2012 corporate responsibility status report published (12 December 2012)
Our status reports are brief summaries of the main news from the field of corporate responsibility and the progress made in this area. They meet the requirements of a Communication on Progress, providing information on the status of implementation of the ten principles of the UN Global Compact.
Commerzbank in Dialogue: How much protection do consumers need? (25 September 2012)
Since the financial crisis, and particularly since the collapse of US investment bank Lehman Brothers, there has been intense debate about how to improve investment advice. Much is now regulated by law. On 24 September 2012, Martin Zielke, the Commerzbank board member for private clients discussed the question of what constitutes the right amount of client protection with Ralph Brinkhaus, a member of the German Bundestag, Klaus Wolfgang Müller, the chairman of the Northrhine-Westphalia consumer protection organisation and Professor Andreas Oehler of Bamberg University.
New round of 'internships for the environment' (11 September 2012)
Students from all disciplines can now apply to spend an exciting semester in the open air. In 2013, Europarc Deutschland, the umbrella organization for Germany's nature conservation areas, and Commerzbank are once again enabling around 50 students to work as interns for three to six months in one of the 25 participating national parks, nature reserves and biosphere reserves.
2,500 trees for Plant-for-the-Planet (22 August 2012)
The proceeds from collecting mobile phones were donated to the Plant-for-the-Planet initiative for schoolchildren which was launched in 2007 in response to a class presentation by the then nine-year-old Felix Finkbeiner. Around 100,000 children in more than 100 countries are now involved in Plant-for-the-Planet. Following the motto of 'Every tree is a symbol for climate justice', the schoolchildren plan to plant one million trees in each country of the world. Commerzbank's donation enabled the planting of 2,500 trees, which will absorb around 25 tonnes of CO2 a year.
Campus of Excellence Training Academy launched (7 August 2012)
The Training Academy involves students spending several weeks working on challenging projects in a company, during which time they act as management consultants. Commerzbank is one of the founders of the Campus of Excellence and will again be offering a project this year.
Commerzbank Foundation Centre opens new office in Berlin (31 July 2012)
Commerzbank Foundation Centre is to open a new office in Berlin on 1 August, which will be headed by Ralf Suermann. "Our foundations are an expression of Commerzbank's corporate social responsibility," says Doris Schwerdtfeger, Head of Commerzbank Foundation Centre. "We take this task very seriously. The educational, artistic, cultural and community-based projects we support must be sustainable, but they must also allow for new ideas. Direct contact with their representatives in such a vibrant city as Berlin is therefore extremely important."
Commerzbank offers training places to more than 900 young people (31 July 2012)
More than 900 trainees and students on integrated work/study courses start work at Commerzbank on 1 August 2012. The ratio of trainees to other employees at the bank remains high at just under 7 per cent. More than 30,000 young people from all over Germany again applied for a training place at Commerzbank.
New Jürgen Ponto Foundation music prize awarded for first time (26 July 2012)
This year, the Jürgen Ponto Foundation for the Advancement of Young Artists, which belongs to Commerzbank, awarded a chamber music prize for the first time. The winner of the €60,000 prize is the Amaryllis Quartet from Cologne. The prize is jointly sponsored by the Bonn Beethoven Festival, the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival and the Heidelberg Spring music festival.
€5,000 'green band' sponsorship awards for 50 associations (6 July 2012)
The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) and Commerzbank AG have awarded the 'green band' to 50 sports clubs that demonstrate excellence in nurturing young talent. Along with the accolade, they each receive a sponsorship award of €5,000 to provide even more encouragement for youth training.
Commerzbank in Dialogue: How is the web changing our society? (27 June 2012)
The internet has long been a way of life, but the digital revolution continues apace. A discussion about new online communication and its risks was held in Berlin on 27 June 2012 as part of our series of Commerzbank in Dialogue events. Click here to see highlights of the event.
Ten year anniversary of ARCO gay and lesbian employee network (22 June 2012)
ARCO, Commerzbank's gay and lesbian employee network, has been successfully reducing prejudice and discrimination for ten years. ARCO was established in 2002 at the initiative of staff members with the moral and financial support of Commerzbank. The network, which has around 400 members, aims to create a working environment in which all staff are able to carry out their jobs and pursue their career goals without prejudice - regardless of their sexual orientation.
PLAZA SHOWS: Über die Haut (Through the Skin) - an exhibition by Dominik Gohla and Hannes Michanek (20 June 2012)
From 22 June to 27 September 2012, selected works by artists Dominik Gohla and Hannes Michanek are on show in the lobby of the Commerzbank Tower in Frankfurt's Kaiserplatz square. Working in different genres, the two Städel Art School students have developed pieces especially for this venue.
Invitation from the German president (15 June 2012)
On 5 and 6 June, around 200 exhibitors showcased their groundbreaking environmental and conservation projects in the grounds of the president's official residence, Schloss Bellevue. Commerzbank was among those who accepted the invitation to Environment Week issued by the German president and the German Foundation for the Environment and presented its innovative Internship for the Environment project.
MMK Foundation entered in the Golden Book of Frankfurt Foundations (1 June 2012)
The City of Frankfurt gained another foundation when the Museum of Modern Art's MMK foundation was entered into the Golden Book of Frankfurt Foundations today. Among other things, the recently established foundation is to support restoration work, cultural education, exhibitions, collection presentations and the museum's research projects. The foundation has assets of €1 million thanks to a donation from Commerzbank in 2010.
Carbon-neutral Annual General Meeting (22 May 2012)
Commerzbank again ensured that this year's Annual General Meeting was carbon-neutral, enabling a further milestone in the implementation of its climate strategy to be achieved. After the AGM, unavoidable CO2 emissions were offset by purchasing and retiring high-quality emissions certificates arising from a climate protection project in Bolivia.
2012 Internship for the Environment (23 April 2012)
This year, Europarc Deutschland, the umbrella organization for Germany's nature conservation areas, and Commerzbank are again enabling around 50 students to work as interns for three to six months in one of 24 participating national parks, nature reserves and biosphere reserves. In the past 20 years, this UNESCO-approved project has enabled more than 1,300 students to spend a semester in the open air and for many it provided a way into their chosen career.
Apply now for the 2012 'green band' (29 February 2012)
The 'green band' for clubs that excel in nurturing young talent is the top award for youth training in competitive sport. Sports clubs or sections within clubs have until 31 March 2012 to send their applications for the prize to their umbrella organisations. The €5,000 prize money is donated by the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) and Commerzbank AG.
