Case study: How Bank J. Safra Sarasin works with its clients and customers to encourage sustainable practices

Stakeholder identification and consultation

Please describe which stakeholders (or groups/ types of stakeholders) you have identified, consulted, engaged, collaborated or partnered with for the purpose of implementing the Principles and improving your bank’s impacts. This should include a high-level overview of how your bank has identified relevant stakeholders, what issues were addressed/results achieved and how they fed into the action planning process.

Bank J. Safra Sarasin incorporates stakeholder engagement into its sustainability strategy to align with the UN Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB) and to amplify its positive impact.

Key Stakeholders and Engagement Approach

• Clients: The bank assesses clients’ sustainability preferences upon onboarding and during investment decision processes. Relationship managers continually review client needs to ensure alignment with their evolving sustainability goals.
• Employees: Sustainability is deeply rooted in the corporate culture through training programs, internal initiatives, and integration into daily activities.
• Industry Organizations and Regulators: Bank J. Safra Sarasin actively participates in various industry alliances such as the Net Zero Asset Managers initiative (NZAM), Swiss Sustainable Finance, and Klimastiftung Schweiz, helping it stay at the forefront of sustainable finance developments and contribute to industry standards.
• Civil Society: Engagement primarily takes place through stewardship activities, where the bank advocates for responsible business practices among its investee companies.

Stewardship & Advocacy

• Direct Company Engagement: Conducting dialogues with investee companies to address ESG risks and opportunities.
• Collaborative Engagements: Partnering with investor groups to enhance influence on corporate sustainability practices.
• Public Policy Advocacy: Engaging with policymakers to promote a regulatory environment supportive of sustainable finance.

A Stewardship Report available on Bank J. Safra Sarasin’s website provides further transparency regarding these efforts.

How did Bank J. Safra Sarasin work with its clients and customers to encourage sustainable practices and enable sustainable economic activities?

In its 2025 PRB Progress Statement Bank J. Safra Sarasin reports that it works with its clients and customers to encourage sustainable practices and enable sustainable economic activities as follows:

Bank J. Safra Sarasin’s mission is to assist clients in achieving their financial and sustainability goals through exceptional investment solutions. A key feature of the bank’s offerings is its ability to engage with clients about their specific needs across various sustainable investment approaches and criteria, enabling the delivery of tailored solutions. During standardized advisory sessions, clients’ sustainability preferences are gathered and influence the investment strategies offered. Sustainability is deeply integrated into the bank’s core investment processes, with ESG considerations embedded throughout, enhancing decision-making by identifying, analyzing, and managing ESG risks and opportunities at both the company and sector levels—upholding fiduciary responsibilities to clients. Bank J. Safra Sarasin’s investment universe is built upon comprehensive ESG analysis, supported by the expertise of the Sustainable Research team. Specialized tools such as the SDG- and Climate Engine are employed to achieve strategy-specific sustainability goals. Additionally, J. Safra Sarasin Sustainable Asset Management is progressively expanding client reporting on ESG KPIs. Many of the sustainable investment strategies aim to achieve outcomes aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), contributing to social and environmental objectives.

UN Principles for Responsible Banking: Accelerating a positive global transition for people and the planet

With over 300 signatory banks representing almost half of the global banking industry, the Principles for Responsible Banking are the world’s foremost sustainable banking framework. Through these Principles, the banking community takes action to align core strategies, decision-making, lending and investment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and international agreements such as the Paris Climate Agreement.

FBRH Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB) Assurance:

First class PRB assurance services: The result of solid, hands-on ESG/ Sustainability experience

• • • FBRH is a GRI Certified Training Partner (Global), ISEP Training Centre and a member of CPD.
    • FBRH builds trust. Over 200 reviews from top professionals from around the world demonstrate our ability to build strong, trusting business relationships.
    • FBRH possesses a unique skill set that combines ESG/sustainability certified training, experience in advisory services and report preparation, and ESG/sustainability report assurance.

The combination of all the above empowers FBRH to provide first class Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB) assurance services.

References:

This case study is based on published information by Bank J. Safra Sarasin, located at the link below. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses. However, we made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original please revert to the following link:

https://www.jsafrasarasin.com/content/dam/jsafrasarasin/expertise/sustainable/documents/jss_prb_reporting_and_self-assessment_en.pdf.coredownload.pdf

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