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Our impact

As a mission-driven bank, NIB focuses on financing projects that improve productivity and benefit the environment in the Nordic–Baltic region.

Prior to making loan decisions, NIB assesses how the projects considered for financing promote productivity gains and provide environmental benefits in the Bank’s member countries. We follow up the project implementation, and once completed, we evaluate the extent to which the estimated impacts have materialised. In measuring the impact of our financing, we apply a set of predefined indicators. NIB also monitors its own environmental footprint annually.

What we report

The impact from our lending is measured according to a set of productivity and environmental indicators. We are constantly developing reporting parameters to provide our stakeholders specific data on the impact of NIB’s operations. Currently, we publish descriptions of newly signed loans. In the annual reports, we disclose the aggregated productivity and environmental impact of our lending and we calculate the total net emissions of greenhouse gases for all projects. Impacts of projects funded through NIB Environmental Bonds (NEB) are presented in the Annual Report and on our NEB webpage. In cooperation with other major international financial institutions, we contribute to harmonized frameworks for impact reporting. NIB is a member of The Principles’ Executive Committee and actively coordinates the work within its various working groups.

NIB reports its impact in accordance with the harmonised standards.

Further on this page: 

Measuring our impact

Mission fulfilment

Direct environmental impact

Key figures

 

impact-parameters

Impact of loans disbursed in 2022

Pro-rated to NIB’s share of financing

NIB publishes detailed descriptions of all projects financed on its website. The aggregated productivity and environmental impact of our lending is disclosed in the Bank’s annual reports. When reporting our environmental impact, we prorate the emissions to our share of the financing in order to avoid double-accounting with co-financiers.

The total net emissions of greenhouse gases are calculated for all the projects. Project-specific impact of projects funded through NIB Environmental Bonds is presented in the reports and on a dedicated webpage.

NIB’s mission fulfilment

NIB’s mission is to finance projects that improve productivity and benefit the environment of the Nordic and Baltic countries.

All projects considered for financing are analysed for their potential impact on the environment and on productivity gains, and are rated according to the Bank’s mandate rating system on a scale from negative to excellent. Since 2023, NIB’s aim is for at least 95% of agreed loans to achieve a good or excellent rating.

The mandate rating system was revised in 2018.

NIB-financed projects and the UN SDGs

The seventeen UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set out a global roadmap for tackling economic, environmental and social challenges as part of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development.

In line with its mission, NIB has identified the SDGs to which its financed projects, business strategy and sustainability approach can contribute:

2019202020212022
Electricity (MWh)1,316 1,2251,2111,258
District heating (MWh)1,8641,6572,0021,741
District cooling (MWh)368363426375
Water (m3)3,293 2,1713,1012,414
Business travel, (tCO2e)449100113379
Paper recycled (t)5.16.25.66.0
Other waste (t)22.416.111.215.4
 – Bio waste (t)13.79.57.010.2
 – Energy waste (t)1.61.20.71.2
 – Mixed waste (t)7.15.43.54.0
Tonnes of CO2e1,381803765972

With regard to its own direct environmental footprint, NIB has guidelines for office practices, facilities management and procurement. NIB complies with the requirements of EU environmental legislation, and in many respects applies even stricter rules than legislation requires.

NIB’s headquarters in Helsinki has been part of the WWF Green Office network since 2010. The Green Office certificate was awarded to NIB again in December 2022. In 2021, NIB’s renovated office building received BREEAM Excellent certification.

NIB's WWF Green Office certificate (PDF)

NIB updates financial figures four times a year: for the period January–March (published in April), the period January–June (published in August), the period January–September (published in October), and the period January-December (published in February). Only the half-year and year-end figures are audited.

Jan-Jun 2023Jan-Jun 2022Jan-Dec 2022
Net interest income139104219
Profit/loss before net loan losses12331136
Net profit12739139
Lending disbursed1,6702,1423,705
New lending signed1,2422,2034,114
% of loans achieving good or above mandate99.8%98%99.2%
Lending outstanding21,326
22,616
22,195
Total assets39,10239,88439,280
New debt issues4,6895,5409,630
Debts evidenced by certificates31,02232,89831,595
Total equity4,2063,9764,101
Equity/total assets (%)10.8%10.0%10.4%
Net profit/average equity (%)6.2%1.9%3.4%
Cost/income (%)18.5%47.6%27.9%
Number of employees (at the end of the period)237226228

in EUR million unless otherwise specified 

Financial reports

Annual and interim reports for download

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