The bank is committed to helping in coping with the climate crisis and supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy, including through financing and investment in projects that promote a green environment, management of environmental and climate risks, and reduction of the carbon footprint of the bank's operations.
 
    Supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy

• NIS 28.2 billion – Balances of credit (balance sheet and off-balance sheet) as of December 31, 2023, granted to projects promoting a green environment.
• NIS 539 million  – Total investment facility (cost including the balance of investment commitments) for renewable-energy projects through Poalim Equity.
• USD 1 billion – Volume of issuance of the first green bonds in Israel by the bank in 2021; in June 2023, we completed the full allocation of green project financing in line with the bond framework.

• 30 tCO2e –  Emissions intensity per million NIS of credit in 2022 (compared with 35 tCO2e in 2021).
• 4.6% – Rate of reduction of the carbon footprint of the operational activities of the bank in comparison to 2022.

We aspire to create a beneficial impact on the society and community of Israel. Within this ambition, the bank supports the growth of small and mid-sized businesses; cultivates an empowering work environment; and promotes accessibility, diverse employment, and financial empowerment for the general public. Emergencies and wartime accentuate our commitment to values-driven, responsible action; this year, we therefore expanded our activities in support of society and the community, and the reliefs offered to our customers to help cope with the impacts of the war.

Support for our customers during the emergency

• NIS 35 billion – total balance of credit to the small-business sector on December 31, 2022.
• 95% of the bank’s suppliers are located in Israel and employ workers here.

Cultivating an equitable and empowering work environment

• NIS 470 million – The value of the series of benefits and reliefs offered by the bank to its customers to help cope with the impacts of the war.
• NIS 750 million – Scope of the fund established by the bank to grant bridge loans for up to three months free of interest and fees.

Promoting the growth of small and mid-sized businesses  

•  NIS 32.7 billion – Total balance of credit to the small and mid-sized business sector on December 31, 2023.
• 96% of the bank’s suppliers are located in Israel and employ local workers.

• Top 10 – The bank placed ninth in the BDI survey ranking the 100 best workplaces in Israel in a survey published in May 2023. 
• 13.6% of the employees of the bank belong to population groups underrepresented in the job market.
• 78% of the employees of the bank participated in training at the Poalim Campus.

• NIS 45.8 million – Community investments of the Bank in 2023 (Including the Financial Growth Center and the Impact Fund), of which NIS 10 million channeled to emergency community aid.
• NIS 100 million to found the Poalim Rebuild Fund – A donation fund dedicated to strengthening and developing personal, community, and financial resilience for people, communities, and businesses in the Western Negev region.
• 69,000 volunteer hours invested in activities organized by Poalim Volunteers (including volunteering during the Swords of Iron War).
•  800,000 people participated in activities of the Financial Growth Center in 2023; the center offers in-person lectures as well as a website providing tools and knowledge, and also operated emergency hotlines this year to respond to callers’ questions.

• 40% women on the board of directors.
• 56.8% women in the overall management tier of the bank; 39% women in senior management.

• 18.6% improvement in the employee connectedness index (Relative to the organizational change index survey for 2022).. 
• 47.7 – A 28% improvement on the NPS index, which measures customers’ willingness to recommend the bank (compared with a score of 37.27 in 2022).

• GRI, SASB, TCFD – ESG reports in line with the GRI standard since 2008, SASB since 2021, TCFD since 2022.
•  UN Global Compact – the bank has been a signatory of the compact since 2010.