Bank of Åland invited to present Åland Index and Baltic Sea Card to UN in New York

The Bank of Åland’s work on behalf of the Baltic Sea has attracted the interest of the United Nations (UN). Late last week Peter Wiklöf, the Bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive, participated in a meeting on climate change at the UN in New York. He spoke about the Bank’s Baltic Sea Card and the Åland Index, a digital tool that measures the environmental impact of your purchases. The event was convened by Peter Thomson, president of the UN General Assembly.

The Bank of Åland Plc (Ålandsbanken Abp) presented its efforts to help improve the state of the Baltic Sea as part of Climate Change and the Sustainable Development Agenda, a high-level conference at UN Headquarters in New York on March 23.

As a panellist at this event, Peter Wiklöf – Managing Director and Chief Executive of the Bank of Åland – explained the Baltic Sea Project, the Bank’s Baltic Sea Card and the Åland Index as part of an exchange of ideas on implementing practical solutions to deal with climate change.

“We are very pleased that the UN has drawn attention to our climate change work. At the Bank of Åland we have combined our expertise about the banking world and awareness of the Baltic Sea in order to create climate-smart tools and services. We hope our efforts can inspire others to contribute to environmental solutions – both globally and with the help of local expertise,” says Mr Wiklöf.

Earlier this year, the Bank of Åland exchanged ideas for climate change work with the United Nations at the European level. The Bank’s efforts attracted interest in Europe, and the conference in New York also enabled the Bank to present its efforts to the UN at the global level. 

“There is a clear need for tangible environmental projects. We developed the Åland Index and the Baltic Sea Card in order to give our customers concrete tools for climate-smart consumer choices. We are proud to share our know-how, and the exchange of ideas also provides us with fuel for further development efforts,” says Anne-Maria Salonius, Director of the Bank of Åland’s Finnish Mainland Business Area. 

The Bank of Aland's Baltic Sea Card is the world’s first biodegradable credit card that measures the environmental impact of what people buy. The Baltic Sea Card is connected to the Åland Index, a digital tool that calculates how much carbon dioxide emissions their purchases result in and provides customers with tools to reduce their environmental footprint, for example, by suggesting ways to offset it via environmental projects.

For further information please contact:  
Peter Wiklöf, Managing Director and Chief Executive, tel +358 40 512 7505
Anne-Maria Salonius, Director, Finnish Mainland Business Area. Phone +358 40 733 1106     

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The Bank of Åland Plc (Ålandsbanken Abp): Founded in 1919, the Bank of Åland has been listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange since 1942. The Bank generates value for individuals and companies that appreciate relationships, by delivering a large bank’s range of services with a small bank’s thoughtfulness and sense of dedication. The Bank of Åland Group has total assets of EUR 5.1 billion and employs about 700 people in offices in the Åland Islands (Finland), on the Finnish mainland and in Sweden.

The Baltic Sea Project: Since 1997, the Bank of Åland has supported a variety of environmental projects. Over time, it has donated EUR 1.6 million to the important work of both small and large organisations. Our Baltic Sea Accounts (formerly Environmental Accounts) have been at the heart of these efforts: each year the Bank has donated its own funds in an amount equivalent to up to 0.2 per cent of customer deposits in these accounts. For further information: http://www.balticseaproject.org