Sustainability strategy
The objectives and key points of the sustainability strategy and governance of the Deka Group are documented comprehensively in the Deka Group Sustainability Report 2024. The following sections supplement this presentation with information about the management of the relationships between the Deka Group and its stakeholders, as well as on memberships in national ESG-related initiatives and voluntary commitments.
Stakeholder dialogues
Basic information in the Sustainability Report 2024
You can find information regarding the identification and consideration of stakeholders in the Sustainability Report 2024 on p. 137.
Supplementary information
The Deka Group's stakeholders include for example customers, employees, shareholders and regulatory authorities, suppliers and cooperation partners, as well as representatives from politics, the media and civil society, for example from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as environmental and consumers’ associations. A final list of the key stakeholders is included in the CSRD report on p. 137. The Deka Group makes use of a wide range of avenues for entering into a dialogue with the various stakeholders. These range from surveys and bilateral discussions to participation in conferences and active contributions to initiatives and associations.
Dialogues with the various stakeholders and surveys among selected stakeholder groups allow the Deka Group to understand the impact of its business activities on the economy, the environment and people, as well as to gain an insight into the issues and the associated concerns of the various stakeholders. Dialogues, in particular, provide the opportunity at the same time to clarify the company’s own standpoint and therefore to gain trust and acceptance of the activities of the Deka Group. Surveys give the Deka Group a representative idea of expectations regarding their services and assessments of its range of services.
Sharing experiences and the joint development and implementation of climate-related and other sustainability-related activities are at the core of the various national and international memberships of the Deka Group and its subsidiaries. This also includes various voluntary commitments to take sustainability-related aspects in various lines of business of the Deka Group into consideration, e.g. regarding capital investment through the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) and the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative (NZAM), or in ship financing through the Poseidon Principles.
ESG rating agencies are an important stakeholder who evaluate the quality of the sustainability management of the Deka Group on behalf of institutional investors. The criteria they apply and the assessments of the respective measures of the Deka Group provide valuable reference points for deciding on locations and for further improvements to the sustainability performance of the Deka Group.
You can find information regarding the identification and consideration of stakeholders in the Sustainability Report 2024 on p. 137.
Supplementary information
The Deka Group's stakeholders include for example customers, employees, shareholders and regulatory authorities, suppliers and cooperation partners, as well as representatives from politics, the media and civil society, for example from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as environmental and consumers’ associations. A final list of the key stakeholders is included in the CSRD report on p. 137. The Deka Group makes use of a wide range of avenues for entering into a dialogue with the various stakeholders. These range from surveys and bilateral discussions to participation in conferences and active contributions to initiatives and associations.
Dialogues with the various stakeholders and surveys among selected stakeholder groups allow the Deka Group to understand the impact of its business activities on the economy, the environment and people, as well as to gain an insight into the issues and the associated concerns of the various stakeholders. Dialogues, in particular, provide the opportunity at the same time to clarify the company’s own standpoint and therefore to gain trust and acceptance of the activities of the Deka Group. Surveys give the Deka Group a representative idea of expectations regarding their services and assessments of its range of services.
Sharing experiences and the joint development and implementation of climate-related and other sustainability-related activities are at the core of the various national and international memberships of the Deka Group and its subsidiaries. This also includes various voluntary commitments to take sustainability-related aspects in various lines of business of the Deka Group into consideration, e.g. regarding capital investment through the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) and the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative (NZAM), or in ship financing through the Poseidon Principles.
ESG rating agencies are an important stakeholder who evaluate the quality of the sustainability management of the Deka Group on behalf of institutional investors. The criteria they apply and the assessments of the respective measures of the Deka Group provide valuable reference points for deciding on locations and for further improvements to the sustainability performance of the Deka Group.
Further information
You can find further information on the addressed topics on the Deka Group’s website and/or in relevant documents.
Deka Group’s website:
Documents:
Customer surveys
Basic information in the Sustainability Report 2024
You can find information on the identification and consideration of stakeholders in the Sustainability Report 2024 on p. 138.
Supplementary information
Regular surveys among various customer groups form an important basis for the further development of the Deka Group, especially of its products and services, as well as its sales focus. For this purpose, the Deka Group has both commissioned its own analysis and supported the conducting of surveys by the German Savings Banks Association (Deutscher Sparkassen- und Giroverband e. V., DSGV).
Wealth Barometer 2024
Together with DSGV, the Wealth Barometer is conducted every year and is based on a representative online survey of more than 4,800 citizens from the age of 14. Apart from questions that assess their own financial situation, savings behaviour or savings plans, ESG-related questions are also regularly formulated, for example to explore the respondents’ knowledge of sustainable investment. In the Wealth Barometer 2023, only 17 percent of respondents rated their knowledge of sustainable investment to be good or very good. Sustainable investments therefore significantly lagged behind general financial knowledge, which 33 percent rated as good or very good. The Deka Group regularly provides investors with current information about sustainable investment on its website, for example as part of the Deka Investor Academy and the fund magazine.
Deka Investor Monitor 2024
Sustainability was also one of the topics of the Deka Investor Monitor, a representative survey of 4,262 citizens aged between 18 and 75, which was carried out in July 2024 on behalf of DekaBank. The results show a cleft between stated interests and actual activities that is rather typical of surveys regarding the environment and sustainability. 60 percent of the respondents expressed fundamental interest in sustainable investment, while currently only 14 percent have actually made a sustainable investment, three percent more than two years ago. A third of the respondents (33 percent) had, by their own admission, never heard of sustainable investments, while 38 percent of the respondents felt they had adequate information about sustainable investments. More than every third respondent (36 percent) stated that they would like their bank or savings bank consultant to actively broach the subject of such financial investments.
You can find information on the identification and consideration of stakeholders in the Sustainability Report 2024 on p. 138.
Supplementary information
Regular surveys among various customer groups form an important basis for the further development of the Deka Group, especially of its products and services, as well as its sales focus. For this purpose, the Deka Group has both commissioned its own analysis and supported the conducting of surveys by the German Savings Banks Association (Deutscher Sparkassen- und Giroverband e. V., DSGV).
Wealth Barometer 2024
Together with DSGV, the Wealth Barometer is conducted every year and is based on a representative online survey of more than 4,800 citizens from the age of 14. Apart from questions that assess their own financial situation, savings behaviour or savings plans, ESG-related questions are also regularly formulated, for example to explore the respondents’ knowledge of sustainable investment. In the Wealth Barometer 2023, only 17 percent of respondents rated their knowledge of sustainable investment to be good or very good. Sustainable investments therefore significantly lagged behind general financial knowledge, which 33 percent rated as good or very good. The Deka Group regularly provides investors with current information about sustainable investment on its website, for example as part of the Deka Investor Academy and the fund magazine.
Deka Investor Monitor 2024
Sustainability was also one of the topics of the Deka Investor Monitor, a representative survey of 4,262 citizens aged between 18 and 75, which was carried out in July 2024 on behalf of DekaBank. The results show a cleft between stated interests and actual activities that is rather typical of surveys regarding the environment and sustainability. 60 percent of the respondents expressed fundamental interest in sustainable investment, while currently only 14 percent have actually made a sustainable investment, three percent more than two years ago. A third of the respondents (33 percent) had, by their own admission, never heard of sustainable investments, while 38 percent of the respondents felt they had adequate information about sustainable investments. More than every third respondent (36 percent) stated that they would like their bank or savings bank consultant to actively broach the subject of such financial investments.
Further information
You can find further information on the addressed topics on the Deka Group’s website and/or in relevant documents.
Deka Group's website:
Savings bank surveys
Basic information in the Sustainability Report 2024
There is no information on this specific topic in the Sustainability Report 2024.
Supplementary information
Survey of savings banks as partners of the Deka Group
As part of the DekaBank Retail Expert Pool, DekaBank surveys more than 500 managers and advisers of retail sales at the savings banks three times a year on various aspects of sales. In the year 2024, questions were regularly asked about the topic of sustainability. The Deka Group’s sales support services on this topic – from the training programme and end customer communication to the products – received a high level of approval by the surveyed savings bank employees. In the survey in November/December 2024, for example, 85 percent of the respondents stated that the Deka Group provides adequate support in the field of sustainability in the form of training measures and sales-supporting resources. 84 percent were of the opinion that the Deka Group as a company is credibly sustainable.
Since 2023 there has also been a DekaBank Private Banking and Wealth Management Expert Pool, in relation to which over 230 private banking managers and private banking and corporate customer consultants were surveyed on the topic of sustainability. In the survey conducted in August 2024, 81 percent of the respondents stated that the Deka Group provides savings banks with adequate support in the field of sustainability in the form of training measures and sales-supporting resources. In this survey, 79 percent of the respondents expressed the view that the Deka Group as a company is credibly sustainable.
Survey of savings banks as institutional customers of the Deka Group
In January 2025, a brief flash survey was conducted of savings banks as institutional customers of the Deka Group, questioning 258 contact persons from 201 savings banks. The Deka Group is perceived by the clear majority of the respondents (89 percent) as a sustainable company. 90 percent state that the Deka Group offers a wide and high-quality palette of sustainable investments and services relating to proprietary business.
There is no information on this specific topic in the Sustainability Report 2024.
Supplementary information
Survey of savings banks as partners of the Deka Group
As part of the DekaBank Retail Expert Pool, DekaBank surveys more than 500 managers and advisers of retail sales at the savings banks three times a year on various aspects of sales. In the year 2024, questions were regularly asked about the topic of sustainability. The Deka Group’s sales support services on this topic – from the training programme and end customer communication to the products – received a high level of approval by the surveyed savings bank employees. In the survey in November/December 2024, for example, 85 percent of the respondents stated that the Deka Group provides adequate support in the field of sustainability in the form of training measures and sales-supporting resources. 84 percent were of the opinion that the Deka Group as a company is credibly sustainable.
Since 2023 there has also been a DekaBank Private Banking and Wealth Management Expert Pool, in relation to which over 230 private banking managers and private banking and corporate customer consultants were surveyed on the topic of sustainability. In the survey conducted in August 2024, 81 percent of the respondents stated that the Deka Group provides savings banks with adequate support in the field of sustainability in the form of training measures and sales-supporting resources. In this survey, 79 percent of the respondents expressed the view that the Deka Group as a company is credibly sustainable.
Survey of savings banks as institutional customers of the Deka Group
In January 2025, a brief flash survey was conducted of savings banks as institutional customers of the Deka Group, questioning 258 contact persons from 201 savings banks. The Deka Group is perceived by the clear majority of the respondents (89 percent) as a sustainable company. 90 percent state that the Deka Group offers a wide and high-quality palette of sustainable investments and services relating to proprietary business.
Further information
No further information is currently available on this specific topic.
Membership in national initiatives
Basic information in the Sustainability Report 2024
There is no information on this specific topic in the Sustainability Report 2024.
Supplementary information
The Sustainable Finance Cluster Germany (formerly Green and Sustainable Finance Cluster Germany, GSFCG) has been active since 2018, resulting from the merging of the Green Finance Cluster of the Hessian Ministry of Economics and the Accelerating Sustainable Finance Initiative. The aim of the cluster is to position itself as the competence and dialogue platform of the financial sector in order to achieve the German climate and sustainability goals. The Deka Group is a sponsor and is represented in the standing committee of the cluster.
The pioneers of anchoring sustainability aspects on the financial market include the Association for Environmental Management and Sustainability in Financial Institutions (Verein für Umweltmanagement und Nachhaltigkeit in Finanzinstituten e. V., VfU), which DekaBank has already been involved in since 2007. DekaBank is also a member of the Corporate Responsibility Interface Center (cric) e. V., which will celebrate its 25th anniversary in the year 2025. With its more than 130 members, cric promotes a constructive dialogue between companies, politics and financial market players in the interests of generally raising awareness of ethical and sustainable investments. The Deka Group also participates in committees and initiatives with a climate and sustainability focus as part of its memberships of the German Savings Banks Association (Deutscher Sparkassen- und Giroverband e. V., DSGV) and the Association of German Public Banks (Bundesverband Öffentlicher Banken Deutschlands, VÖB).
Deka Investment GmbH, Deka Vermögensmanagement GmbH and Deka Immobilien Investment GmbH have been involved for many years in the German Investment Funds Association (Bundesverband Investment und Asset Management e. V., BVI). They actively participate in the top Sustainability Council of BVI, the “sustainability” committee, with two representatives. In addition, the companies are represented in sustainability-related work groups. Furthermore, the business division Asset Management Real Estate (Asset Management Immobilien, AMI) also collaborates in the work group “Sustainability in real-estate funds”. The aim of these councils is the further development of anchoring ESG aspects in the asset management sector.
The BVI Code of Conduct with its voluntary principles and codes represent a recognised minimum standard for the appropriate and responsible handling of capital and the rights of investors. They set out how capital management companies can meet their obligations towards investors and how to represent their interests towards third parties. As members of BVI, Deka Investment GmbH, Deka Vermögensmanagement GmbH, Deka Immobilien Investment GmbH and WestInvest Gesellschaft für Investmentfonds mbH comply responsibly and appropriately with the BVI’s rules of conduct and refine them through the BVI.
In the German Association for Financial Analysis and Asset Management (Deutsche Vereinigung für Finanzanalyse und Asset Management e. V., DVFA), there are also special councils dealing with the further development of the consideration of ESG criteria in capital investment. Deka Investment GmbH participates actively here in the “Governance & Sustainability” commission and the “Governance & Stewardship” expert committee.
The AMI business division uses its membership of the German Property Federation (Zentraler Immobilien Ausschuss e. V., ZIA) to obtain information and share opinions through the “Corporate Social Responsibility” committee on the subject of current political and legal developments. The ZIA “Energy and Building Technology” committee discusses and develops solutions for making the real estate portfolio under management more environmentally friendly. In addition, Deka Immobilien Investment GmbH is a member of the Institute for Corporate Governance (ICG), which is involved in the further development of sustainable governance structures in real estate companies.
There is no information on this specific topic in the Sustainability Report 2024.
Supplementary information
The Sustainable Finance Cluster Germany (formerly Green and Sustainable Finance Cluster Germany, GSFCG) has been active since 2018, resulting from the merging of the Green Finance Cluster of the Hessian Ministry of Economics and the Accelerating Sustainable Finance Initiative. The aim of the cluster is to position itself as the competence and dialogue platform of the financial sector in order to achieve the German climate and sustainability goals. The Deka Group is a sponsor and is represented in the standing committee of the cluster.
The pioneers of anchoring sustainability aspects on the financial market include the Association for Environmental Management and Sustainability in Financial Institutions (Verein für Umweltmanagement und Nachhaltigkeit in Finanzinstituten e. V., VfU), which DekaBank has already been involved in since 2007. DekaBank is also a member of the Corporate Responsibility Interface Center (cric) e. V., which will celebrate its 25th anniversary in the year 2025. With its more than 130 members, cric promotes a constructive dialogue between companies, politics and financial market players in the interests of generally raising awareness of ethical and sustainable investments. The Deka Group also participates in committees and initiatives with a climate and sustainability focus as part of its memberships of the German Savings Banks Association (Deutscher Sparkassen- und Giroverband e. V., DSGV) and the Association of German Public Banks (Bundesverband Öffentlicher Banken Deutschlands, VÖB).
Deka Investment GmbH, Deka Vermögensmanagement GmbH and Deka Immobilien Investment GmbH have been involved for many years in the German Investment Funds Association (Bundesverband Investment und Asset Management e. V., BVI). They actively participate in the top Sustainability Council of BVI, the “sustainability” committee, with two representatives. In addition, the companies are represented in sustainability-related work groups. Furthermore, the business division Asset Management Real Estate (Asset Management Immobilien, AMI) also collaborates in the work group “Sustainability in real-estate funds”. The aim of these councils is the further development of anchoring ESG aspects in the asset management sector.
The BVI Code of Conduct with its voluntary principles and codes represent a recognised minimum standard for the appropriate and responsible handling of capital and the rights of investors. They set out how capital management companies can meet their obligations towards investors and how to represent their interests towards third parties. As members of BVI, Deka Investment GmbH, Deka Vermögensmanagement GmbH, Deka Immobilien Investment GmbH and WestInvest Gesellschaft für Investmentfonds mbH comply responsibly and appropriately with the BVI’s rules of conduct and refine them through the BVI.
In the German Association for Financial Analysis and Asset Management (Deutsche Vereinigung für Finanzanalyse und Asset Management e. V., DVFA), there are also special councils dealing with the further development of the consideration of ESG criteria in capital investment. Deka Investment GmbH participates actively here in the “Governance & Sustainability” commission and the “Governance & Stewardship” expert committee.
The AMI business division uses its membership of the German Property Federation (Zentraler Immobilien Ausschuss e. V., ZIA) to obtain information and share opinions through the “Corporate Social Responsibility” committee on the subject of current political and legal developments. The ZIA “Energy and Building Technology” committee discusses and develops solutions for making the real estate portfolio under management more environmentally friendly. In addition, Deka Immobilien Investment GmbH is a member of the Institute for Corporate Governance (ICG), which is involved in the further development of sustainable governance structures in real estate companies.
Further information
You can find further information on the addressed topics on the Deka Group’s website and/or in relevant documents.
Documents:
Voluntary commitments
Basic information in the Sustainability Report 2024
There is no information on this specific topic in the Sustainability Report 2024.
Supplementary information
The Deka Group has signed various voluntary commitments regarding the sustainable development of the Deka Group and its projects, thereby underlining its commitment to climate-friendly and sustainable development that goes way beyond the fulfilment of regulatory requirements. The voluntary commitments also regularly refer to international standards and regulations that therefore also become relevant for the Deka Group. For example, the UN Global Compact, which DekaBank has already been supporting since 2011, refers to the core labour standards of the International Labour Organization (ILO). In order to ensure that the voluntary commitments are appropriate and practicable for the Deka Group and that they can fully meet their commitments, a groupwide process was developed to regulate joining and terminating such voluntary commitments.
The evaluation, decision-making and monitoring process for the ESG voluntary commitments is based on five principles. A comprehensive procedure is set out to ensure firstly that the objectives and content of the voluntary commitments are comprehensively fulfilled at all times, and secondly that the progress in the implementation of the voluntary commitments is documented and evaluated. Potential non-financial risks that could result from signing new voluntary commitments or pertaining to existing commitments should be identified at an early stage.
With this in mind, the principles also set out that the organisational unit that initiates or concludes the commitment is responsible for implementing it. Furthermore, it is in contact with the organisations relating to the voluntary commitments to ensure that the commitments entered into are complied with at all times. Prior to any new commitment, as well as annually over the course of a membership, a review and assessment is carried out with regard to reputational risks. In addition, a review is conducted as to whether the aims and content of the voluntary commitment are in line with DekaBank’s approach to sustainability and therefore the overall sustainability concept of the bank.
Before a voluntary commitment is signed, the Board of Management of DekaBank or the management of the relevant subsidiary must decide on and authorise such an accession. In addition, those responsible must be clearly defined and documented. These responsibilities ensure that the specific requirements of the voluntary commitments are implemented within the units affected by the commitments. The responsible units and employees are comprehensively informed, for example through further training, about the specific content and the resulting requirements for DekaBank or the individual subsidiaries. The Deka Group regularly reports on its website and intranet about the type and content of the voluntary commitments entered into, as well as the progress that has been achieved.
There is no information on this specific topic in the Sustainability Report 2024.
Supplementary information
The Deka Group has signed various voluntary commitments regarding the sustainable development of the Deka Group and its projects, thereby underlining its commitment to climate-friendly and sustainable development that goes way beyond the fulfilment of regulatory requirements. The voluntary commitments also regularly refer to international standards and regulations that therefore also become relevant for the Deka Group. For example, the UN Global Compact, which DekaBank has already been supporting since 2011, refers to the core labour standards of the International Labour Organization (ILO). In order to ensure that the voluntary commitments are appropriate and practicable for the Deka Group and that they can fully meet their commitments, a groupwide process was developed to regulate joining and terminating such voluntary commitments.
The evaluation, decision-making and monitoring process for the ESG voluntary commitments is based on five principles. A comprehensive procedure is set out to ensure firstly that the objectives and content of the voluntary commitments are comprehensively fulfilled at all times, and secondly that the progress in the implementation of the voluntary commitments is documented and evaluated. Potential non-financial risks that could result from signing new voluntary commitments or pertaining to existing commitments should be identified at an early stage.
With this in mind, the principles also set out that the organisational unit that initiates or concludes the commitment is responsible for implementing it. Furthermore, it is in contact with the organisations relating to the voluntary commitments to ensure that the commitments entered into are complied with at all times. Prior to any new commitment, as well as annually over the course of a membership, a review and assessment is carried out with regard to reputational risks. In addition, a review is conducted as to whether the aims and content of the voluntary commitment are in line with DekaBank’s approach to sustainability and therefore the overall sustainability concept of the bank.
Before a voluntary commitment is signed, the Board of Management of DekaBank or the management of the relevant subsidiary must decide on and authorise such an accession. In addition, those responsible must be clearly defined and documented. These responsibilities ensure that the specific requirements of the voluntary commitments are implemented within the units affected by the commitments. The responsible units and employees are comprehensively informed, for example through further training, about the specific content and the resulting requirements for DekaBank or the individual subsidiaries. The Deka Group regularly reports on its website and intranet about the type and content of the voluntary commitments entered into, as well as the progress that has been achieved.
Further information
You can find further information on the addressed topics on the Deka Group’s website and/or in relevant documents.
Deka Group’s website:
Documents: