Responsible lending

UniCredit is aware of the banking industry’s role as a powerful engine of economic development. By providing real support to deserving customers – both families and firms – we contribute to the economic growth of the communities in which we operate, as well as to the sustainability of our business.

Supporting the internationalization of companies

We foster the internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by supporting their investments and transactions in foreign countries, and by providing business financing and the right connections to potential new markets. Our strong local presence plays a strategic role in the international growth of companies and the development of national economies.

The Retail Network in Italy has launched an innovative new product called Imprendo Export, an online service center for clients looking to expand abroad. It supports everything from a company’s initial foray into import-export to its signing of contracts, while also providing services in the country where their operations are expanding.

To finance the further internationalization of SMEs, UniCredit entered into an agreement in Italy with SACE, Italy’s export credit agency. The range of loans for which SACE provides collateral includes long-term loans for internationalization, short-term loans and guarantees.

We further promote the internationalization of our corporate business clients by establishing team specialists within all of our banks. These relationship managers support all of our cross-border services and ensure that, wherever possible, corporations with foreign subsidiaries are offered bank accounts, credit facilities, domestic and international transaction capabilities and other services in the relevant markets.

In 2009, we launched A Way to Sicily, a successful initiative that promotes Sicilian products abroad. Variations on this initiative will be extended to additional Italian regions, all focusing on commerce with several of our network’s Eastern European countries.

Support to SMEs working to overcome the financial crisis

In response to the financial crisis, we intensified our efforts to listen to stakeholders and to develop and consolidate our partnerships with businesses.

Some of our key projects:

• Impresa Italia focuses on offering credit to deserving businesses in the form of favorable short- and long-term loans. UniCredit thus brings additional value to the new financial guarantees provided by the confidi (credit guarantee consortiums). For further information, please visit www.unicreditbanca.it/it/imprese/finanziamenti/?idc=13135
• SOS Impresa Italia, developed in cooperation with the Confidi, identifies effective solutions for customers experiencing temporary difficulties due to the crisis.
• Moratoria, based on an agreement involving the Italian Minister of Economy and Finance, the President of the Italian Banking Association and several enterprise associations, provides support to enterprises with positive, long-term prospects.
• At the end of 2008 in Germany, UniCredit Bank AG offered an additional €1 billion in loans to its customers. This additional liquidity was disbursed by the end of the third quarter of 2009. In 2010, UniCredit is continuing to offer optimal financing choices to its German customers.
• At UniCredit Bank Austria, the KMU-Info-Tag program provides SMEs with free advice on accessing credit. The Branchencheck service offers insight on their sector and their individual performance. For further information, please visit www.bankaustria.at/de/index.html

Financial inclusion

In response to the macroeconomic climate in 2009, we emphasized the impact of responsible lending on matters of financial inclusion: developing and providing accessible and suitable products and services to the less financially secure members of our communities.

The following initiatives were developed for specific segments:

Families struggling with financial difficulties

• Retail Network Italy’s Insieme 2009 offered concrete support to affected customers and contributed to the standards later adopted by ABI and applied to the entire Italian banking industry
• We implemented a number of ethical credit card initiatives, designed to support families in economic difficulties
• UniCredit joined ABI’s CIGS (Cassa Integrazione Guadagni Straordinari), offering support to the employees of financially troubled companies
• In Germany, UniCredit responded to unemployment with ImmoRelax, a specialized mortgage insurance that covers the risk of job loss
• In Bulgaria, UniCredit Bulbank launched an initiative to stabilize the loan repayment situations of clients facing difficulties

Immigrants

• In Italy, UniCredit opened Agenzia Tu, a network of branches designed to support the financial needs of immigrants. Available services include financial education sessions offered in the branches. For further information, please visit www.agenziatu.it
• In Germany, the UniCredit Bank AG-Yapı Kredi network was expanded to serve more customers with Turkish backgrounds. Bilingual materials are available to support the sales process

Future generations

• In Italy, UniCredit offers products customized for young people, as well as opportunities to learn about financial responsibility. For further information, please visit www.unicreditbanca.it/it/giovani/prestiti/crexpressgiovani
• In Germany, UniCredit Bank AG has partnered with the youth section of a local sports club, TürkiyemSpor. Participating branches hold job application seminars for young people
• UniCredit Bank Austria has created KünstlerSparbuch, a charity-oriented savings account. For every new account, a donation is made to Space!lab, a vocational training program for 15- to 24-year-olds. For further information, please visit www.bankaustria.at/de/22431.html

UniCredit Corporate and Investment Banking Project Finance and the Equator Principles

UniCredit Bank AG adopted the Equator Principles for large industry project finance in 2003. This has improved our decision-making, the quality of our asset portfolio and the support we provide to clients by helping them reduce risks related to the environmental and social impacts of a transaction.

For further information and statistical data, please see the “Our Customers” chapter in 2009 Sustainability Report