2.4 Responsible business conduct towards the environment
Relevance of the topic for SZKB and its objectives
SZKB’s commitment to sustainability also includes its own operational ecology. SZKB’s operations can have both a positive and a negative impact. Opportunities and risks relating to business conduct towards the environment can be divided into an inside-out perspective and an outside-in perspective:
- Inside-out – the impact of SZKB on the environment: SZKB’s operations have a direct impact on the environment. The reduction of resource consumption, demand for environmentally and socially responsible products and services as well as support for biodiversity and the like can have an impact on the environment. SZKB focuses on reducing energy consumption and emissions, as well as efforts to save resources. Measures such as the transition to renewable energy, the installation of photovoltaic systems (PV) and the removal of fossil heating systems underscore the Bank’s responsibility in this area.
- Outside-in – the impact of external environmental factors on SZKB: External factors such as rising energy prices, stricter regulatory requirements in terms of emission reductions or societal expectations in regard to sustainable business management have an impact on SZKB’s business activities. These developments increase the need to implement energy-efficient and resource-saving solutions but can also create incentives for innovation and longterm cost savings.
SZKB has set the following targets for the key topic of «energy consumption and efficiency (greenhouse gas emissions)»1:
- By 2030, all bank buildings (solely) owned by SZKB will cease using oil or gas heating systems, provided that it is economically feasible and technically viable to do so.
- By 2030, SZKB will have installed photovoltaic systems on all bank buildings (solely) owned by SZKB, provided that it is economically feasible and technically viable to do so.
- Raising employee awareness of resource consumption (e.g. paper, heating, light and electricity).
Management approach
Technical maintenance
Technical maintenance of buildings is carried out by an inhouse team of specialists, with the support of external third parties if necessary. SZKB raises employees’ awareness regarding the use of resources through intranet messages, campaigns in the in-house newspaper and so on.
Carbon footprint according to ISO 14064-1
In order to measure its CO₂ emissions, SZKB calculates its carbon footprint each year in accordance with ISO 14064-1 and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol for Scope 1 and Scope 2, as well as parts of Scope 3. SZKB identifies appropriate action from the knowledge gained from this process.
Key measures
- Cutting CO₂ emissions associated with heat consumption
- Reducing paper and water consumption, as well as waste generated
- Using renewable electricity
- Avoiding refrigerant loss
- Sourcing sustainable advertising material
1 The key topic of «climate change» and the related targets are covered in Chapter 5 Climate Report and are not addressed in this chapter.
Cutting CO₂ emissions associated with heat consumption
Emissions from heating systems (including water heating) at the headquarters and in the branches account for 85t CO₂ (previous year 110t CO₂), accounting for 9% of total CO₂ emissions.
In 2024, the CO₂ proportion of heating energy generated mainly from renewable energy sources was 53% (previous year: 67%).
At the end of 2025, six branches out of the 13 under sole SZKB ownership were still heated using fossil fuels (out of 19 with primary and/or secondary heating).
Reducing paper and water consumption as well as waste generated
In recent years, SZKB has continuously reduced its paper and toner consumption. By default, clients receive transaction notifications as well as account and custody account statements as electronic documents.
The volume by weight of paper and printed matter increased by 9% in 2024 to 58 tonnes (previous year 53t). The corresponding CO₂ emissions were estimated at 51 tonnes (previous year 48t) or 6% of the total. SZKB systematically uses recycled paper in its business operations. SZKB only uses 100% recycled paper for information and advertising material. SZKB also minimises environmental impacts for all external print orders by offsetting the CO₂ emissions associated with printing and transportation. Only offsetting projects in Switzerland are supported. This cooperation takes place primarily with printers in the Canton of Schwyz. SZKB collects, separates and disposes of numerous consumable materials, including paper, cardboard, plastics/films, IT equipment, PET bottles, coffee capsules and household rubbish.
SZKB primarily generates paper waste (documents and waste paper) and household waste. Compared to 2023, the quantity of waste generated by SZKB in 2024 declined by 14% from 28 to 24 tonnes.
Bank-wide water consumption in 2024 was slightly higher at 5,435 m3 than it was in the previous year but represents a relatively low level of CO₂ emissions of less than one tonne.
Using renewable electricity
SZKB’s electricity consumption totalled 2,378 MWh in 2024 (an increase of 4% compared to the previous year). Thanks to the lower share of mixed electricity at 16t CO₂, this resulted in a 6% reduction in greenhouse gases, corresponding to a share of 1.8% of all operational CO₂ emissions of SZKB. The carbon footprint takes into account the power consumption of the actual Bank premises (headquarters and branches), the external computer centre and the 13 cashpoints located at third-party sites.
A total of 99% (previous year: 97%) of the Bank’s total electricity consumption comes from renewable energy sources, in particular from hydropower plants. Due to rental agreements at external cashpoint locations, the exact composition of the remaining percentage is not conclusively known.
Avoiding refrigerant loss
SZKB services its cooling equipment and air conditioning systems at least once each year. Nevertheless, defects are liable to occur unexpectedly, leading to a loss of refrigerant. In 2024, no air conditioning system in a SZKB building lost any refrigerant of this type. As refrigerants are harmful to the climate, one kilogram of type R-134a refrigerant has, for instance, the effect of 1.4t CO₂.
Sourcing sustainable advertising material
When it comes to promotional items and giveaways, SZKB prioritizes value and quality, with such items sourced exclusively from providers in Switzerland. Care is taken to ensure that the promotional items and gifts are manufactured in Switzerland or Europe. SZKB requires its suppliers to ensure that fair working conditions prevail during production and that resource-efficient materials are used. Where possible, SZKB works with institutions that offer employment opportunities to people with disabilities when producing advertising materials and uses regional partners for advertising campaigns.
1 Each year, SZKB can only report on the previous year’s emissions due to delays in the provision of data (internal and external dependence).
| Unit | 2024¹ | 2023 | Change | 2021 | Change compared to base year 2021 | |
| Energy consumption (GRI 302–1) | ||||||
| Total energy consumption | MWh | 3'153 | 3'163 | –0.3% | 3'322 | –5.1% |
| thereof electricity² | 2'378 | 2'283 | 4.2% | 2'181 | 9.0% | |
| thereof heating oil | 52 | 100 | –48.0% | 146 | –64.4% | |
| thereof natural gas | 166 | 192 | –13.5% | 285 | –41.8% | |
| thereof wood | 39 | 84 | –53.6% | 72 | –45.8% | |
| thereof electric heat pump | 133 | 131 | 1.5% | 112 | 18.8% | |
| thereof district heating | 385 | 373 | 3.2% | 526 | –26.8% | |
| Energy intensity (GRI 302–3) | ||||||
| Consumption per energy reference area in m² | MWh | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.0% | 0.16 | –6.3% |
| Energy consumption per employee | MWh/FTE | 5.6 | 5.8 | –3.4% | 6.4 | –12.5% |
| Paper consumption (including printing and toilet paper) (GRI 301–1) | ||||||
| Total paper consumption | kg | 58'076 | 52'574 | 10.5% | 61'326 | –5.3% |
| thereof recycled paper | 55'290 | 34'268 | 61.3% | 3'891 | 1321.0% | |
| thereof climate-neutral printing | 9'373 | 1'646 | 469.4% | 4'539 | 106.5% | |
| Paper consumption per employee | kg/FTE | 104 | 96 | 8.3% | 118 | –11.5% |
| Water consumption (GRI 303–5) | ||||||
| Total water consumption | m³ | 5'435 | 5'062 | 7.4% | 6'314 | –13.9% |
| Water consumption per employee | m³/FTE | 9.7 | 9.2 | 5.4% | 12.1 | –19.8% |
| Waste (GRI 306–1) | ||||||
| Total waste | kg | 23'940 | 27'941 | –14.3% | 17'029 | 40.6% |
| thereof recycled | 7'315 | 12'347 | –40.8% | 8'767 | –16.6% | |
| thereof not recycled | 16'625 | 15'594 | 6.6% | 8'078 | 105.8% | |
| thereof hazardous waste | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 184 | –100.0% | |
| Branches³ (own standard) | ||||||
| Total branches incl. headquarters | Number | 22 | 22 | 0.0% | 22 | 0.0% |
| In sole ownership | 13 | 13 | 0.0% | 13 | 0.0% | |
| thereof with primary and/or secondary fossil fuel heating | 6 | 7 | –14.3% | 9 | –33.3% | |
| thereof with a PV system | 4 | 4 | 0.0% | 4 | 0.0% |
1 Each year, SZKB can only report on the previous year’s emissions due to delays in the provision of data (internal and external dependence) and not those for the reporting year.
2 Of which 99% from renewable energy sources in 2024.
3 Position as of 31.12.2025
Assessment of effectiveness
The following measures were implemented in 2025 to achieve targets:
- In spring 2025, an external engineering firm carried out an energy consumption analysis for the three office buildings at the headquarters in Schwyz. The insights gained from this culminated in a package of measures that SZKB will now gradually implement over the 2026–2028 period.
- The planned replacement of the heating systems in the two branch buildings in Küssnacht and Wollerau by the end of 2026 requires further study. An external energy partner has carried out the respective feasibility studies.
- SZKB will complete work on the construction of a new branch in Rothenthurm by mid-2027, which will be more environmentally friendly in terms of energy consumption. Ongoing planning includes a connection to the district heating network and the installation of a PV system.
- The previous diesel-powered bus has been replaced by an equivalent EV.
- Replacement of high-consumption light fittings in various bank buildings.
SZKB considers the measures taken to be appropriate and effective.
Further development and next steps
SZKB aims to achieve the defined environmental targets by continuing to pursue its chosen approach and also systematically taking advantage of its options for reducing its CO₂ emissions. For this purpose, SZKB will prioritise the implementation of the following measures over the coming years:
- Ongoing conversion according to the Masterplan 2030 to more environmentally friendly heating systems at branch properties (solely) owned by the Bank.
- Installation of photovoltaic systems according to the Masterplan 2030
- Implementation of the article on major consumers in the Canton of Schwyz based on the energy consumption analysis carried out in 2025. The measures for enhancing energy efficiency set out will be implemented over the next three years.