SEB Banka launched a comprehensive SEB Green Year initiative in 2012 to reduce the environmental impact of its 1,500 employees and unite them around green ideas. A central "SEB Green Tree" campaign character was created to show that small contributions from each employee could achieve remarkable results. The large response from employees allowed the implementation of green ideas like paper sorting, more efficient energy and water use, an environmentally friendly vehicle fleet, and improved heating, leading to an award for one of the most sustainable companies in Latvia.

1. Category: INTERNAL COMMUNICATION
SEB Banka (Latvia)
1500 Employees – Ambassadors of Green Ideas
Summary
Successful achievement of business goals is not possible without well-considered and well-planned
internal communication that strengthens employee loyalty, awareness and readiness to participate in the
realisation of different ideas. In January 2012, a comprehensive SEB Green Year initiative was
launched. The project intended to reduce the impact of each participating employee on the
environment, create added value on services and unite the company’s employees throughout Latvia.
For the goals of SEB banka to not only be readable, but also visible, a central campaign character was
created in the beginning of the SEB Green Year – SEB Green Tree. The campaign was intended as
proof that each individual employee, by making a small contribution and getting involved in the
general concept together with their colleagues, is able to achieve remarkable results. The unexpectedly
large response from all departments and branches in Latvia allowed to implement the green ideas in
daily operations by starting paper sorting, electricity and water resource saving, replacing the car fleet
with environmentally friendly vehicles, improving the heating systems, and finally receiving the
Golden Assessment of Sustainability Index, which indicates that the company is one of the most
sustainable ones in Latvia.
Situation
Organisations often adopt various strategically important documents that do not reach the deaf ears of
employees. Why? Surely these documents have complex terminology, no benefits have been indicated,
and the employees do not see exactly how they can participate and get involved. This is especially true
for issues that have not been considered by the society before and in each person’s daily life, such as
caring for the environment and saving resources. Maybe this had provided double motivation to
actively ‘sell’ green ideas to employees or continue to implement the SEB Group’s environmental
policy, which includes clear objectives and commitments in the area of the environment and corporate
social responsibility.
Objectives
The objective of SEB Group in the area of the environment is to reduce CO2 emissions by 45% from
2008 to 2015. To achieve this, the following goals were defined for the SEB Green Year:
Reduce electricity and water consumption;
Significantly reduce paper consumption;
Implement a more environmentally friendly heating system;
Create an environmentally friendly car fleet.
The campaign’s target audience were SEB employees, whose education, training and information was
primarily done through internal communication channels. To increase the efficiency of communication,
we turned electronic devices that consume resources which we planned to save, into communication
channels.
Strategy
Based on the objectives to reduce emissions into the atmosphere, a communication strategy was
designed to make the employee involvement as large as possible, thus achieving each goal in every
area. The communication plan was developed by addressing each employee directly in order to convey
accurate, simple and clear messages with positive content. Thus, the idea of the campaign was built not
on the prohibition to spend resources, but on showing alternative forms of action to current resource
consumption.
Baltic PR Awards 2012

2. Category: INTERNAL COMMUNICATION
The campaign structure and communication flow should be regular and ongoing, which would ensure
that messages are up to date and a motivation to get acquainted with them. Each month was designed
with a different theme and with new messages in different formats (messages, videos, environmental
stickers, stickers next to the resource consuming devices – copies, printers, elevators, computers, light
switches, etc.)
Execution
A special Green section – SEB Eco IQ has been set up on the SEB internal website (intranet),
containing the SEB Group’s environmental policy, SEB business sustainability priorities, and
an opportunity for everyone to calculate their ecological footprint and learn about current events
and competitions.
SEB ‘Exercise Machine’ – notices were placed near elevators in the bank’s main building
(10 floors) with an invitation to use the Exercise Machine (stairs) instead of the elevator. On
each floor there was information about the altitude reached.
Green ideas contest for all departments with a chance to win an outdoor team building event.
Lectures and involvement of employees in the Safe Driving School education on greener
everyday driving.
To reduce paper consumption, an electronic billing system was implemented in collaboration
with Lattelecom. Also, boxes for recycling paper were placed in buildings, where all paper is
brought for recycling.
In creating our product offers, we increased the presence of green ideas, for example, pay less
when choosing ‘green’, Eco leasing, loans for energy efficient buildings, etc.
Documented Results
Development and integration of a test on the intranet, which calculates the ecological footprint
A comprehensive communication campaign realised throughout the year, using various creative
means of communication to promote green ideas
Initiative with a positive message has enhanced team unity for achievement of common goals
Golden Assessment of Sustainability Index; one of the most sustainable companies in Latvia
70% of the electricity is produced from environmentally friendly, renewable resources
45% of the bank’s car fleet has already been replaced with more environmentally friendly
vehicles
Boxes for the recycling of paper have been set up; 90% of paper is recycled
Drinking water in all buildings is provided from Venden water machines, replacing water from
0.5 l plastic bottles
An electronic billing system has been introduced, saving 3 pages per invoice
Setting up environmentally friendly heating systems has started in SEB banka branch offices
Employees are actively involved in sports and healthy lifestyle activities
Baltic PR Awards 2012