UBS AG
Screenreader-optimized Version for visually impaired and blind visitorsHome | Accessibility | Zoom version | Local Sitemap | Service Finder | Contact | eng deu | Search
   
Corporate responsibility  
Governance & strategy Responsible banking CR in operations Our employees Community investment
     
Commitment
Governance
Strategy & performance
Additional information
Contacts
 

History of corporate responsibility at UBS
History of corporate responsibility at UBS

1954

Beginnings of Community Affairs at Wealth Management US

1962

Establishment of Union Bank of Switzerland's 100th anniversary foundation (since 1999: UBS Culture Foundation)

1972

Establishment of Swiss Bank Corporation's 100th anniversary foundation (since 1999: UBS Foundation for Social Issues and Education)

1973

Institution of "A Helping Hand from UBS Employees" (UBS Mitarbeiter helfen) in Switzerland

1978

Beginnings of Community Affairs in EMEA
Establishment of first energy functional unit

1982

Co-founder member of Business in the Community in the UK

1988

First bank in Switzerland with the position of environmental officer

1989

First formal energy guidelines

1992

Among the first signatories of the UNEP bank declaration (UNEP FI)
Start of an award-winning school partnership with Deptford Green School in the UK

1993

Introduction of first Environmental Policy

1994

Publication of first environmental report and introduction of environmental credit assessment procedure for Swiss corporate clients

1995

Introduction of employee volunteering at Wealth Management US and of matched-giving scheme for London employees

1996

Launch of first cohesive and branded Community Affairs programme, “Tomorrow’s Adults”

1997

Launch of Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) Funds "Eco-Performance-Portfolio"
Establishment of IB Community Affairs in Stamford (monetary and in-kind donations, and employee volunteering).

1998

Merger of Union Bank of Switzerland and Swiss Bank Corporation to create UBS

1999

Founding member of Wolfsberg Group
First bank to obtain ISO 14001 certification for worldwide environmental management system in banking business and launch of Environmental Risk Policy in IB
Establishment of UBS Optimus Foundation

2000

UBS among first 38 companies to sign UN Global Compact
Wolfsberg Group Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Principles for Private Banking (revised 2002)
UBS commences reporting on corporate responsibility in Annual Report

2001

Establishment of Corporate Responsibility Committee (CRC), a Board of Directors committee, and publication of first Corporate Responsibility section in Annual Report
Establishment of a Global Diversity Steering Committee within the Investment Bank
Founding member of European Social Investment Forum (Eurosif)
Wolfsberg Group Commitment against Terrorism
Employee volunteering time off policy introduced for London employees

2002

Wolfsberg Group Statement on Fight against Financing of Terrorism and AML Principles for Correspondent Banking
Launch of group-wide Diversity initiative
Founding signatory of Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)
Commencement of joint WM and IB Community Affairs programme in Chicago
Expansion of in-house ecology programme to Corporate Services outside Switzerland

2003

Institution of NGO communications & analysis function
First financial services firm to formally register interest as an Academy sponsor in the UK (leads to the opening of the The Bridge Academy, Hackney, in 2007)

2004

Establishment of SRI Equity Research in Investment Bank

2005

Establishment of coordination function for Community Affairs in Switzerland
Setting up of UBS Tsunami Relief Fund
UBS commences social reporting in Annual Report (section on employees)

2006

Introduction of Climate Change Strategy
Adoption of UBS Statement on Human Rights
Wolfsberg Group releases Investment Banking FAQs, Guidance for Mutual Funds and Pooled Vehicles, Correspondent Banking FAQs, and Guidance on the Risk Based Approach

2007

Establishment of SRI Research in Global WMBB
Wolfsberg Group Statement against Corruption and Wolfsberg Group Statement on Transparency in International Payments
First company-wide volunteering at Wealth Management US

2008

Introduction of group-wide Responsible Supply Chain Guideline
Wolfsberg Group Revised PEP FAQs

2009

UBS's Sustainability Disclosure 2008 meets the requirements of level A+ of the GRI

Page last updated: March 25, 2009, 9:23 AM

Terms of Use | Privacy Statement

Products and services in these webpages may not be available for residents of certain nations. Please consult the sales restrictions relating to the service in question for further information.

© UBS 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

 
Reports 

Download UBS's corporate responsi- bility reports 2008

Podcast 

Graduates discuss how their jobs pertain to UBS’s commitment to corporate respon-sibility.