Erste Group is systematically growing its comprehensible Social Banking programme in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE): The 2nd impact assessment of social banking activities, based on methodology developed in cooperation with the Vienna University of Economics and Business, measures the impact of the social banking efforts on local communities. More than 19,000 people in financial difficulties, 7,000 small farmers, 3,100 entrepreneurs starting their micro-businesses in areas with high unemployment and poverty and 600 social organizations across CEE accessed offerings of Erste’s Social Banking. Overall, Erste dispersed a total of EUR 235 million in loans across CEE, with EUR 65 million provided in 2018/2019 alone.