Press release 24.03.2025 – Association of Ukrainian Banks
Ukrainian banks and financial companies on the path to sustainable development: results of the ESG training from the Association of Ukrainian Banks
On March 19, 2025, the Association of Ukrainian Banks (AUB) organized an ESG training that aroused considerable interest among the financial and banking community of Ukraine. The event brought together more than 100 representatives of banks and financial institutions, which demonstrates the growing attention to sustainability issues in the financial sector. The keynote speaker of the training was Dr. Jukka Honkaniemi, a banking executive with 30 years of experience at Citibank and SEB, co-founder and CEO of esgResilience.
During the training, participants gained practical knowledge on issues such as the political crisis, climate change and natural capital, sustainable development and the EU regulatory context, as well as opportunities and challenges for Ukrainian banks. Special attention was paid to the discussion on the realities of ESG implementation in Ukraine during martial law, which allowed the participants to discuss current issues and possible solutions.
In his presentation “Building Resilient Financial Systems in an Uncertain Environment”, Dr. Jukka Honkaniemi emphasized the importance of integrating ESG principles to ensure the stability and adaptability of financial institutions, especially in the face of global challenges and economic changes.
It was noted that the implementation of ESG principles (environmental, social and governance aspects) is critical for the Ukrainian financial sector. It helps to improve the reliability of banking operations, transparency and efficiency of risk management. According to recent studies, the integration of ESG criteria can positively affect the sustainability of banks and their ability to adapt to global challenges.
The Association of Ukrainian Banks pays great attention to the implementation of ESG principles in its activities. This is an important step towards European integration and increasing the competitiveness of the Ukrainian financial sector. The AUB actively cooperates with the National Bank of Ukraine and other state institutions to adapt European standards and practices in the banking sector.
According to the participants, the training organized by the AUB with the participation of Dr. Jukka Honkaniemi provided valuable practical knowledge in the field of ESG. Participants noted the opportunity to improve their knowledge in the areas of sustainable financing, risk analysis and implementation of ESG initiatives in their institutions. The training was held in a dynamic atmosphere, providing a constructive exchange of experience and new ideas.
The Association of Ukrainian Banks expresses its sincere gratitude to Dr. Jukka Honkaniemi for the informative and practically oriented training, to Oleksiy Aniper for his active participation in organizing and moderating the training, as well as to all participants for their participation and interest in the development of ESG in Ukraine.
For reference: Dr. Jukka Honkaniemi is a banking executive with 30 years of experience at Citibank and SEB. Jukka was the first global head of sustainability at SEB in the Corporate Business and Institutions division, and the developer of ESG roadmap and sustainability risk management system. He is also the co-founder and CEO of esgResilience, a company specializing in sustainable finance and consulting, and an advisor to the Climate Leadership Coalition, the largest non-profit climate business network in Europe.
Read the full press release in Ukrainian HERE
Note from esgResilience
The Association of Ukrainian Banks recently published a press release about the ESG training webinar held in March.
In the photo (from left to right): Andriy Dupas, President of the Association of Ukrainian Banks (AUB); Jukka Honkaniemi, CEO, esgResilience and Oleksiy Aniper, General Manager, esgResilience Ukraine.
We’re honored to have contributed to this important initiative and would like to thank the AUB for this unique opportunity to support the Ukrainian banking sector on its sustainability journey.
Слава Україні! 🇺🇦 Slava Ukraini! 🇺🇦
