Policies & guidelines

We view profitability as a positive value, because it provides the basis for business continuity and freedom without conditions. But we also recognize that no organization can survive and prosper sustainable without continually earning the trust and respect of its staff, its customers, its shareholders and the wider community. Reputation is the end result of how a company's actions are perceived by its stakeholders and by the public at large. It is hard to build, easy to destroy.

The current market environment requires an increased focus on reputational risk. This is a result of more complex compliance requirements, intensified Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) pressure, media interest and higher scrutiny from regulators.

We are aware that UniCredit throughout its sphere of influence (e.g., operations, financing transactions and projects, and supply chains), may directly or indirectly impact or interact with several sensitive topics (e.g., human rights, defense industry, nuclear energy, etc). UniCredit therefore strives through its own business conduct to minimize its reputational, environmental and social risks.

This is why we began drafting specific policies and other regulations concerning sensitive topics that we believe UniCredit should address. These procedures have been developed with input from a wide range of stakeholder and referencing major international agreements including The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Global Compact, World Bank standards, International Labour Organization's (ILO) Fundamental Human Rights Conventions and the Equator Principles.

Please find below UniCredit Human Rights Commitment and the core content of our Group Nuclear Energy Reputational Risk Special Policy and our Group Defense/Weapons Industry Reputational Risk Special Policy.

UniCredit in the Global Compact

We reaffirm our support of the principles of the United Nations Global Compact, which express UniCredit’s commitment to human rights, fair working conditions, the environment and the fight against corruption.

We participate in Communication on Progress (COP), an annual report through which companies can communicate to stakeholders their progress on implementing the 10 principles of the UN Global Compact and share best practices.
For more information about UniCredit’s Communication on Progress, please visit UN Global Compact website. 

We have integrated the 10 principles of the UN Global Compact in our annual Sustainability Report since 2007.  For more information, please visit Reporting & metrics. In 2010, UniCredit was admitted to the UN Global Compact Advanced Programme.