Public service mandate
Zürcher Kantonalbank was founded in 1870 as the bank of the people of Zurich. We are the bank that is "Close to you". We are characterized by a special connection with the people of Zurich, the economy, and the environment. Since our foundation, we have remained true to our public service mandate, which today consists of the service mandate, support mandate and sustainability mandate. It is our unique selling point - and we are proud of it.
Service mandate
We supply the population and the economy with the services of a universal bank. We provide our clients with access to our financial services across all channels in both the physical and digital worlds. We have the densest branch network in the Canton of Zurich and cover the basic needs of our clients at low cost. We are characterised by the high quality of our financial services. Stability and security are central pillars of Zürcher Kantonalbank. We offer services primarily in the areas of payment transactions, saving, investing, financing and advice. This advice covers topics such as retirement planning, financial planning and succession planning. When rendering these services, we pay particular attention to the concerns of small and medium-sized enterprises, employees, agriculture and public authorities. We also promote home ownership and affordable housing.
Support mandate
We contribute to the economic strength and quality of life in the Canton of Zurich. In line with our public service mandate, we support the Canton of Zurich in fulfilling its economic and social tasks. We are one of the largest providers of vocational training and are a major employer in the canton. We are one of the largest promoters of start-ups in Switzerland. We support the innovation and educational institutes in the Canton of Zurich. Our contribution to strengthening the canton’s competitiveness is an important pillar of our public service mandate. With our sponsorship commitments and awards, we contribute to the quality of life in the Canton of Zurich, to the protection of our natural resources and to the preservation of social cohesion. It only goes to follow that we advocate for nature and the environment, as well as for mobility, cultural diversity, equal opportunity, access to financial knowledge, education, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Sustainability mandate
We pursue a business policy geared towards sustainability and continuity. Sustainability is an integral component of our business model. Under our group strategy, we aim to reconcile successful economic activity with responsibility for the environment and society in a lasting manner. When fulfilling our public service mandate, we, as a universal bank, observe the principles of sustainability and the recognised rules of risk management. We promote the achievement of greenhouse gas neutrality. We are guided by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, the Paris Climate Agreement and the goal to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality by 2050. In terms of operational sustainability, we focus on employee satisfaction, diversity, equity & inclusion and being a role model in our own operations. In sustainable banking business we introduced, for example, the ZKB sustainability standard in the investment business. Our net-zero transition support includes our contribution to achieving greenhouse gas neutrality, such as advisory services for SMEs.