Promoting the sustainable development of its member states and expanding the environmental practice, the International Investment Bank (IIB) provided a grant to implement the environmental education programme in Romania. The IIB supported project of Milvus Group Association “Environmental education and awareness raising in protected areas” in central Transylvania, Romania.

This project is aimed at raising awareness of local population towards natural values and the environment at the Romanian territory of protected by the EU Natura 2000 sites. The programme facilitates 200 hours ofenvironmental education activities in the elementary schools in Transylvania, during 10 months. An establishment and a training of volunteer ranger network in 7 villages is also planned, as well as publishing and distribution of educational toolkits in local schools and organization of the Forest School for 25-30 selected local children.

On June 27, during the Business Forum of the 107th IIB Council Meeting, the Chairman of the Board, Nikolay Kosov, presented a symbolic cheque for EUR 30 000 to Mrs. Iulia Vizi, Head of communications, Milvus Group Assosiation. N. Kosov stressed: “the IIB supported Milvus Group’s project, taking into account the relevance of the environmental education and advocacy among residents of the Bank's member states for the protection of the environment and bio resources in the CEE region. It is important that the programme focus on the role of the Transylvania region’s ecosystem in the long-term development of the national economy and civil society in Romania.”

“We are grateful to the IIB for the support of our efforts to promote Romania's sustainable development and to create practical and theoretical tools for education of the youth in the EU countries concerning the global environmental responsibility," – said I. Vizi.

Social and environmental responsibility is becoming a priority feature of the activities of the IIB. In 2014, the Bank joined the UN Global Compact – the largest initiative in the area of sustainable development - and in 2015 adopted Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Guidelines with corresponding criteria for selecting investment projects.

Developing its environmental activities, over the past few years the IIB has provided grants of around EUR 200,000 for environmental protection programmes in Hungary, Vietnam, Mongolia and Russia. The IIB pays special attention to water-related problems – the IIB Chairman addressed the Budapest Water Summit 2016 and the meeting of the High Level Panel on Water, and presented an innovative concept for financing water-related projects.