Commerzbank in top ten of Gender Diversity Index (18 December 2020)
In a study conducted by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) on gender equality in companies, Commerzbank came 10th out of nearly 100 large listed companies. The index comprises both the share of female managers on the board of directors and executive board, as well as the ratio of average compensation of both genders. With 73 out of 100 points in 2020 and a steady improvement compared to previous years, Commerzbank proves its commitment to equal opportunities and shows that measures are successfully implemented. more
Declaration of conformity to the Sustainability Code published (12 December 2020)
Commerzbank has again committed to comply with the German Sustainability Code (Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitskodex DNK). The twenty criteria and additional performance indicators in the DNK describe the essential requirements for corporate sustainability and enable the sustainability performances of participating companies to be compared. The declaration also covers the National Action Plan on Economics and Human Rights (NAP). more
UK Modern Slavery Act Statement for 2019 published (08 December 2020)
Commerzbank, in its Position on Human Rights, commits itself to respecting international human rights and within its sphere of influence contributes to their protection and promotion. We report on this transparently as part of our regular sustainability reporting. Additionally, we publish an annual statement in line with the United Kingdom's Modern Slavery Act. Therein we describe the measures taken by the Bank in order to minimise human rights risks within our supply chain. more
Commerzbank and comdirect are among Germany’s most valuable employers (02 December 2020)
Commerzbank and comdirect have both been honoured as companies providing a “very high contribution to common welfare”. This is the result of a nationwide survey conducted for the magazine WirtschaftsWoche. A total of 2,138 regional companies were assessed by inhabitants of the respective administrative districts. Both Commerzbank (rank 44) and comdirect (rank 346) are therefore among the most valuable employers for common welfare in 2020. more
Increasing demand for responsible investments (27 November 2020)
Client interest in ecologically and economically responsible investments is on the rise in Commerzbank’s business segment Private and Small-Business Customers. In our online magazine “Commerzbanker”, Arno Walter, Divisional Board member responsible for Wealth Management & Small-Business Clients, and Stephanie Pietsch, Head of Wealth Management, explain how Commerzbank manages the increasing demand for sustainable banking products. more(German only)
Register Now: The Main Incubator’s Impact Festival (12 November 2020)
At the Impact Festival in April 2021, Commerzbank’s research and development unit, the “Main Incubator”, will be launching a community-platform for the purpose of accelerating the green transition. A project of this kind has so far been unprecedented in Europe: It seeks to bring together sustainability-pioneers in Green Start-Ups, Corporates, and Venture Capital Investors to engage in the discussion and development of sustainable business models. Scientific, political, and educational perspectives will all be brought in. Designed as a hybrid event due to Corona, the agenda of the Impact Festival 2021 will encompass intriguing pitch sessions, presentations, matchmaking rounds, and workshops. The event is now open to registration. more
German Reading Prize 2020 awarded (4 November 2020)
The actress Annette Frier is honored with the German Reading Prize for her commitment to promoting reading. She is one of 16 people and institutions to receive this award from the Commerzbank Foundation and the Reading Foundation (Stifung Lesen) in 2020. The German Reading Prize is awarded in six categories and is endowed with a total of 25,000 euros. One kategory is the special award from the Commerzbank Foundation for prominent commitment. It is associated with 2,500 euros for a good cause. Annette Frier wants to donate half of the prize money to the library of the Baltasar children's hospice in Olpe and the other half to the reading room of a children's clinic in Cologne. more
Apply now for an environmental internship in 2021 (20 October 2020)
For more than 30 years, Commerzbank has enabled students to work as interns in a German protected area for several months. In 2021 also, up to 75 students will be able to complete an open-air semester in one of the 27 national parks, nature parks and biosphere reserves involved. The Commerzbank environmental internship offers students the opportunity to combine their passion for nature and the environment with practical experience, thereby acquiring important skills for the future career choice. The closing date for applications is 15 January 2021. more
klimaVest: impact fund for private investors (29 October 2020)
Commerz Real has launched its first impact fund for private investors: klimaVest is investing in assets which make a tangible contribution to a reduction in CO2 emissions such as plants for the generation of renewable energies as well as sustainable infrastructure, mobility and forestry. Investors can participate with sums of 10,000 euro upwards. They are provided with regular reporting not only regarding the value appreciation but also on the impact of the assets in the fund on the climate. more
Commerzbank-Stiftung Allocates Culture Mediation Award (30 September 2020)
At 80,000 Euro, the most highly endowed award for institutional culture mediation in Germany, ‘ZukunftsGut’, had been presented on September 30th, 2020. For the first time, the Commerzbank-Stiftung has awarded four institutions simultaneously: The ‘Landesbühnen Sachsen’ and the ‘Kulturforum Witten’ have attained a joint first place. The second place is shared by the ‘Kunsthaus Dresden’ and the ‘Traumschüff Potsdam’. All four institutions had convinced the jurors with their strategic cultural mediation practices. Through their capacity for innovation and creativity, they demonstrated that cultural education does not have to be confined to urban life but may also be propagated in rural areas. more
Sustainable Finance Summit 2020 (28 September 2020)
The first virtual European Sustainable Finance Summit calls on the financial industry and the real economy to work together to achieve the Paris climate goal. Rüdiger Senft, Head of Sustainability at Commerzbank, explains in the online magazine "Commerzbanker" how the bank will support its clients in the transition to low-carbon business models and how it will measure and control its credit portfolio climate risks for the years to come. more (German only)
Transparency Regarding the Climate Impact of our Credit Portfolio (24 September 2020)
Commerzbank is now supporting the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosure (TCFD) and has joined the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). The TCFD recommendations constitute the framework for future reporting on climate change. As an SBTi member, the bank is committed to a scientifically-founded reduction of CO2 emissions in its credit portfolio. Through these means, we aim to increase our credit portfolio's transparency regarding climate change risks and opportunities. In the future, this will allow us to make scientifically informed decisions on portfolio adjustments. more about TCFD | more about SBTi
Second Green Bond Issuance with an 8-Fold Re-Offer (16 September 2020)
Today, Commerzbank AG has successfully issued another Green Bond with an issuance volume of €500 million. The Bank will use the proceeds to finance renewable energy projects. The non-preferred senior Bond was met by extraordinary investor interest. At a volume of more than €4 billion, the final order book reach an 8-fold re-offer price. In its second party opinion, the sustainability rating agency Sustainanalytics confirms that the Bond is compliant with current Green Bond Principles. Commerzbank has reserved the proceeds from the Bond for loans covering onshore-, offshore wind, and solar projects in Germany, Europe, and North America. The projects financed by the Green Bond aim to avert CO2 emissions measuring to around 850.000 tons per year. more
Asset Management according to the Principles for Responsible Investments (4 September 2020)
Commerzbank's Asset Management has signed the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), a United Nations financial initiative. Its principles reflect the increasing importance of environmental and social aspects as well as sustainable corporate governance for investment decisions. more
New issue of our online magazine for responsible investments (11 September 2020)
In the current issue of our online magazine nachhaltig+ (i.e. sustainable and more), the chief investment officer from the retail banking sector explains the ration of return and risk of sustainable investments, how a fund company can influence the sustainability of companies and some sustainability news of Commerzbank itself. The magazine in film format is published every three months (German only). more
"Leopoldina Early Career Award 2020" for biodiversity researcher (8 September 2020)
Dr. Patrick Weigelt, a junior scientist at the University of Göttingen, receives the "Leopoldina Early Career Award 2020". The prize is endowed with 30.000 euros, which are provided by the Commerzbank Foundation. The National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina honours Weigelt for the development of biodiversity databases and for his research on the biodiversity of plants. His research areas include the influence of humans on the spread of plant species outside their origin areas, for example due to man-made climate change. The "Leopoldina Early Career Award of the Commerzbank Foundation" has been awarded every two years since 2010. He honours scientists in the first ten years after their doctorate who have performed outstanding achievements in a field represented at Leopoldina. more
Nasdaq Sustainable Bond Network
(4 September 2020)
Commerzbank is the first German Green Bond issuer to join the Nasdaq Sustainable Bond Network (NSBN). NSBN displays all data, qualitative information, and documents submitted by issuers on a public website. The network's ambition is to bring transparency to the global sustainable bonds market, equipping both product issuers and investors with information required to advance organizations engaging in green initiatives. more
Anniversary 2020: 50 years of the Commerzbank Foundation (17 August 2020)
The Commerzbank Foundation has reached its 50-year anniversary – despite Corona being a reason to celebrate. Since its launch in 1970, with a foundation capital of 5 million deutschmarks, it has built up many sustainable partnerships in the fields of culture, social affairs and science and has established itself as a reliable funding partner in Germany. Today, the independent foundation has a foundation volume of more than 60 million euros. Its defined goal is to make a valuable contribution to the sustainability of society. Over the past 50 years, the Commerzbank Foundation has supported more than 1,000 projects for this purpose. The funding partnerships range from non-profit associations to scientific institutions to cultural institutions. In the next 50 years, it will remain to be of great importance to advocate for a sustainable society and to promote corresponding projects. The foundation will work on this. more
Advantage for Commerzbank customers: Tesla Powerwall as power storage (14 August 2020)
The trend toward private electricity generation is unabated. Solar panels in combination with a power storage unit can supply a household not only during the day, but also at night or in the event of a power failure, regardless of the public power supply. Commerzbank customers and employees of the bank receive a 500 EUR discount for installing a Tesla Powerwall. With this, Commerzbank and its customers are making a further contribution to the energy turnaround and to a carbon reduced future. more
Training as a sustainable investment in the future (31 July 2020)
At Commerzbank, 425 apprentices and dual students will have their first working day on 3 August 2020. This is around 15 percent more than in the previous year. In IT alone, 100 junior employees start. This reflects the digital transformation of the banking industry. Commerzbank offers a total of eight different vocational training courses and dual degree programs. In all areas, we will only develop as required. This year, we were able to take over all the junior staff who wanted to do so. more
Annual General Meeting’s CO2-emissions compensated (16 July 2020)
The carbon dioxide emissions of the Commerzbank 2020 Annual General Meeting in the amount of 3.3 tonnes were balanced by the purchase of certificates of climate protection projects. The virtual implementation of this year's General Meeting, due to the Corona pandemic, explains the significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions caused. The 2019 Annual General Meeting with physical attendance was responsible for 152 tons. more
New targets for more climate protection (14 July 2020)
After Commerzbank's current climate target of 70% CO2 savings in Germany compared to 2007 was reached ahead of schedule, the bank has now adopted a new climate target: An additional 15% CO2 emissions are to be reduced by 2025 (base year 2018). This is equivalent to CO2 savings of 2,600 tons per year. For the first time, the new climate target includes international Commerzbank locations in around 20 countries. Non-avoidable emissions are still compensated by the purchase of CO2 certificates, so that banking operations remain climate neutral. Moreover, two new energy targets have been set: Total energy consumption is to be reduced by an average of 2% per year by 2025 compared to 2018. In addition, power consumption per full-time employee should be kept constant by 2025 compared to the base year 2018 - despite increasing digitization. more
Market research with added value for society (09 July 2020)
Commerzbank has been supporting the Joblinge e.V. initiative for many years with its education mentor programme. The aim is to offer young people with tough starting positions a perspective for their future and to integrate them into the labor market. We have now also supported the association in its work by developing and building a new Internet platform with our in-house user experience studio: The prototype was examined for perception, comprehensibility and usability and identified opportunities for improvement. more
Sustainable facility management for real estate of Commerz Real (2 July 2020)
Commerz Real will gradually increase its environmental performance in cooperation with Frankfurt's Mainova. First of all, it is about buildings of the open-ended property fund Hausinvest. Their tenants will benefit from an eco-electricity tariff model developed specifically for them. In addition, Mainova is equipping the Hausinvest real estate with intelligent measurement systems for electricity in order to better exploit energy-saving potential. According to rating agency Scope, CO2 emissions in Hausinvest are already significantly below the industry average. The cooperation agreement also provides for the installation of intelligent measuring systems for gas and water as soon as the technical equipment is available. more
GRI Report 2019 published (30 June 2020)
Commerzbank presents its sustainability report 2019 in accordance with the guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI Report 2019). In this overview, we give a detailed view on our sustainability achievements. For the first time, we also report on the newly established standard GRI 207: Taxes. The GRI Report is also our Communication on Progress (COP) regarding the ten principles of the UN Global Compact. more
Climate commitment of the German financial sector (30 June 2020)
Commerzbank, together with 15 other actors in the German financial sector, today signed a climate commitment 2020. It commits itself to aligning its credit and investment portfolios in line with the objectives of the Paris climate agreement. more
New online magazine for responsible investments (30 June 2020)
In the first issue of our new investment magazine called nachhaltig+ (i.e. sustainable and more), the chief investment officer from our private client segment explains everything about investing responsibly and how Commerzbank is committed to the Bergwald project. The film format will be released every three months in the future (German only). more
Sustainability Programme 2017 completed (23 June 2020)
Since 2017, Commerzbank has been working on the implementation of its 100-goal sustainability programme. This programme will now complete with a final status message. We are currently defining new targets within the framework of the Group-wide strategy project "Sustainability 5.0", which will follow the programme.
Continuous promotion of the “Bergwaldprojekt” (16 June 2020)
Even after the successful end of the tree-planting campaign for installing the electronic mailbox at the end of 2019, which afforested 670.000 square meters of leisure and retreat space for people and animals, Commerzbank remains one of the main sponsors of the “Bergwaldprojekt e.V.” The cooperation will continue in future with various activities. For example, the reports in asset management, which were previously printed, are now mainly available to customers in digital form. Thanks to the saved paper, a further 3.500 square meters of forest can be afforested. more
Supporting the campaign against child abuse (16 June 2020)
According to the first figures, the coronavirus has led to an increase in domestic and family violence. Therefore, Commerzbank supports the "Kein Kind allein lassen" (Leave no child alone) campaign of the independent commissioner for questions regarding child sexual abuse, who is acting on behalf of the German government. As part of this campaign, information documents with contact options for affected children and attentive adults are available in the Commerzbank branches.
Top career opportunities for women at Commerzbank
(27 May 2020)
Commerzbank has made it to the podium for women’s careers. According to a recent study commissioned by the "Deutschland Test", Commerzbank offers top career opportunities for women. Companies from over 200 branches were surveyed. Commerzbank is once again in first place among the banks. We commit to equal opportunities and gender diversity. Currently, the proportion of women in leadership positions is at 32.5%. As a part of our sustainability program, we aim to achieve an increase to 35% across all management levels by the end of 2021. more
Spontaneous relief action in the Corona crisis (7 May 2020)
Commerzbank leaves 15 cars from the Bank's fleet, which are normally used for business trips, free of charge to the Johanniter aid organization until the end of June including refuelings. The 800 Johanniter people in Frankfurt and neighboring districts have to make many additional trips in the Corona crisis, for example to provide employees with mouthguards and disinfectants or to help those in need with shopping.
Support for parents working at home (29 April 2020)
"Childcare while working is like brushing teeth with Nutella." This description is quite good for the current situation of many of Commerzbank's employees. In order to remedy this, the Bank's Diversity Management, together with the pme Family Service, offers online support for children of employees. For two to three hours a day, children of similar ages are kept entertained with reading, doing crafts, singing or playing games. In addition, diversity colleagues recommend numerous online formats for learning, creativity and sport at home. The positive reactions on the intranet show how well the offers are received in both generations.
Statement of the UPJ Network for Solidarity, Common Sense and Cohesion (6 April 2020)
To take responsibility and show commitment is even more important during the Corona pandemic than before. With a statement published today, the members of the UPJ Network for Corporate Citizenship and CSR - including Commerzbank - stick to their social commitment. Under the motto #WirBleibenEngagiert (we remain committed) examples are given on the website of how the companies help in the crisis in concrete terms. more
Wind and solar funds of Commerz Real treble electricity generation (6 April 2020)
The solar and wind power funds of Commerz Real generated 2,512 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity in 2019. This about 3.5 times as much as in the previous year (704 GWh) and corresponds to the average annual consumption of some 807,000 private German households. In addition, the solar and wind farms attained a reduction of about 1.2 million tonnes in carbon dioxide emissions. Commerz Real first invested in solar energy as long ago as 2005 under the CFB brand and since 2016 has also been investing in wind turbines and other energy infrastructure segments for institutional investors. At present the asset manager of the Commerzbank Group for real asset investments manages 50 solar power stations as well as thirteen onshore and offshore wind farms. more
Apply now for the German Reading Prize 2020 (2 April 2020)
The application phase for the German Reading Prize 2020 has started. The award is a joint initiative of Stiftung Lesen and Commerzbank Foundation and is under the patronage of Prof. Monika Grütters, Minister of State for Culture and Media. Projects can be submitted by June 30. more
Liquidity helps companies through the Corona crisis (2 April 2020)
With the new online platform CommerzbankHilft.de, the Bank supports companies to secure liquidity despite closed shops. The idea is simple: Companies offer vouchers for their services and products on the platform. By purchasing these vouchers, customers support their local businesses. They can continue to generate sales and thus obtain important liquidity. Vouchers will be redeemed at a later date. more
Lights off - Environmental awareness on (30 March 2020)
Once again Commerzbank took part in the worldwide Earth Hour. On 28 March the lights in several buildings in Frankfurt and Berlin were turned off for one hour. Far beyond these 60 minutes the initiative strives to motivate people for a more sustainable life. Commerzbank has long been active in climate protection. We have designed a climate strategy that aligns our existing activities with those we plan for the future. more
Non-financial Report 2019 (20 March 2020)
The success of Commerzbank Group is shaped not just by financial factors, but also by a wide range of non-financial criteria. These were published today in a combined separate non-financial report within the Annual Report 2019. The non-financial report 2019 was subject to a business audit to obtain limited assurance, performed by the auditing firm Ernst & Young. more
Commerzbank represented in the new DAX 50 ESG Index (06 March 2020)
In March 2020, Deutsche Börse Group launched the DAX 50 ESG. From the start, Commerzbank is included in the index of the top 50 companies. The index composition based on market capitalization and stock market value as well as ESG performance of the companies. more
Commerzbank included in WWF sustainability rating for banks (04 March 2020)
WWF Germany has published its first "Rating on the Integration of Sustainability in Core Business Areas". For this purpose, the 14 largest banks in Germany were assessed against WWF's requirements for the "sustainable bank 2025". Both in private and corporate banking, Commerzbank is in the "upper midfield". The WWF assesses Commerzbank's corporate management as up-to-date in terms of sustainability, especially due to the inclusion of the topic into the strategy Commerzbank 5.0 and the signing of the Principles for Responsible Banking. At the same time the report points to challenges in the areas of savings & investment and financing & mortgages. more
Declaration of conformity to the Sustainability Code published (25 February 2020)
Commerzbank has again committed to comply with the German Sustainability Code (Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitskodex DNK). The twenty criteria and additional performance indicators in the DNK describe the essential requirements for corporate sustainability and enable the sustainability performances of participating companies to be compared. For the first time, the declaration also covers the National Action Plan on Economics and Human Rights. more
Spare Cent donation awarded for the third time
In January 2020, for the third time, the donations collected by dedicated colleagues were awarded to three selected aid projects. "Every cent counts" is the motto of the Spare cent donation. In 2019, 5,017 employees of Commerzbank and Commerzbank Real participated by making the cent amounts of their monthly salary available for social projects. An impressive 29,569.24 Euros were accumulated. more
Promotion of inclusive businesses
Commerzbank has entered into a framework agreement with the Genossenschaft der Werkstätten (cooperatives of workshops) to standardize the ordering of products and services of workshops for people with disabilities nationwide and thus to promote inclusive businesses. This is one of the many actions and projects that the Bank is implementing according to its "Action Plan Inclusion" until 2023. The action plan – based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Disabled – aims to overcome mental barriers and to create organizational conditions for successful cooperation between disabled and non-disabled people.
CDP recognition for managing climate risks in the supply chain (04 February 2020)
Commerzbank has been recognized by the international non-profit organization CDP for its management of climate risks in the supply chain. It is thus among the top 3% of companies assessed. The evaluation is based on selected criteria of the 2019 CDP questionnaire, including scope 3 emissions and engagement with suppliers, as well as the bank's overall CDP climate change score. Commerzbank sets a mark regarding environmental compatibility of the products and services purchased, especially with its sustainable procurement standard and supplier questionnaire. more
Commerzbank joins the Climate Bonds Partner Programme (22 January 2020)
Commerzbank has joined the Climate Bonds Initiative Partnership Program, effective January 2020, marking a new step in the bank’s commitment to sustainability. The international NGO, in which more than 100 global partners from across the financial sector participate, aims to contribute to a CO2-efficient and climate-resilient economy via the global bond market. more
Commerzbank in Corporate Knights Global 100 Index (21 January 2020)
Commerzbank has been included for the second time in Corporate Knight’s “Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World Index” (G100) and has reached the 59th place in the 2020 ranking. This is an improvement of 8 ranks, compared to the previous year. Commerzbank is one of five German companies in the Index. more
ZukunftsGut 2020: Apply until the end of March
ZukunftsGut prize of the Commerzbank Foundation for Institutional Cultural Mediation is aimed at public and private cultural institutions in Germany who have recognized and complete mediation as a central joint task for their institution. This highest prize for cultural mediation in Germany is worth 80,000 euros and a mark of forward-looking strategies and their sustainable anchoring. He would like to contribute to strengthening the importance of cultural mediation as a core function in the institutions and to supporting transformation processes. The application phase for 2020 will continue until 31.03.2020. more
CDP Climate Change 2019 Score of B for Commerzbank (20 January 2020)
Commerzbank received a CDP Climate Change 2019 score of B, which is better than the average for companies in the financial sector. At the request of investors, the international non-profit organization CDP calls annually for companies to report on their climate risks and opportunities. These are evaluated by CDP and are scored between A-F. In total, in 2019, more than 8,400 companies worldwide have entered their climate data into the database.
Extended bike sharing offer for Commerzbank employees (07 January 2020)
Following up on its successful climate strategy, Commerzbank extends its offer of shared bikes. Since January 2020 on, bikes belonging to the sharing system “Call a Bike” have been available to all Commerzbank employees. Instead of previously 70 Commerzbank branded bikes in Frankfurt, now the more than 15,000 Call a Bikes throughout Germany are at the employees’ disposal. The bikes enhance the current mobility options by another eco-friendly alternative. more
