustainability reporting. It creates transparency without imposing every detail by law. We also want to encourage our small and medium-sized business customers to adopt this approach.
2. Social sustainability is one of the savings banks’ particular strengths. Is it given sufficient consideration in European regulation?
For around 250 years, one of the savings banks’ roles has been to facilitate economic and social participation. For us, therefore, sustainability also means providing as many people as possible with access to prosperity, financial education and economic opportunities.
In European regulation, the social dimension has so far been defined less clearly than the environmental one. Emissions or energy consumption can be measured with relative clarity; social participation, fair working conditions, diversity or inclusion are much more difficult to quantify. A rigid taxonomy therefore falls short. It is crucial to highlight the specific contribution that savings banks make to economic and social participation.
3. The loss of biodiversity is also coming under greater scrutiny. What significance does biodiversity have for the economy – and what contribution can the savings banks make?
Biodiversity is economically significant: businesses depend on functioning ecosystems. The loss of biological diversity can therefore lead to tangible economic and financial risks. However, methods for reliably measuring these risks are still relatively underdeveloped. This is precisely what our University of Finance and Management is researching through its Sustainability Research Centre.
4. Europe needs more private capital to invest in a competitive and climate-friendly economy. What role can the Savings and Investment Union play in this regard?
The Savings and Investment Union can mobilise additional private capital for investment. However, it must not be confined to the capital market: small and medium-sized enterprises, in particular, continue to finance their investments primarily through credit institutions. This is where the savings banks have a particular strength, as they know the local businesses and support their transformation.
5. The savings banks are also committed to sustainability at an international level. How does this exchange benefit Germany?
The fourth UN Conference on Financing for Development, held in Seville in 2025, focused specifically on facilitating investment and improving access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises. Public funds alone are not sufficient for this. Prosperity arises where people and businesses invest, operate and generate income
Admittedly, the savings bank model cannot be transferred one-to-one to other countries. However, some fundamental ideas can provide inspiration: regional roots, a focus on the real economy, long-term customer relationships and the aim of enabling economic participation. Conversely, we also learn from others – for example, in the financing of small and medium-sized enterprises and in measuring impact.
The fact that the DSGV was recognised in 2025 by the European Savings Banks Association (ESV) and the World Institute of Savings Banks (WIS) in the categories of Climate Finance and Customer Education also demonstrates that the Savings Banks Finance Group’s concrete approaches are gaining international recognition.