Sparkasse Oberhessen and EBS promote sustainable research for the future!

Sparkasse Oberhessen and EBS promote sustainable research for the future!

Sparkasse Oberhessen has officially confirmed its collaboration with the European Institute of EBS University for 2025. On May 5, 2025, a meeting took place on the campus in Oestrich-Winkel, which was attended by Frank Dehnke, chairman of the Sparkasse board. The partnership aims to promote practical research, support students and intensify dialogue with medium-sized businesses in the region. EBS reports that the European Institute's research focuses on competitiveness and reducing bureaucratic costs.

A central goal of the cooperation is to provide scientifically based impulses for business practice and political decision-making processes. In particular, a board member of the Sparkasse will be involved in the “Expert Advocacy Platform for the smart control of bureaucracy costs”. This platform will include workshops with representatives from business, science and politics to develop solutions for medium-sized companies.

A variety of activities for students and companies

The partnership between Sparkasse Oberhessen and the European Institute also provides for a variety of activities. This includes specialist presentations in lectures, discussion forums and the opportunity to work on joint theses. Sparkasse customers will benefit from this commitment by having access to exclusive lectures by professors and doctoral students from the European Institute.

The European Institute, which opened in November 2023, is headed by Prof. Dr. Diane Robers and Günther H. Oettinger since October 2024. Its aim is to empower young talents for European challenges and to promote solution-oriented research. The topics covered there range from sustainability and digital transformation to energy security and economic resilience in Europe.

Sustainability and responsibility in the financial industry

Sparkasse Oberhessen completed a solid balance sheet in 2021, with total assets of over 5.6 billion euros and an annual surplus of around 9 million euros. As in the annual report of the Sparkasse Oberhessen can be read, the institution sees itself as having a responsibility to provide stable and reliable support to its customers, especially in times of inflation and energy crises, which have been exacerbated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Commitment to refugees from Ukraine and supporting local companies is part of the Sparkasse's self-image, which has been committed to social and economic sustainability for 190 years. By investing in nature conservation and developing ecological projects, responsibility for the natural resources of future generations is emphasized.

In the context of the growing demands for sustainability in the financial sector, the pressure from movements like Fridays for Future is also leading to financial institutions like Sparkasse Oberhessen having to rethink their business models. Loud Deloitte Sustainable investments and their risks are a central topic. Regulatory requirements and customer perceptions underline the need to integrate sustainable considerations into all business processes.

Developments in the financial industry make it clear that it is essential for institutions to manage the high implementation costs for sustainable financing while at the same time creating transparency and maintaining the credibility of sustainable investments. Sparkasse Oberhessen is actively taking on these challenges in order to make its contribution to a sustainable financial system.