Sponsorship and Charity
Sberbank has always been and remains one of the largest benefactors and sponsors in Russia. In 2012, the bank concentrated on implementation of charitable and sponsor projects supporting:
- families and child care institutions;
- culture and arts;
- healthy lifestyle;
- XXII Winter Olympic games 2014 in Sochi;
- education and educational establishments.
Support of child care institutions
In 2012, the bank provided charity assistance to children from low-income and vulnerable families, orphanages and boarding schools by allocating monetary funds for orphanages’ repairs and improving their infrastructure. In 2012, the bank rendered assistance to 229 orphanages. In 2012, the bank’s top management and employees regularly visited children and organized concerts.
In 2012, the bank acted as the general partner of the jubilee tour of Moscow State Puppet Theatre named after Sergey Obraztsov during which actors of the famous theatre visited children from orphanages in various Russian cities. During the nine-month tour the theatre puppeteers visited and gave performances and master-classes in 23 orphanages.
The bank continued its cooperation with the Podari Zhizn’ (Gift of Life) Charitable Foundation for childhood cancer support. In 2012, the bank transferred to the Foundation accounts more than 25 mln RUB, collected within realization of the joint co-branded international Visa card of Sberbank of Russia.
From May 31 to June 2, 2012 Sberbank supported organized by the Charity Podari Zhizn’ the world children games The Winners’ games — the largest competitions for children who suffered from oncology. More than 350 children from 12 countries participated in the games.
Sberbank Volunteers’ Forum
In May 2012 the second forum of Sberbank volunteers movement took place. The association representatives from various parts of the country participated in it. In total 120 people took part in the forum. As the organizer acted Severo-Zapadny bank of Sberbank.
The main forum objective was the unification of Sberbank volunteers, volunteer movement development, exchange of experience, training, support and encouragement of volunteer initiatives.
In the course of the forum held the presentation of best practices of activities in various regional banks: original ideas, creative approach to standard events.
Within the forum there was held a seminar together with the representatives of foundations and volunteer organizations such as the charity organization St.-Petersburg Parents, regional social movement Neva Angel, autonomous non-commercial organization for social-cultural services Upsala-Circus, Suvorov Military School.
The volunteers participated in the Day of Charitable Acts in Volosovsky district orphanage. They were able to communicate with children putting into practice the received knowledge. Together with children the movement participants planted trees, flowers and hang up birdhouses on the orphanage territory. After the completion of works a basket lunch was laid up for all the event participants. Writing of letters by children and volunteers addressed to themselves which they will read in 10 years became a high point of the meeting. The party ended up with the ballooning of flying lanterns and ceremonial opening of a modern sports-gymnastics centre.
Culture and Arts Support
In 2012 Sberbank conducted significant charitable campaigns in support of Russian culture and arts. The funds were allocated for the rehearsal and staging of new performances, the production of TV films and documentaries, holding musical festivals and concerts both in Russia and abroad.
Since 2002 the bank is the General Partner of the National Theatre Festival and the eponymous award Zolotaya Maska (Golden Mask), supports the International Film Festival Zerkalo (Mirror) named after Andrey Tarkovskiy and traditionally supports leading Russian theatres.
Support of Healthy Lifestyle
Healthy lifestyle is one of Sberbank values, and sport is an integral part of its corporate culture. And it is not by chance that the motto of the several thousand strong team of the bank employees is Movement towards Achievements.
In order to support mass sports development in the country, to promote Olympic values and healthy lifestyle, on May 19, 2012 in 42 Russian cities Sberbank organized a unique sport event — the Green Marathon. On that day about 30,000 Russian citizens participated in the race at the symbolic distance of 4,2 km, and after its end they contributed to the greening of their cities, having planted Sberbank Parkways.
Sberbank initiative was highly praised by international organizations. The Green Marathon project is included into the Billion Trees campaign implemented worldwide by UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) since 2007.
Support of XXII Winter Olympic games 2014 in Sochi
Since 2009 Sberbank is the General Partner of XXII Winter Olympic games 2014 in Sochi. In 2012, the bank implemented various projects within the limits of Olympic sponsorship.
The Olympic Games are not just sports competitions. This is a wonderful tradition thanks to which a country, hosting the Olympics, can familiarize the whole world with its rich history and cultural variety.
This is precisely why the bank is actively supporting the Cultural Olympic games Sochi 2014 — a project destined to preserve and multiply the unique cultural riches of Russia — and is the General Partner of the Red Rocks musical movement. In 2012, at Krasnaya Polyana a regular musical festival took place which was continued by the tour across 20 Russian cities with the participation of the best country’smusicians. During the project the main musical composition of Olympic Games in Sochi — the Anthem of fans will be created.
In 2012, Sberbank continued development of special products with the Olympic symbols. As such, several new Sberbank Visa cards with the Olympic design were simultaneously issued. The customer may choose a card with the individual design for making every day purchases or even a virtual card — for safe purchases in the Internet. Sberbank gift Visa card depicting Sochi-2014 talismans became an attractive offer for the customers.
In anticipation of the Olympic games in Sochi, Sberbank offered to those who are attracted to sports the Na vysote (Up to the Mark) deposit. The bank also continued its participation in the implementation of the Sochi-2014 monetary programme (the bank is the owner of an exclusive right on realization of commemorative and investment coins from precious metals stricken by the Bank of Russia under this programme on the Russian Federation territory). In total more than 250,000 Olympic coins from precious metals were sold last year. Besides, at the bank customer service points one can buy state lottery tickets in support of the Sochi Olympic Games.
As of December 2012, in Sochi are functioning 34 Sberbank customer service points, 22 of which are customer service points of the new format with clear zoning, user-friendly navigation and the access for visits by the disabled people . In 2012, a customer service point of a new format opened specializing in foreign customers’ servicing. There the bank employees can offer consultations in seven foreign languages.
Prominent results are achieved in the bank transfer sphere: more than 200 ATMs are installed in the city and at important facilities, as well as more than 1000 payment terminals at the city sales and service network.
The Sochi staff of the bank is also getting ready for Olympic Games: the employees study English, peculiarities of the Olympic hospitality and support the volunteer movement.
Support of Education and Educational Establishments
As in previous years the bank allocated considerable funds to support scientific and educational establishments, international educational projects, students’ scholarships.
Within the framework of the youth potential development in order to prepare new professional personnel, Sberbank traditionally supports youth and educational events. In the autumn of 2012 together with the Academy of National Economy under the Government of the Russian Federation (ANE) Sberbank started to implement another, already traditional international student competition on bank management — Banks Battle. In September 2012 took place elimination rounds of the tournament participants. The semi-final and the final competition will take place in April, 2013. The winners will participate in corporate programmes on the bank personnel selection and development. Since 2010 the bank supports carrying out the All-Russian competition in financial market for upperclassmen.
Every year the bank assists programme implementation in the sphere of education, supporting educational institutions of all levels and continues implementation of the Virtual School project which is successfully introduced in 16 schools in Russia and abroad. The Virtual School project is a global educational project aimed at the creation of mobile computer classes at vocational education institutions. In 2012, for the first time the bank started implementation of this project for the distance-learning of disabled children tutored at home.
Opening Virtual School in Voronezh
In September 2012 in Voronezh the first Virtual School in the city was opened which was established with Sberbank support on a local school basis. At the school opening attended the Governor of Voronezh Region Alexey Gordeev, Sberbank Deputy CEO Andrey Donskikh and Chairman of Tsentralno-Chernozemnyy bank of Sberbank Aleksander Solovyev.
Within the framework of the project a multi-service infomedia was introduced: a powerful server was installed to control the local school network, as well as special software; interactive classrooms were equipped with full-size electronic whiteboards, a multimedia projector and a control computer with a set of digital instruments and resources to conduct lessons in various subjects.
The Virtual School is an example of a successful social partnership between business and state for the system-level improvement of quality in school education. The project is realized within the limits of one of the priority directions of Sberbank social activities — support and development of the young generation’s intellectual potential. Opening of the Virtual School is the bank tangible input into the quality improvement in education of 909 school pupils and in working conditions of its 80 employees.
In 2009–2011 similar projects were implemented by the bank in Tula, Barnaul, Astrakhan, Zheleznovodsk, Volgograd, Irkutsk, Izhevsk and other cities.
As in previous years the charity was rendered to various organizations and institutions to support the disabled and elderly, to implement social rehabilitation and adaptation programmes. To the 70th anniversary of the Victory in Stalingrad battle the Aleksander Shilov’s exhibition They Fought for the Country was organized in Volgograd.
To develop spiritual life of Russia and preserve the historical legacy the bank allocated target contributions for the restoration and repair of churches and temples.