Sustainability

Following the adoption of the European Climate Act, the European Union is committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2050. What does this mean for a bank? And how has Spuerkeess decided to help achieve this neutrality? We put these questions to Luigi Garofoli, Deputy Head of Business Unit Corporate Banking, to find out what the Bank has done to this end for its professional customers.

In a world where sustainability is becoming a major priority, the construction sector plays a crucial role in the transition to more environmentally-friendly practices. To explore the challenges and opportunities of this transition in Luxembourg, Max Didier, Managing Director of CDCL Groupe S.A., shares his views. With more than 500 employees, this group is a major player in construction and property development in Luxembourg. What are the main obstacles that need to be overcome in order to meet sustainable construction objectives? How can innovations such as CREE’s timber-concrete hybrid system reduce carbon footprints across the sector? What economic and social benefits could Luxembourg derive from a more sustainable approach? Find out in this article how early collaborations can transform the industry and how Luxembourg can become a leader in sustainable construction.

In this short extract from the “Evergreens by Spuerkeess” podcast, Marco Rasqué da Silva, Secretary General of Spuerkeess, shares his advice on best practice in governance and risk management. Find out how good governance can not only protect the interests of stakeholders, but also strengthen the trust, credibility and sustainability of companies.

In this short extract from the “Evergreens by Spuerkeess” podcast, Stéphanie Damgé, Director of the House of Entrepreneurship, talks to us about the key elements of effective governance, essential for attracting investors and guaranteeing sustainable growth. She highlights the importance of digitisation and cybersecurity, while offering practical advice for small businesses.

In this short extract from the “Evergreens by Spuerkeess” podcast, we share with you the views of Tom Wirion, Director General of the Chambre des Métiers (the Trade Council), on the crucial importance that governance plays for small and medium-sized enterprises. Find out his advice for implementing it effectively and the strategies for building solid governance that can be adapted to each company.

Financial literacy is crucial to young people's future. But how financially literate are young people today, and how can they prepare for the economic challenges of tomorrow? To answer these questions, we interviewed Jessica Thyrion, advisor at the ABBL Foundation for Financial Education. In this article, she shares her expertise on the importance of financial education, the specific challenges facing young people, and the initiatives in place to help them navigate the complex world of finance. Find out how the ABBL Foundation is working to improve young people's financial literacy and prepare them to make informed and responsible decisions.

Are you curious to know how your financial choices can make a real contribution to the fight against climate change? Would you like to find out about the innovative initiatives that have been put in place in Luxembourg to promote sustainable finance? In this interview, Laetitia Hamon, Head of Sustainable Finance at the Luxembourg Stock Exchange, shares her ideas and experiences on these crucial topics. Read this interview to find out how you can make the difference and be an agent of change towards a more sustainable future.

You've heard so much about them that you can't ignore them any longer. Especially as you now see them just about everywhere… except on your roof! Now is the time to take a more serious interest, for the sake of our planet!

What are the various aspects of responsible banking and what are the challenges faced by banks? In this interview, Aude Payan and Elena Fuzzi, respectively Director and Senior Manager in Risk Consulting and in charge of ESG services for credit institutions at KPMG provide detailed insight and examples for innovative strategies for financial institutions to advance ethical banking standards.

When working together, banks and NGOs can ensure a real-world impact. Banks provide financing for sustainable projects, while NGOs raise awareness and propose projects for funding. In this interview, Nicoletta Centofanti, CEO at LSFI, explains how banks and NGOs should collaborate together to drive positive social impact.

Do you like the idea of helping to finance a project that respects the planet and treats its employees fairly, with ethical values? In this case, Alternative Savings from etika should be of particular interest to you. Any project that respects the environment, and/or involves social issues and/or is based on solidarity, is worthy of special attention from Spuerkeess, which proposes a solidarity mechanism, the Alternative Loan, in partnership with etika. Find out more about these two solidarity products in this article, with our expert Zoé Peter, Corporate Relationship Manager at Spuerkeess.  

What are the major issues regarding CSR and sustainability in Luxembourg, and what specific obstacles do the country’s economic players face when they seek to establish sustainable communities? In this interview, Laetitia Georgel and Sophie Öberg from IMS Luxembourg tell us about the involvement of Luxembourg companies in the field of corporate social responsibility and sustainability, and offer five practical tips for building sustainable communities.

How can financial institutions leverage technology and data analytics to mitigate environmental risks within their investment portfolios? What are the strategies adopted by banks to align their financial services with sustainable development goals and how they can incentivise customers to adopt eco-friendly banking habits? In this interview, Julien Froumouth, Sustainable Finance Adviser at ABBL, addresses the role of Luxembourg's banks in financing renewable energy projects and supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy. Furthermore, Julien provides five tips for readers to assess a bank's corporate behaviour regarding environmental responsibilities.

In this interview, Mariana Ruiz, Senior Social Development specialist at the European Investment Bank, tells us how banks can promote social justice by integrating human rights considerations into their lending practices and investment decisions. Do not miss Mariana’s five useful tips to make informed choices that align with your human rights principles.

Financial incentives encourage companies to adopt more environmentally-friendly practices. Both governments and the private sector play a crucial role in this dynamic. Luxembourg is implementing legislative measures to reduce the amount of plastic waste, while providing practical advice on concrete actions at a local level. Charles-Albert Florentin, Cleantech Cluster Manager at Luxinnovation, shares his expertise on sustainable innovation in Luxembourg, with a focus on the global impact of financing to combat plastic pollution.

Sustainable mobility offers significant benefits and challenges for organisations. Strategic approaches are essential to reduce emissions and promote greener transportation. Falk Fernbach, Director of Strategy and Innovation at LuxMobility, shares his insights on the matter and presents our readers 5 tips related to sustainable mobility.

Climate change risks are a growing concern for companies, including financial institutions, as they can be caused by physical effects, weather changes, or emissions reduction efforts. Integrating sustainability and climate risks into business strategies is crucial for a sustainable economy. Jean-Philippe Peters, Partner at Deloitte Luxembourg and Maria Josefin Johansson Juup, Senior Manager at Deloitte Luxembourg provide us with insights, as well as 5 useful tips for companies developing a climate risk management framework.

We’ve all heard about it, some of us have already used it... but can you define exactly what Open Data is? What is its purpose, its benefits? What is its reality in Luxembourg? And, finally, what are the short- and medium-term outlook? We spoke to Francis Kaell,Open Data manager within the government’s Information and Press Department, who provided insights, Mr Kaell works closely with Marie-Astrid Cauquy, from Spuerkeess’s Data Management department, to ensure the proper provision of data..

The financial industry can contribute to the European Green Deal by avoiding negative investment and promoting sustainable finance. There has already been cooperation between Spuerkeess and etika since 1996. In the current environment, sustainable economic activities remain a priority. We spoke with etika’s Ekkehart Schmidt about the latest developments and five useful tips on how we can all drive sustainable change in the financial industry.

Luxembourg's industrial sector is transitioning to renewable energy and has to overcome challenges like high electricity costs and infrastructure investments. Strengthening manufacturing capacities and promoting green reindustrialization is crucial for the economy. We spoke to Dr. Gaston Trauffler, head of industrial policy at FEDIL who provided insight and five useful tips for our readers.

Why use open data? We spoke to Romain Van De Louw and Marie-Astrid Cauquy, members of the Spuerkeess Data Management department. They provided us with information on a specific use case, real estate risks and open data in their everyday business activity.

What is open data and what impact does it have on society? We spoke with Marie-Astrid Cauquy, member of the Data Management Department at Spuerkeess, who provided us with information as well as useful advice for our readers who wish to use open data effectively.

Why is corporate culture fundamental to ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) compliance and how does it set the tone for ethical behavior and responsible business practices? We spoke to Anthony Smith-Meyer, Executive Director at the Institute for Financial Integrity, and Sustainability (IFIS) who provided insight and five useful tips for our readers.

How do banks prioritise investments in renewable energy projects and how do they incorporate climate risk assessments into their practices? In this interview, Isabelle Delas, CEO at LuxFLAG dives into the emerging trends in the banking sector and provides five practical tips for those seeking banks that integrate sustainable practices into their day-to-day operations.

Data literacy is becoming increasingly important in today’s digital age. It refers to the ability to understand, interpret and communicate with data effectively. In a world where data is constantly generated and used to inform decision-making, having data literacy skills is crucial for individuals and organizations alike. What aspects matter in this field? We spoke to Bernard de Villepin, Data & AI Manager and Business Coach at PwC Luxembourg who provided insight as well as five useful tips for our readers who want to enhance their data literacy.

In a rapidly changing world, the need for businesses to prioritise environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues has become increasingly apparent. As consumers demand greater transparency and accountability, banks have a unique opportunity to contribute to a positive change. We spoke to Julie Batsch, Audit Partner, Banking and Capital Markets Leader at PwC Luxembourg, Jörg Ackermann, Partner, Banking Advisory Leader at PwC Luxembourg and Frédéric Vonner, Advisory Partner, Sustainable Finance and Sustainability Leader at PwC Luxembourg who provided insight and five useful tips for our readers.

The banking sector is evolving rapidly thanks to technological advances such as mobile banking and artificial intelligence. These innovations are revolutionising the way we manage our finances and interact with financial institutions. Christophe Medinger, Head of Digital Banking at Spuerkeess, talks to us about the banking trends for 2024 and explains why the digitisation of banking services will continue to gain momentum.

In this ever-changing world, it is critical to understand the projected changes in global temperature and their impact on climate conditions, ecosystems, biodiversity, and natural resources. Rising greenhouse gas emissions have played a significant role in our shifting climate patterns, making it essential to explore consequences and seek innovative solutions to mitigate these effects. We spoke to Andrew Ferrone, the president of the « Observatoire de la Politique Climatique » who shared his insights and provided sustainability tips for you in 2024.

Sustainable banking implies taking the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) effect of banking operations and activities into account. By prioritizing investments in renewable energies and socially responsible firms, sustainable banking also assists banks in mitigating the effects of climate change and funding the future low-carbon economy. Julien Froumouth, Head of Sustainable Finance at ABBL, elucidates us and provides five useful tips on how to make sure our money is green.

Our world has truly become digital. In the media you regularly come across terms like FOMO (fear of missing out), and nomophobia (irrational fear of being without your mobile phone) as well as worries about the impact of social media on young people. But do parents understand how their children use social media, and what problematic social media use is? Dr. Claire van Duin and Dr. Carolina Catunda, researchers at the University of Luxembourg, talk to us about problematic social media use and provide five useful tips for parents that worry about their children’s social media use.

Company repair cafés take their inspiration from the circular economy concept by reclaiming objects and encouraging repairing instead of waste. But what are the most popular objects to repair in Luxembourg and how do you access repair cafés in Luxembourg? In this interview, Léonard Andersen, project coordinator at CELL asbl, and Laetitia Mitchell, Climate Pact project manager at IMS Luxembourg, give five tips for those wanting to set up a repair café in their company.

We can bank how we want when we want and where we want. We can make our purchases, transfer money, and check our balances on-the-go. But are traditional banks still relevant in the digital age? We spoke to Paul Wilwertz, Head of Communication at the Luxembourg Banker’s Association (ABBL) who provided insight why banks matter and shared 5 tips on how to choose your bank.

Electronic waste contains many valuable materials that can be recovered and reused to create renewable energy technologies. In this interview, Andy Maxant, Managing Director of Ecotrel, explains how extracting resources from old electronic devices works and gives us five tips on how we can preserve resources to power new energy technologies.

One of the most remarkable developments in the digital revolution is, without doubt, artificial intelligence (AI). Among the various technologies, self-service AI has begun to gain substantial attention. To use AI, you don't need to be particularly tech-savvy or have a thorough understanding of the underlying algorithms and processes. Rachid M’haouach, team manager Data Analytics at Spuerkeess, and his assistant team manager, Christophe Atten provide insight as well as five useful tips on how to best use self-service AI tools at work.

Have you ever lost your phone and panicked? Does the mere thought of not having access to your phone release feelings of anxiousness and high stress? If your fear (of missing out) is irrational, you may have nomophobia. We spoke to Oleksandr Petrykov, founder of LetzCompare, who tells us more about nomophobia and how to disconnect from our smartphones.

Local shopping reduces our carbon footprint and from an economic standpoint, it strengthens the local economy. But there are many other benefits. We spoke to Anne Darin, Director of the Union Commerciale de la Ville de Luxembourg who tells us how Luxembourg compares to other countries and provides five useful tips on how we switch to a more sustainable lifestyle.

Ethical behavior matters. Employees who have high ethical standards are proactive to help solve problems with work colleagues and clients. While so-called “micromanagers” prevent good work from getting done, “good bosses” that develop their teams’ talents and are generous with praise increase personal productivity. Whether we are in a management position or not, there are many ways we can encourage ethical behavior in our workplace. We spoke to Sandra Schengen, Corporate Psychologist at Spuerkeess, who provides insight and five useful tips around the topic.

Powered by machine learning, artificial intelligence and neural language processing, voice assistants are helping us perform everyday tasks more easily. What's more, voice interaction is increasingly moving into the financial sector. Is voice payment the future of payment technology? Roger Krämer, Head of Innovation and Project Management, says that it's only a matter of time before this payment method comes into everyday use.

In terms of our environmental footprint, how do we compare with the rest of the world? STATEC’s Dr Olivier Thunus provides us with valuable information and five useful tips on how we can aim for net zero emissions as individuals.

In case you haven't noticed, it's cold outside! Out with the summer jackets and in with the scarves and overcoats! This is also usually the time when people start cranking up the heating at home. At Marc and Sophie’s house, however, their old boiler no longer works properly and is far from economical. As a result, Sophie has to wear her fleece around the house, and Marc tears his hair out each time he receives the heating bill.

Sophie used to dream of a house with a big kitchen garden where she could grow vegetables and pretty rose bushes to her heart’s content. When she and Marc found their home, it wasn’t in the best condition – but they jumped at the chance to sign on the dotted line without really thinking about how much it would cost to repair. Now, a few years later, they have finally decided to tackle their renovation project.

Does a bad working atmosphere have an impact on a company and what can we do to improve employee satisfaction? We spoke to David Büchel, psychologist at the Chambre des Salariés (Chamber of Employees), who gives us five useful tips to increase our happiness at work.

Do our savings impact climate change and how can we invest sustainably? Bryan Ferrari, Investment and Portfolio Manager at Spuerkeess’ Private Banking provides insights as well as five useful tips on how to make sure your portfolio is green.

It’s been a while since Sophie and Marc bought aunt Elise’s beautiful house. Finally, the works are almost finished and they’re getting ready to move in. The costs of the renovation, the mortgage and the interest charges have made Sophie and Marc’s savings dwindle. With Marc’s parents having decided to sell their house in order to live in the South, they have given their children some money. This money, the young couple wants to invest in the family’s future.

What happens with our data, especially in the realm of banking? How can we keep our data from being misused? Sébastien Cuny, team manager and Thierry Conter, project manager at Spuerkeess Data management (DAM) provide valuable insight as well as five useful tips on how to keep our data safe.

What are the major workplace trends and how can we prepare for future jobs? How does Luxembourg compare to the rest of the world? Lieven Lambrecht, Head of HR at PWC, shares his valuable insights and 5 useful tips to prepare for the future of work?

We spoke to Christophe Reuter, “Premier Conseiller de Gouvernement” at the Ministry of Mobility and Public Works, who provided insight as well as useful tips on how to relax during traffic jams.

Phishing attacks are becoming more and more sophisticated. What are the pitfalls and how can we protect ourselves? We spoke to Bertrand Lathoud from the National Cybersecurity Competence Center of Luxembourg, who provides five useful tips on how we can make sure we do not become easy phishing prey.

There is an immediate need to direct capital towards critical issues such as climate change, environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, and water scarcity. In the last decade, the world has seen record-high greenhouse gas emissions, leading to the hottest decade on record since 1880. Wildlife populations have declined by an average of 69% between 1970 and 2018, and a quarter of the world's population lacks access to safe drinking water. Sustainable finance is a key tool to build low carbon, sustainable and resilient economies. We spoke to Jennifer de Nijs, special advisor for sustainable finance at the Ministry of Finance, who provided more insight as well as useful tips on how to neutralise our environmental footprint in our finances.

We spoke to sustainability experts Dr. Elorri Igos and Thomas Schaubroek from Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) who provided five useful tips on how businesses can manage environmental and social risks in their value chain?

Generation Z was born after 1996, and is therefore the first generation that has never known a world without the Internet. They are stereotyped as “social warriors”, addicted to technology. According to various studies, Generation Z is more pragmatic, cautious, skeptical, responsible, globally aware and money-conscious than their predecessors, the Millennials. We spoke to Mary-Anna Eon at EY, who told us more about this new generation that is reshaping the world.

Via natural language processing (NLP), speech recognition and machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI) can simulate human intelligence via machines and computer systems. Companies that apply human-centric AI can offer a personalised experience, leading to customer satisfaction. However, misuse can destroy customer loyalty. Even when there is no intention of abuse of privacy, businesses can get into trouble when there are faulty algorithms, hidden bias, or false positives. Can AI be fully trusted and how can companies protect themselves? We spoke to Andreas Braun, Director of Artificial Intelligence & Data Science at PwC Luxembourg, who provided five useful tips on how AI should be used in business.

In order to facilitate the transition to sustainable, cleaner mobility, individuals benefit from a government bonus for the purchase of a self-propelled vehicle. Discover our special leasing offers for electric cars. The bonus is already included in the monthly instalments!

We spoke to Thomas Gibon, Researcher in the “Life cycle sustainability assessment” department at the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) who provided insight as well as five useful tips on how to live sustainably while saving money.

We live in a fast-paced digital world and, wherever we go, we are reachable 24/7 via our smartphones. Is it possible to be happy whilst constant stress ? We spoke to Roger Fernandez Urbano, Doctor of Political and Social Sciences of the European University Institute, PhD and researcher on happiness and inequalities, who gave us five tips to lead a happier life.

We spoke to Nasir Zubairi from LhOFT who provided insight and gave five useful tips for CEOs of banks when it comes to FinTech adoption?

The rapid ageing of the world's populations and the decline of the working age population are becoming a growing concern. We spoke to Kristell Leduc, Gaëtan de Lanchy and Thuc Uyen Nguyen-Thi from LISER, to find out more about these challenges, and how to identify opportunities.

What impact does the current energy crisis have on Luxembourg and where is the nation headed in terms of solar energy? We spoke with Sarah Juchems, Head of Energy Advisory at Klima-Agence, who gave us five helpful tips for installing solar panels on our roofs.

The purpose of a so-called "smart city" is to use technology in order to increase operational efficiency and, thus, improve the welfare of citizens. Digital transformation and sustainability play an important part in achieving this goal. We spoke to David Osville, Partner at Deloitte, who shared with us his thoughts on Luxembourg's shift to a more digital and eco-friendly lifestyle.

The UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) will be held in December 2022 in Montreal (Canada). With climate extremes manifesting themselves in increasingly intense heatwaves and severe storms in the summer of 2022 in Europe and around the world, there is an urgent need to take a detailed look at the effects of climate change and the impact of human activities on nature and its ecosystems. We talked about this with Dr Kim Schumacher, Lecturer in Sustainable Finance and ESG at the Tokyo Institute of Technology and member of Spuerkeess’s Sustainability Advisory Board.

Littering is the bad habit of leaving trash in public spaces or carelessly throwing it away. Mr Jean-Pierre Santer, co-founder of “Pickitup”, says that this problem is getting worse and that education is needed to improve the situation.

165 litres of water are consumed on average per day per person. After being used for laundry, flushing the toilet, cleaning, cooking, etc., , wastewater is evacuated through the sewage networks. Before wastewater is returned to nature, polluting elements must be removed, whether organic or chemical. Patrick LICKER, head of the Service Canalisation (Sewer Department) for the City of Luxembourg, explains the importance and operation of a wastewater treatment plant.

About one third of all food produced in the world goes unused or ends up in the bin. Not only does this release around 3,300 million tonnes of CO2 annually but it also creates a social problem: although the global production of food would actually be sufficient, many people still suffer from undernourishment or malnutrition. Mr Alain Körner of the “Administration des services techniques de l’agriculture” sees it as our duty to induce change in order to use our food more consciously and sustainably. He shows that we can save a lot of money by reducing food waste.

Can we make our IT consumption green again? Nathalie Thielemans, Managing Director at OXiane and Valérie Viatour, Expert Consultant & Trainer on Green IT provide five useful tips on how we can decrease our ecological footprint.

Our planet's resources are limited and the textile industry is a major contributor to environmental damage. Jeannette Müller, advisor to the Luxembourg Ministry for Consumer Protection, explains why it is important to act and reveals whether the solution is to consume less.

Employees who feel accepted and respected at work are more productive. Dr. Mareike Bönigk, Head of the Psychosocial Service of the Ministry for the Civil Service, explains how to promote psychological safety at work and gives five useful tips for people who do not feel safe at their workplace.

Following the adoption of the Paris Agreement and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in 2015, governments are making strides to transition to low-carbon and more circular economies on a global scale. This transition entails both risks and opportunities for the economy and financial institutions, while physical damage caused by climate change and environmental degradation can have a significant impact on the real economy and the financial system. For the second year in a row, the European Central Bank (ECB) has identified climate-related risks as a key risk driver in the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM) Risk Map for the euro area banking system. As a consequence, within the ECB supervisory stress testing framework, the ECB conducts for the first time a climate risk stress test in 2022. Xavier Scholten, part of the Spuerkeess ESG Team and Climate Finance Expert at Spuerkeess takes on the challenge of demystifying the ECB’s latest Climate Risk Stress Test.

Electric vehicles sharing schemes enable sustainable-minded drivers to rent electric cars for short periods of time. Jürgen Berg, CEO of FLEX, knows how user-friendly e-car sharing options are in Luxembourg and provides five useful tips for beginners.

Ever since she first became a mum, Sophie has loved Mother’s Day. She always looks forward to the day, wondering what Lily will have made for her at nursery. Then the big day arrives, and her special little girl presents her with a multi-coloured object, with a huge smile on her face, shouting impatiently, “It’s for you, Mum, open it! ”. What will Mother's Day have in store for her this year?

After a long discussion with her aunt Elise, the answer was staring Sophie in the face... If her aunt doesn't feel up to looking after her beautiful house any more and wants to live in a small flat instead, Sophie won't stop her. Indeed, when Aunt Elise has an idea, it is best not to stand in her way. Moreover, Aunt Elise's house would be perfect for Sophie and Marc as they are talking more and more about extending their family but don't have enough room where they currently live. The answer to everyone's situation? Sophie and Marc will buy Aunt Elise's beautiful house, but before moving in, they'll do some renovations to improve its energy performance.

Did you know that your old computer or TV doesn’t belong in the trash, but do you know how to discard your old electronic equipment? Andy Maxant, Director of ECOTREL and ECOBATTERIEN tells us what we must know and provides five useful sustainability tips.

Greenhouse gas emissions decreased in 2020 due to the disruptions of economic activity, travel, and commerce brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. What can we expect in terms of growth in renewable energy in Luxembourg? We spoke to Mr Paul Zens, president of Eurosolar Lëtzebuerg a.s.b.l., who gives us five useful tips to effectively adopt renewable energy in our homes.

During the recent Easter holidays, Sophie and Marc chose to travel by train and electric car, taking advantage of the Avis benefit on their Visa Premier card for car rental. Sophie, Marc and their daughter Lily explored Denmark and Sweden for almost two weeks.

Cigarette butts are a toxic plastic pollutant. In fact, cigarette butts are the most common type of litter collected on beaches. We spoke to Stéphane Hérard, Business Unit Manager at Shime, a company which assists organisations, municipalities and businesses such as Spuerkeess with the implementation of "zero-cigarette butt" projects.

The manufacturing process of the linear economy counts for half of the emissions around the world. The extraction of resources also leads to other problems such as loss of biodiversity, water stress, illegal waste dumping and negative impact on communities, especially in developing countries. Circular economy, on the other hand, is all about sustainability. However, it is not about getting out of prison for free. There needs to be a shift in extraction of materials, production and consumer behaviour. In other words, all stakeholders must be on board. We spoke to Ms Laurence Tock, Director Circular Economy & Sustainable Technologies at the Ministry of the Economy, who provided us with an ABC guide to the circular economy.

Artificial intelligence (AI) tries to mimic human thought and integrate it into computers. When will AI be truly human and how should we respond? To answer these questions, we spoke with Rachid M’Haouach, our Team Manager for data management at Spuerkeess.

Fintech has remodelled the financial ecosystem while banks are using technology to make their financial systems more efficient. What are the latest FinTech trends in Luxembourg? We spoke to Alain Scholtes, Deputy Head of Innovation Office at Spuerkeess and Serge Wagener, Vice President and Head of Operations at Spuerkeess.

In Luxembourg, temperatures have risen by 1.3 degrees since 1832. According to weather experts, drought and heavy rain will also increase in Luxembourg. Agriculture suffers as a result, but at the same time is partly responsible: 30% of the world’s CO₂ emissions are due to agriculture. Aloyse Marx, President of the “Fräie Lëtzebuerger Baureverband”, tells us in this interview how Luxembourg’s farmers can reduce negative impacts on our climate and gives five practical tips on what to look for when buying milk and meat if you want to reduce your carbon footprint.

Enovos is installing numerous photovoltaic power plants in the country in response to a call for tenders issued by the State. In addition to the rooftop installations that we are all familiar with, other types of technologies are being developed in Luxembourg. Anouk Hilger, Head of Renewable Energies at Enovos Luxembourg, presents the various installations in the country for which the group is deploying different technologies.

Is your home a smart home? Welcome to the Internet of Things (IoT). All around the world, billions of physical devices are now connected to the internet. That enables them to talk to each other – and us. Passionate about technology in general and the IoT in particular, Christophe Medinger is Deputy Head of Digitalisation at Spuerkeess. In this interview, he tells us more about the Internet of Things (IoT).

For Sophie and Marc, 2021 wasn’t exactly a typical year. The COVID-19 health crisis caused them to change their habits and made them more sensitive to environmental issues and their consumer behaviour. Last summer they bought electric bikes to get around in a more eco-friendly way, but during the winter they realised that some trips are much easier for them by car. That’s why their new year’s resolution for 2022 is to replace their family car with a more sustainable vehicle that's better for the environment.

With "Energy Contracting", LuxEnergie offers tailor-made, turnkey energy solutions that include not only the construction and financing of energy plants (with or without heat/cold networks), but also long-term operation. The customer is supplied with usable energy directly without having to rely upon extensive technical or administrative efforts. For more than 30 years, business customers such as municipalities, health care institutions, service and industrial companies have benefited from this service. With the development of new residential areas with central energy production facilities, this offer will now also become a reality for private customers. We interviewed Mr Paul Weis, Managing Director of LuxEnergie, to find out more about current and future projects.

According to the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2021, at least one more generation of women will have to wait for gender equality. Dr. Eva Sierminska, Academic Economist at Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER), has researched the gender gap in Luxembourg. She tells us more about the disbalance and provides useful tips for women when facing inequality.

The world has become digital and cybercrime is on the rise. Failure of companies’ technological defences entail both financial loss and damage to the reputation. But cyber-attacks can also target individual users outside of their professional environment. Lars Weber, Information Security Officer at Spuerkeess, tells us more about the most frequent cybersecurity issues and how we can secure our data at home.

For 25 years, Stëmm vun der Strooss, a non-profit organisation, has provided support to people in need. The non-profit organisation collects food before reaching its use-by date and distributes free meals to people in need. Two restaurants, staffed by 170 people, welcome 368 people each day.

Global warming is a challenge that concerns us all and the economic system plays an important role in the battle against climate change. Thus, the University of Luxembourg has recently added sustainable finance into its higher education programs. We spoke to Katalin Ligeti, Dean of the Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance at University of Luxembourg.

Like every year at this time, the race for Christmas presents is on. In exactly three weeks, dozens of gifts will be piled up at the foot of Sophie and Marc's Christmas tree that will delight their little Lily, but Sophie has been fed up with this unnecessary waste for years.

The word “FinTech” entered the dictionary in 2018 but what exactly is FinTech and how does it affect banking? We spoke to Dr. Zsofia Kräussl who is Research Scientist at the Department of Finance at the University of Luxembourg.

ESG topics pose new and complex challenges that were previously largely outside the remit of financial institutions. They require targeted scientific expertise that needs to be leveraged through collaborations with the research community to enhance climate and environmental practices at Spuerkeess and the entire Luxembourgish financial sector in the long term. This pioneering project got the formal support of Luxembourg’s Minister of Finance and the Spuerkeess board and its executives. It not only adds significant value to Spuerkeess’ projects and activities but will also enrich the entire Luxembourgish financial sector as well as other sectors exposed to climate and environmental risks.

How environmentally friendly is the electric car? Dr. Félix Urbain, senior innovation consultant at Nordic Innovators P/S, knows the answer.

On a global level, cities are heating up. This is due to the increasing mass of concrete, steel, asphalt and car exhaust, which adds to the effects of global warming – at the expense of nature. Some sustainability experts warn that in 50 years’ time, different populated regions could get as hot as in the desert. Dr. Andrew Ferrone, Head of Meteorological Service at the Administration of Technical Agricultural Services of the Ministry of Agriculture, Viticulture and Rural Development, knows the answer.

Climate change is the biggest challenge we face. The younger generation will inherit environmental problems that we already know how to solve if we are prepared to change our lifestyles. Find out how the team from “Haus vun der Natur” addresses environmental protection with young people and read Sonnie’s five practical sustainability tips.

Home sweet home. Julien Solvi, general manager of energieagence, tells us how we can make our households more energy-efficient and gives us his five energy-saving tips.

From cans, coffee capsules and aluminium to plastic; supermarket shelves are piled with packaged products, while online retailers support a global packaging obsession. Are we drowning in waste, and does recycling make any difference? Thomas Hoffmann from SuperDrecksKëscht (SDK) explains why the EU Commission holds up Luxembourg as a model for the rest of Europe to follow and offers us five useful tips on how we can live more sustainably.

When Marc and Sophie chose to spend their summer holidays in Luxembourg, it was a joint decision. Sophie saw it as an opportunity to combine gardening, trips and lounging around, but when Marc announced that they would visit the north of the country by bicycle, she was no longer sure she wanted to follow him.

Every day, eight million pieces of plastic end up in the ocean. This not only kills fish, sea birds and marine mammals, but also affects humans on land. We spoke to Laura Mullenders (IMS Luxembourg), who was eager to talk to us about how to solve this problem.

It has been 25 years since Spuerkeess and etika introduced an ethical savings account which, until recently, was Luxembourg’s only sustainable banking product. The objectives set out back in 1996 have lost none of their relevance; in fact the opposite is true. Many companies claim that their products are environmentally friendly, even though this is not the case. Here, Ekkehart Schmidt from etika shares a few tips on how you can avoid falling for “eco-spin”.

Nathalie Roth is senior advisor for climate finance, environmental and international carbon markets, valuation of climate change impacts and sustainable development benefits. For the past two decades she has advised international companies, governments and organizations in their efforts to become more sustainable. We are pleased that she took the time to talk to us about the United Nations climate and sustainable development goals. Find out how banks can become sustainable and do not miss her five practical tips for your sustainable lifestyle.

Our role is to support you in your energy efficiency projects and make you aware of the available aid and grants. As Deputy Head of Business unit Facility Management & Logistics at Spuerkeess, Michel Abraao is one of the drivers of the Bank’s efforts to become a facilitator of the transition to a sustainable economy.

Photovoltaic panels have been installed on the roof of a covered carport at the House of BioHealth in Esch. They are connected directly to the grid and thus generate the equivalent electricity needed to power 93 households for an entire year. Did you know that this is the first facility of its kind in Luxembourg?

From checking facts, documenting and optimising our environmental efforts to getting our sustainable message out to the world - our common goal is to advance sustainability within Spuerkeess. Take a look behind the scenes and find out what sustainability means to each of us personally.

For the past two years Spuerkeess has worked with a science and sustainability advisor who has helped us conduct our own research and develop tools that help us measure the risks posed by global warming. Meet our sustainability expert Kim Schumacher and find out why sustainability matters and what we can do in order to reduce our carbon footprint.

Reducing the use of plastic, taking public transport, buying second hand, eating local...the list of small actions that can improve our consumption habits has no limit when it comes to protecting our planet. We have all started, in our own ways, to implement these changes in our daily routine and we are becoming more and more responsible. Thus, aren’t we neglecting another important factor?

On 12 September, as part of its commitment to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (UN PRI), Spuerkeess Asset Management (Spuerkeess Asset Management is the trading name of BCEE Asset Management) signed the "Investor statement on deforestation and forest fires in the Amazon". This statement aims to encourage companies to step up their efforts and state their intention to eliminate deforestation from their activities and supply chains.

Considering transparent and socially responsible investment? Ekkehart Schmidt, public relations officer at etika – Initiativ fir Alternativ Finanzéierung asbl, explains exactly how you can benefit!