Science & Research
Support for science and research
Taking sustainability into account is of special concern to us. It provides added value to us as a bank as well as to our clients and investors. This is why we need talented individuals for our shared future.
Sustainability as part of the corporate strategy
Sustainability is an important pillar in our business strategy. It is the key to ensuring the long-term success of VP Bank Group and at the same time to creating added value for all stakeholders.
Acting responsibly, sustainably and with foresight are key elements in the implementation of our business strategy. For this reason, we systematically integrate sustainability criteria into all business processes. In that way, we want to have a positive impact on society and the environment while at the same time making an active contribution to sustainable development in the finance industry.
Based on its business strategy, VP Bank developed the ambitious Sustainability Plan 2026. It contains the key objectives that VP Bank intends to achieve by 2026. An essential part of this plan calls for systematically integrating sustainability factors into the investment and advisory process.
VP Bank’s Best Paper Award
For many years, the Department of Finance & Economics at the University of Liechtenstein has held a workshop on the topic of “Sustainable Finance”, during which international researchers are able to submit their papers on the subject.
Together with representatives of VP Bank, the findings of the best submitted papers are presented and discussed. The best paper is honoured with the “VP Bank Best Paper Award” and prize money of CHF 2,000.
In their 2020 paper “Aggregate Confusion: The Divergence of ESG Ratings”, the authors, Florian Berg, Julian Kölbel and Roberto Rigobon, determined that rating results can vary due to a lack of clear definitions and fundamental disagreement about the underlying sustainability data.
The paper’s findings reinforced our decision to develop our own benchmark for sustainable investments in the form of the VP Bank Sustainability Score. As a result, VP Bank does not use any standard ESG ratings but instead continually addresses the question of which sustainability aspects are particularly relevant in order to identify opportunities and risks. The use of ESG ratings as a risk indicator helps to familiarise a broad investor base with the topic of sustainability. This is yet another example of how we benefit from working with talented individuals in science and research.
VP Bank's support for young scientists is extremely valuable.
Dr Julian Kölbel
Assistant Professor of Sustainable Finance, University of St. Gallen / Best Paper Award winner
“The support of VP Bank is extremely valuable for up-and-coming academics. To begin with, a prize piques your curiosity and is an incentive to turn in good work. That’s what makes the annual conference at the University of Liechtenstein such a worthwhile event each year. And if you are lucky enough to win the Best Paper Award, this provides a boost to your desire to forge ahead and become even better.
I’ve been Assistant Professor of Sustainable Finance for one year now, and I am grateful that VP Bank is providing me – and the academic community in the area of sustainable finance – with such enthusiastic support.”