In 2023, maib adopted a comprehensive sustainability strategy anchored in six pillars:

Climate Risk Initiative & Governance:
This pillar is aimed at identifying, assessing, and mitigating climate-related risks. Initiatives here include the implementation of a Climate Risk Management Framework and the use of a climate heatmap to steer lending decisions.

Transparency:
Dedicated to open reporting, this pillar supports initiatives that ensure regular disclosure of sustainability performance, including adherence to GRI standards and obtaining sustainability ratings.

Sustainable Operations:
Focusing on reducing the bank’s own environmental footprint, this area covers energy efficiency measures, waste reduction strategies, and the monitoring of carbon emissions across all operational scopes.

People:
This pillar prioritizes employee well-being and development. Initiatives include  comprehensive training programs and targeted skills development to foster a collaborative culture.

Financial Health & Inclusion:
Aimed at broadening access to banking services, initiatives here facilitate improved access for underserved communities and vulnerable groups through tailored financial products.

Green & Sustainable Products:
Focused on expanding the portfolio of sustainable finance, this pillar drives initiatives such as dedicated green loans to support renewable energy projects and help reduce financed carbon emissions.

The strategy includes over 60 tangible ESG initiatives, a Climate Risk Management Framework, an Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS), green lending targets, and the establishment of an internal sustainability committee.

It was approved by the Supervisory Board in 2023, aligning with Moldova’s commitments to EU legislation and national green goals. It was developed with support from the Green for Growth Fund.

Maib aims to future-proof its business, mitigate climate-related risks, and fulfill its role as a systemically important bank in Moldova. The strategy responds to stakeholder expectations and positions maib as a sustainable banking leader.

Crucial to the successful implementation of maib’s ESG Strategy is an efficient and robust ESG governance apparatus. The figure below displays maib’s ESG governance structure and the resulting distribution of ESG-related tasks and responsibilities.

Maib’s ongoing sustainability efforts have been evaluated and a rating has been issued, which is shown below:

ESG Risk Rating Overall Score:

25.0

ESG Risk Rating Category:

Medium Risk

ESG rating description:

Morningstar Sustainalytics’ ESG Risk Ratings measure a company’s exposure to industry-specific material ESG risks and how well a company is managing those risks. This multi-dimensional way of measuring ESG risk combines the concepts of management and exposure to arrive at an assessment of ESG risk, i.e.a total unmanaged ESG risk score or the ESG Risk Rating, that is comparable across all industries. Sustainalytics’ ESG Risk Ratings provide a quantitative measure of unmanaged ESG risk and distinguish between five levels of risk: negligible, low, medium, high and severe. Learn more about the ESG Risk Ratings here.

Company profile:

Morningstar Sustainalytics, is a leading ESG research, ratings and data firm that supports investors around the world with the development and implementation of responsible investment strategies. Sustainalytics works with hundreds of the world’s leading asset managers and pension funds who incorporate ESG and corporate governance information and assessments into their investment processes. The firm also works with hundreds of companies and their financial intermediaries to help them consider sustainability in policies, practices and capital projects. For more information, visit www.sustainalytics.com

Disclaimer:

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Maib’s environmental impact is largely driven by its lending activities. The bank has integrated a robust Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) and has committed to measuring and reducing emissions from its own operations. 

In parallel, maib’s lending portfolio contributes significantly to its overall impact. Financed emissions were estimated at 621 thousand tonnes of CO₂ in 2025, with the bank’s green portfolio helping to avoid over 167 thousand tonnes of CO₂ annually. This reduction plays a key role in supporting Moldova’s energy independence and aligning the bank’s operations with broader national and international sustainability goals.
 

Maib’s Own Carbon Emissions by Scope (tonnes CO₂/year)

Financed Emissions by Division (2025)

Maib’s green loan portfolio reached a value of MDL 1.3 billion by the end of 2025. The portfolio is primarily focused on financing renewable energy projects, including solar and wind energy initiatives. One highlighted product is the “Energy for Trade” loan, designed to support SMEs in installing renewable energy systems. These initiatives not only contribute to Moldova’s sustainable energy goals but also help avoid emissions.

Maib's Green Portfolio Breakdown (MDL mln):

The bank continues to expand its sustainable finance efforts by developing an internal green fund and a comprehensive green taxonomy, ensuring that future green investments are tracked and managed effectively.

In addition to its own green portfolio, maib holds a range of dedicated funding from international financial institutions, channelling international capital into loans that deliver measurable environmental and social impact across Moldova. 

Employee Development

Maib is committed to investing in its human capital. Training and development are viewed as a way to build a sustainable competitive advantage for maib on the Moldovan banking market. It is also a critical tool in the war for talent, enabling maib to attract and retain quality employees, for many of whom professional development is a top priority. Maib academy is envisioned to achieve these objectives and is a cornerstone of maib’s transformation

Annual training budget (MDL)

Average number of training hours per employee

*Training hours have increased in spite of a lower training budget. This has been made possible by the utilization of new training methods (e.g. joint workshops) and partner sponsored courses which we do not pay for and are thus not included in the budget.

What non-financial risks are

When we assess a financing request, we look at more than the financial indicators. Some risks do not appear in the financial statements but can still affect a company’s operations and its ability to repay. These are non-financial risks.

The current assessment includes environmental, social and governance risks, such as the environmental impact of the company’s activities, the availability of permits and compliance with legal requirements, working conditions, employee health and safety, relations with local communities, and the company’s governance practices.

Maib is currently developing its climate risk management framework, which will be progressively integrated into the bank’s overall financing and risk management processes.

Why we assess these risks

• Because they affect the business. A significant environmental incident, a workplace accident, the withdrawal of a permit or a severe weather event can affect output, costs and repayment capacity.
• Because it is a condition of the international funding we channel to clients. Maib’s agreements with international financial institutions (EBRD, IFC, GGF, EFSE, EIB etc) require the bank to maintain an environmental and social management system and to apply it to financing granted from these resources.
• Because the regulatory direction is clear. Moldova’s alignment with EU legislation will progressively bring these requirements into national banking regulation.

How we assess ESG risks

Maib operates an Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) that is integrated into the lending process. The framework reflects Moldovan legislation, the profile of the bank’s portfolio, and international reference standards, including those of IFC and EBRD.

The system applies to business clients in the SME and Corporate segments. Individuals do not complete ESG questionnaires.

The guiding principle is proportionality: the depth of the review and the amount of information requested are matched to the level of risk. Activities and projects presenting lower levels of ESG risk are assessed through a simplified process ; those with more significant risks are reviewed in greater detail.

In 2025, all SME and Corporate borrowers went through this assessment, and 893 clients underwent an extended review.

The ESG questionnaire

The ESG questionnaire is a structured set of questions about the environmental and social aspects of your business. It is not a test and there is no pass mark. Its purpose is to gather information the bank cannot obtain from financial documents.

Maib uses sector-specific questionnaires, so that the questions are relevant to your field of activity.

Who receives it and when

Business clients applying for financing, at the assessment stage, together with the other documents in the credit file.

What the questionnaire covers

• type of activity and location
• permits and authorisations held, and legal compliance
• use of resources: energy, water, raw materials
• management of waste, emissions and discharges
• working conditions and employee health and safety
• exposure to climate events and adaptation measures
• investments made or planned to reduce environmental impact

What it helps to prepare in advance

• environmental permits and relevant authorisations, with their validity dates
• documentation on waste and discharge management, where applicable
• occupational health and safety documentation
• utility consumption data
• a description of investments made or planned in energy efficiency or impact reduction

Missing documents identified late in the process are the most common cause of delay. If a permit is being obtained or renewed, it helps to say so from the outset.

Examples of questions covered (not exhaustive)

• Does the company hold all valid permits, licences and authorisations required for its operations, including the applicable environmental permit(s)?
• Does the company implement measures to prevent, reduce and control pollutants released into the air, water and soil as a result of its operations?
• Has the company implemented energy-efficiency measures or established a plan to reduce its consumption of resources, including water, energy, fuel and raw materials?
• Have there been any environmental or occupational incidents or accidents in the past three years?
• Does the company provide appropriate personal protective equipment and ensure safe working conditions?

What happens after you submit it

• screening of the activity against the Exclusion List
• verification of legal compliance and the validity of permits
• classification of the project: low, medium or high risk
• for medium and high risk, a detailed review, which may include a site visit
• an environmental and social risk opinion, included in the overall risk opinion
• where applicable, measures and clauses that become part of the loan agreement
• monitoring over the life of the financing, for medium and high risk projects

Frequently asked questions

Does an ESG assessment mean financing will be refused?

No. Identifying a risk does not automatically lead to refusal. In most cases, the bank discusses reasonable prevention, mitigation or remediation measures with the client.

Do all clients complete the same questionnaire?

No. Questionnaires are differentiated by sector, and the level of detail depends on the sector, the size of the financing and the characteristics of the project.

How long does it take, and does it delay credit approval?

The assessment runs in parallel with the credit review. For low-risk activities it does not normally involve additional steps for the client. For medium or high risk projects, additional documents or a site visit may be required.

What if I do not hold all the required permits?

Tell your relationship manager. Depending on the situation, a clear timetable for obtaining or renewing the documents can be agreed. It is better to raise this at the start of the process.

Who is responsible for legal compliance?

The client remains responsible for its own activity, for obtaining authorisations and for complying with legislation. Maib’s assessment does not replace inspections by the authorities and does not constitute certification of the client’s compliance.

Is the information I provide confidential?

Yes. Information in the questionnaire is treated with the same confidentiality as the rest of the credit file. Aggregated and anonymised data may be reported to international funders, in line with the bank’s contractual obligations.

Does this apply to individuals?

No. The ESG questionnaire is addressed to business clients.

Climate risks

Climate risks are divided into the following categories: physical risks, associated with drought, extreme temperatures, floods and water scarcity, and transition risks, associated with legislative, technological and market change.

The bank is currently developing its climate risk management framework. It will be integrated into the overall risk management framework as national legislative requirements are adopted, in the context of Moldova’s alignment with European regulation.

At present these analyses are carried out at portfolio level and are informational in nature. They do not constitute an individual client assessment, a lending decision, or a forecast that a climate event will occur.

Contact

For questions, suggestions or feedback on the assessment of non-financial risks: sustenabilitatea@maib.md