Sustainable business practices have always been intrinsic to PPF Group. Respect for the environment, fairness to our employees and customers, and sound governance are principles that guide all the Group’s activities. Since its founding, the Group has grown to operate in more than 25 countries across 16 time zones, bringing its commitment to responsible business practices to all its markets.
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Sustainability at PPF
I would argue that if you do business with integrity, you intuitively fulfil exactly what the ESG principles try to achieve. You care about customers, because without them you’re nothing. You look after your employees, because without them you’re nothing. You give back to the community you live in. In other words, you try to make the business work sustainably.
Our approach
The Group’s success has only been possible thanks to its people. The Group's work culture is characterised by respect, fairness, and zero tolerance for discrimination.
All Group companies are keenly aware of their responsibility to the millions of customers who use their products. Around 18 million users connect to PPF’s internet and mobile networks, millions of passengers commute daily on trains and trams produced by the Group, and millions of clients entrust their money to PPF Group’s banking services. Therefore, the safety and reliability of all of these products, the development of innovative offerings, and the delivery of excellent customer experience are key tenets of PPF’s sustainability strategies.
Environmental responsibility has come to the forefront of the PPF’s sustainability agenda. Given the pressing global need to minimise greenhouse gas emissions, the Group pursues meticulous carbon accounting, prioritises less carbon-intensive technologies, and seeks cleaner energy sources.
Telecommunications infrastructure and services are crucial to socioeconomic development of the Group’s markets.
PPF Telecom Group's sustainability commitments are focused on ensuring reliability, affordability, and high-quality services. The Group continually invests in networks to increase access to connectivity and open up more opportunities for people living in remote areas.
of the population covered by 4G and 30% covered by 5G in markets where we operate
99
%
data SIM cards donated to Ukrainian refugees
140 000
Sustainability at PPF Telecom Group
Early in 2023, the Group launched the PPF Telecom Group Centre of Excellence and Innovation Hub. This brings together the best expertise, talent, and resources to develop and scale-up local use cases. We are also accelerating the deployment of cutting-edge technologies like 5G and the Internet of Things.
PPF Telecom Group has committed to setting science-based emission reduction targets by 2024, and has started to disclose environmental data through the global Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) system.
year-on-year drop in Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions in 2022
13
%
renewable electricity used to power our CETIN Serbia network
100
%
Green energy
The Group has taken significant measures towards carbon neutrality. For example, Yettel Serbia's mobile network is already completely powered by renewable energy.
In Bulgaria, Yettel and CETIN signed a 10-year contract with Elektrohold Trade for the supply of electricity from renewable sources. Thanks to green energy, we expect to save over 33 tonnes of carbon emissions per year, equivalent to a carbon footprint of 6,450 households annually.
Electronic waste recycling
Electronic waste is the fastest-growing stream of waste and major source of pollution globally. Recognizing our opportunity to help reduce it, we launched a campaign for e-waste collection as early as 2008. Now tens of thousands of kilogrammes of electronics are being prevented from ending up at landfills across our operations each year.
of electronic devices collected for recycling in 2022 (121% year-on-year increase)
23 730
kg
of copper, 74 kg of silver, 5 kg of gold, and 3 kg of palladium recycled
3 300
kg
Digital literacy at O2
The O2 Smart School programme promotes digital literacy and online safety among teachers, children, and parents. It includes a free online portal with information and materials on healthy digital technology use, internet safety, and media literacy. Additionally, O2 Smart School runs a grant programme for primary schools and conducts research on topics like children's perception of beauty in the online world, accompanied by awareness campaigns on body shaming.
people trained in digital skills and internet safety
73 000
schools regularly use our resources for teaching digital skills
500
The shift towards a low-carbon future is largely facilitated by the use of public transport, particularly rail.
Škoda Group is stepping up its carbon accounting to identify potential savings, set targets and create a roadmap for the energy transition. A practical example of these efforts is the factory in Otanmäki, Finland, which is powered entirely by wind energy.
Another key sustainability area is investment in research and development of sustainable products. Škoda Group will allocate 2-3% of revenue to it over the next 5 years. The latest R&D highlights include the introduction of battery train or the launch of a new generation of H’CITY hydrogen bus. Other projects focus on autonomous technologies, such us anti-collision system for railways or smart depot, which increases safety and brings Škoda Group one step closer to autonomous driving.
Škoda Group also attaches high importance to occupational health and safety, as well as cultivating a positive working environment where employees can develop their skills and careers. Škoda Group was recognised as the second most attractive employer in the Czech Republic in the Automotive & Engineering Industry category at the 2023 Randstad Awards.
Last, but not least, transparent business conduct is another core area of Škoda Group´s ESG approach. Operating in business-to-government sector, high ethical standards and zero-tolerance attitude to bribery or breaches of laws and internal policies are of essential importance. In 2022, Škoda Group did not record any incident of corruption or bribery.
of Škoda Group´s waste is recycled
78
of total revenue allocated to research and development in 2023-2027
2-3
%
Product environmental impact
Škoda Group´s products are not only innovative but also prioritize a sustainable future. For example, our trams operating in Bonn, Germany, feature CO2 HVAC units that utilize carbon dioxide as the refrigerant, minimizing the environmental impact of the air conditioning system. Other tram models incorporate regenerative breaking or smart inner lighting, leading to significantly improved energy efficiency. Based on publicly available data, our latest product, 36T ForCity smart tram´s lifecycle emissions are on the par with our main competitors´.
36T ForCity Smart tram
carbon footprint per passenger-km during product´s lifetime (cradle-to-cradle)
14.16
g CO2e
recoverability rate
97.4
%
Battery-powered trains
Battery-powered trains represent an eco-friendly way of transport on non-electrified rail lines. Škoda Group’s latest battery-powered train has a range of up to 80 km at its top speed of 120 km/h. The battery units allow for continuous recharging either through regenerative braking or overhead power lines. This innovation reduces emissions, saves costs for operators, and enhances convenience. Our expertise in battery-powered vehicles extends to trams, trolleybuses, and electric buses, with successful deployments in multiple countries.
The battery-powered train is a significant step forward not only in sustainable mobility, but also for regional non-electrified lines, where diesel trains now run and produce thousands of tonnes of emissions annually.
Tomáš Ignačák
Vice chairman and President of CZ/SK Region, Škoda Group
Hydrogen bus
Škoda Group's H’CITY fuel cell bus is an innovative urban mobility solution with a 350 km range. It demonstrates the potential of hydrogen technology, representing a step towards greener public transport. The H’CITY offers spacious seating for 70 passengers, regenerative braking, advanced safety features, and intelligent energy management and control systems. Škoda Group has long been at the cutting edge in this area, with our first hydrogen bus produced in 2008 and the latest H’CITY 12 soon to be tested in Prague’s public transportation network.
maximum range of battery-powered train without an overhead line at a maximum speed of 120 km/h
80
km
maximum range of the H’CITY hydrogen bus
350
km
PPF Group’s financial services division serves a wide range of customers. We empower the underbanked through Home Credit, lead digital banking with Air Bank and Mobi Bank, support companies through PPF Bank, and enable fintech through ClearBank.
Home Credit’s sustainability strategy revolves around ensuring responsible lending, promoting financial literacy, supporting diversity and inclusion, and incentivising sustainable consumption.
of Home Credit customers were first-time borrowers in 2022
42
%
people were reached through financial literacy initiatives
222
million
Responsible Lending
Our financial services entities share a commitment to reliability, responsible finance, and excellent customer experience – and have received multiple international accolades for their efforts. For example, for several successive years, Air Bank and Home Credit have been among the best rated services by the Responsible Lending Index annually published by People in Need, a prominent Czech NGO.
Fintech for good
ClearBank won Social Inclusion Project of the Year at the 2022 Payment Awards for its partnership with the UK Department of Work and Pensions and PayPoint. The initiative enabled over 1 million unbanked customers to receive benefit and pension payments securely and conveniently.
As the CEE region’s leading broadcaster, Central European Media Enterprises (CME) is aware of its impact.
As a result, a fundamental focus of its ESG strategy is to create socially responsible content that reflects society's values and inspires viewers to make sustainable choices.
In 2022, CME introduced a comprehensive ESG strategy. Every CME station now has an ESG ambassador supervising the agenda within their business unit, ensuring a consistent approach to sustainable value creation across the organisation.
Environmental activities
This year, as first media group in the region, CME held a dedicated Green Week at all of its 6 stations, supporting the EU Green Week and following the footsteps of broadcasters in the UK, Germany and other countries, who have been raising awareness of the severity of climate crisis already for many years. CME Green Week content has reached 23 million viewers. Throughout the week, stations have organised events for employees and provided various climate-related content, inspiring viewers to make sustainable choices.
CME also aims to minimise the carbon footprint of its productions, and it was the first media group in the CEE region to join Albert International, an association promoting environmentally responsible production in the TV and film industry. If a production not only reduces but also offsets its emissions, it can be certified as a carbon-neutral production. Out of 36 productions made so far this year, 23 have been albert-certified so far. By the end of 2023, CME intends to sign the Climate Content Pledge.
Changing temperature patterns, high energy prices and tightening regulatory requirements make the energy performance of buildings a key strategic priority and a key responsibility.
The redevelopment of Seal House in the City of London is PPF Real Estate’s flagship energy efficiency project. The revamped complex will deliver significant sustainability improvements, closely approaching the UK Green Building Council’s net-zero energy target.
Sophisticated energy monitoring systems also play an important role in reducing power consumption and emissions. In the Netherlands, we piloted a smart data building management system by Healthy Workers, which monitors buildings in real-time to improve performance and minimise costs. The solution also takes a data-driven approach to automating (and optimising) business processes.
SOTIO, PPF Group’s biotech branch, contributes to society’s wellbeing by developing cancer treatments. Biotechnology research requires significant investment with uncertain returns. Despite the financial risks, the potential benefits make it a worthwhile endeavour that impacts countless lives.
SOTIO is an established and trusted partner of research centres, hospitals, and global pharmaceutical companies. Our research and pre-clinical teams regularly publish articles in prestigious journals, participate in international conferences, and receive awards recognising their R&D excellence.
Attracting and retaining the best talent is critical to SOTIO’s mission of turning science into patient benefits. We therefore emphasise diversity and cultural inclusion, which are reflected in our international team and high representation of women.
With a focus on early-stage projects, SOTIO takes on greater risks and explores innovative paths that larger pharmaceutical companies may overlook. By investing in and developing these cutting-edge programmes, SOTIO aims to bring effective cancer treatments to market – making a significant impact on patients' lives.
clinical trials launched targeting various cancer diseases since SOTIO was established
17
of our employees are women
67
%