The water case

Water, a necessity of life

Most people know that water is a necessity for life. The surface of our planet consists of almost 72 percent water, but only three percent is freshwater and only a single percent is available to humans. Nature, when everything works like it should, is both the source of our water and a water user. But as the planet is under more and more pressure, access to clean water is also affected.

SEB participated in issuance of a “blue bond” for the Baltic Sea

SEB was advisor and bookrunner in the issuance of a Nordic-Baltic blue bond with funding earmarked for projects focused on protecting the sensitive environment of the Baltic Sea. The money will be used for projects related to sewage management, reducing water pollution and measures coupled to climate change.
One of the projects that received funding from the bond was Nya Slussen in Stockholm, which included investments in clean transport solutions as well as new floodgates to protect against rising sea levels or extreme weather.

Collaboration with Alexandrov Klum to raise awareness

In 2019, SEB worked together with the artist couple Iris Alexandrov Klum and Mattias Alexandrov Klum to raise awareness about the importance of clean water and water management. The collaboration included the seminar "Water – challenges and solutions in a changing climate” and the exhibition The Waves, together with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The collaboration also resulted in two short films on the importance of clean water.

Water in the top three when we ask our customers

Climate action, Clean water and sanitation and Quality education for all. Of the UN's 17 sustainability goals, it is these three that SEB's fund investors want us to focus on. How do we know that? Since 2016 SEB has asked the bank’s fund investors what areas are important to them, through a survey.
Since clean water was on the top three list, SEB’s fund company, Investment Management, joined the international organization CDP's water program, which collects data from companies around the world on how they work to reduce their water consumption. Using this data, investors can select the companies that are best at managing water. This is an important issue for, for example, mining, pharmaceuticals and chemical companies.