In the last six months, solar panels installed at Center-invest Bank’s head office have generated 4,500kW of clean energy. This has been used to power the terminals in the bank’s 24/7 self-service zone.

The daily energy saving thanks to this project is equivalent to the electricity used to operate the electronic queue system or three ATMs for a 24-hour period. 

In August 2020 Center-invest Bank installed 44 solar panels on the roof of its head office in Rostov-on-Don. The panels have a capacity of 10kW, which reduces daily electricity consumption from the network by up to 70kWh. The anticipated annual power output is 18,250kWh.  The bank intends that within 12 months of installing the panels, solar power will provide up to 1% of the electricity used by head office.

“Taking responsibility for the natural resources we consume and caring about the environment and the health of future generations – these are integral to the bank’s ESG strategy,” says Lidia Simonova, Chairman of Center-invest Bank’s Executive Board. “The solar power pilot project proved effective, as objectively, more solar power is generated in the south. Our aim is that the head office’s night lighting will be powered entirely by green energy and we plan to replicate this experience in the other regions where we operate."

Every year Center-invest Bank contributes to environmental protection by financing its customers’ energy efficiency projects. Since 2005 we have invested RUB18.7bn in 22,000 customer projects. These projects have reduced CO2 emissions by 224,700 tonnes a year. 

In December 2020, the bank placed a second issue of green bonds on the Moscow Exchange. The environmental impact of this RUB300m bond issue will be equivalent to a reduction in CO2 emissions of 6,408 tonnes. The bank guarantees that the funds raised will be used to finance and refinance loans for energy efficiency projects in the industrial sector, agribusiness, housing and utilities, and the service sector in southern Russia.

As well as financing its customers’ energy-efficient business transformations, Center-invest Bank has its own green projects and is maintaining its reputation as the main “green” bank in Russia. By digitalising its business processes and developing online services for customers, the bank is reducing its paper consumption year on year. The bank has installed wastepaper and battery recycling containers and it uses waste recycling services. It is also systematically replacing traditional fluorescent lighting with more environmentally friendly LED lights.