Oschadbank is the leader in sustainable finance and agrifinance in Ukraine, according to SME Banking Agency

Oschadbank won in two key nominations at once - Sustainable Finance and Agrifinance - based on the results of the assessment of the expert council “Sustainable Finance: Eastern Europe”, which meeting was held on May 30. This recognition is based on an independent assessment by the SME Banking Agency, which is part of the international SME Banking Club platform. This confirms the bank's leading position in implementing sustainable financing principles and supporting the agricultural sector of Ukraine.

The research was conducted in three stages. At the first stage, public data was collected, including data from the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, the National Bank, the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club, the National Institute for Strategic Studies, and other sources. The second stage involved a survey of commercial banks in Ukraine, which took place in May 2025. At the final stage, the data obtained were adjusted and adapted to the specifics of the study of agricultural enterprises.

“We are extremely proud of the double recognition by the SME Banking Agency. This is a testament to the systematic work of the Oschadbank team to implement the principles of sustainable development in all business processes, and a deep understanding of agribusiness, which is a key driver of the Ukrainian economy, ensures food security and creates jobs in the regions. These awards are an additional incentive for us to continue developing the relevant areas; they are of a strategic nature for Oschad,” said Natalia Butkova-Vitvitska, Member of the Management Board of Oschadbank responsible for MSMEs.

Last year, Oschadbank adopted a policy for managing environmental, social, and economic risks when financing micro, small, and medium-sized businesses. In preparing this document, which is in line with the best global analogues, Oschad was assisted by partners from the Deutsche Sparkassenstiftung für internationale Kooperation (German Savings Bank Foundation for International Cooperation), which has a long-standing cooperation with the Ukrainian bank.

One of the key areas of Oschad's cooperation with businesses is partnership financing programs, the lion's share of which is focused on the agricultural sector. In total, there are more than 400 such programs, thanks to which customers can receive favorable loans for the purchase of agricultural machinery, plant protection products, seeds, etc. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, 30 new partnerships were concluded with leading players in the agricultural market, including Bayer, GEA Ukraine, Limagrain, and others.

In the first quarter of 2025, Oschadbank's loan portfolio under partnership programs increased by more than UAH 850 million (now it is over UAH 7 billion), and the total amount of loans issued exceeded UAH 1.7 billion. The largest growth was recorded in the segment of agricultural machinery financing - by 78%, as well as in the purchase of seeds, plant protection products, and fertilizers - by 690%.

SME Banking Club is an international platform that brings together bankers working with micro, small, and medium-sized businesses to share knowledge, analytics, and best practices. The analytical SME Banking Agency, a member of the platform, conducts independent assessments of banking institutions and provides advisory support to market participants.