Introduction to Social Banking

University of Graz and Social Business Hub Styria are pleased to announce a public event on social banking. Social banking can be broadly understood as a mechanism to address the financial needs of individuals and organizations such as small and early-stage social entrepreneurs, social organizations and people at risk of poverty who face barriers to financial access. The event will have a real-world focus in terms of understanding how social banking works in practice. The agenda of the seminar is presented below.

Key-note address:

Johann Heep, Erste Group Bank AG, Social Banking Development

With the aim of spreading prosperity and giving everyone access to financial services, Erste Social Finance Holding was founded as a joint venture between Erste Group Bank AG and ERSTE Foundation. Erste Social Finance Holding acts as a social finance investor and broker in Central and Eastern Europe. Key activities include investing in social business models that are financially sustainable and introducing innovative social finance tools. The talk will provide an overview of the innovative social finance tools offered by the Erste Bank.

Panel discussion:

Johann Heep, Erste Group Bank AG, Social Banking Development

Romana Rauter, Institute of Environmental Systems Sciences, University of Graz

Rüdiger Wetzl-Piewald, Social Business Hub Styria

A roundtable to reflect on the promises and challenges of social banking in Austria and the Central and Eastern European context. The round table will also provide opportunities for questions and commentaries from the audience.

 

Registration: The event is open to public. However, we have only limited number of spaces available. Hence a registration is mandatory.

 

 

Referent*innen

• Johann Heep, Erste Group Bank AG, Social Banking Development
• Romana Rauter, Institute of Environmental Systems Sciences, University of Graz
• Rüdiger Wetzl-Piewald, Social Business Hub Styria