Last year, Erste Group’s Social Banking provided a total of EUR 53 million in loans to starting entrepreneurs, microfinance businesses and social organizations, as well as to people in financial difficulties across CEE. Social Banking financed more than 1,400 clients and helped another 4,600 clients to improve their financial literacy by offering them business trainings and education support. In total, Social Banking supported more than 10,000 clients in 2020.

“In 2020, we proved that we stand by our clients with financing and advisory also in the uneasy times. We will definitely continue supporting the people in our region as they deal with the consequences of the Covid-19 crisis, such as increasing unemployment, the growing risk of poverty, as well as challenges connected with affordable housing,” says Peter Surek, Head of Social Banking Development at Erste Group.