Why did you choose Ethical Banking?

Because it is South Tyrol’s only authentic opportunity to invest money fairly and to use it to make a local contribution towards sustainability in finance. Farms and families in South Tyrol and the surrounding area receive direct financial support, enabling them to realise their work and ideas and make our region more sustainable and fair.
Saving money becomes much more meaningful this way, and you can provide your savings with a clear conscience.

What do you hope for Ethical Banking in the future?

I hope that Ethical Banking receives much more attention in the future, so that it develops from a niche concept into a standard within the South Tyrolean financial sector. Ethical Banking is transparent and shows me exactly where my invested money has an impact. Roland’s videos are informative and entertaining, which allows him to communicate with customers and farmers/families on an equal footing.
I miss this level of transparency in traditional banks, where terms such as sustainability are used very frequently, but research often reveals that customers’ money is invested in questionable funds. Many people are not aware that this can mean supporting child labour, weapons production or companies that harm the climate, such as oil producers, which put people and our shared future at risk.

How do you envision your bank in the future?

My bank of the future should simply be fair to me and to the world. The key word here is transparency, because – even if I do not understand all the technical terms – I do not want my money to be used passively in the background to support activities that harm people and nature.
My bank of the future should work together with me to create a world where everyone can live well, where no one has to suffer from hunger or hardship, and where the path towards a peaceful and environmentally sustainable future for our children and grandchildren is paved. Banks often have a great deal of influence, and therefore they also carry a great responsibility.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Of course, each and every one of us must contribute to making our way of life more sustainable again and ensuring that we do not make our planet, our very foundation for life, uninhabitable. As individuals, we can, for example, entrust our finances to a sustainable banking institution such as Ethical Banking.
However, companies and organisations can also make a significant contribution. This is why I founded “1k HOPES”: to actively promote sustainability beyond my personal sphere of influence and to support ecological and ethical initiatives. These include planting trees, installing bird nesting boxes, organising talks on sustainable living, financing climate protection projects and arranging litter collection campaigns, among many other activities.


1kHopes