Featured articles

When working together, banks and NGOs can ensure a real-world impact. Banks provide financing for sustainable projects, while NGOs raise awareness and propose projects for funding. In this interview, Nicoletta Centofanti, CEO at LSFI, explains how banks and NGOs should collaborate together to drive positive social impact.

Do you like the idea of helping to finance a project that respects the planet and treats its employees fairly, with ethical values? In this case, Alternative Savings from etika should be of particular interest to you. Any project that respects the environment, and/or involves social issues and/or is based on solidarity, is worthy of special attention from Spuerkeess, which proposes a solidarity mechanism, the Alternative Loan, in partnership with etika. Find out more about these two solidarity products in this article, with our expert Zoé Peter, Corporate Relationship Manager at Spuerkeess.  

What are the major issues regarding CSR and sustainability in Luxembourg, and what specific obstacles do the country’s economic players face when they seek to establish sustainable communities? In this interview, Laetitia Georgel and Sophie Öberg from IMS Luxembourg tell us about the involvement of Luxembourg companies in the field of corporate social responsibility and sustainability, and offer five practical tips for building sustainable communities.

How can financial institutions leverage technology and data analytics to mitigate environmental risks within their investment portfolios? What are the strategies adopted by banks to align their financial services with sustainable development goals and how they can incentivise customers to adopt eco-friendly banking habits? In this interview, Julien Froumouth, Sustainable Finance Adviser at ABBL, addresses the role of Luxembourg's banks in financing renewable energy projects and supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy. Furthermore, Julien provides five tips for readers to assess a bank's corporate behaviour regarding environmental responsibilities.

In this interview, Mariana Ruiz, Senior Social Development specialist at the European Investment Bank, tells us how banks can promote social justice by integrating human rights considerations into their lending practices and investment decisions. Do not miss Mariana’s five useful tips to make informed choices that align with your human rights principles.

Financial incentives encourage companies to adopt more environmentally-friendly practices. Both governments and the private sector play a crucial role in this dynamic. Luxembourg is implementing legislative measures to reduce the amount of plastic waste, while providing practical advice on concrete actions at a local level. Charles-Albert Florentin, Cleantech Cluster Manager at Luxinnovation, shares his expertise on sustainable innovation in Luxembourg, with a focus on the global impact of financing to combat plastic pollution.

Sustainable mobility offers significant benefits and challenges for organisations. Strategic approaches are essential to reduce emissions and promote greener transportation. Falk Fernbach, Director of Strategy and Innovation at LuxMobility, shares his insights on the matter and presents our readers 5 tips related to sustainable mobility.

Climate change risks are a growing concern for companies, including financial institutions, as they can be caused by physical effects, weather changes, or emissions reduction efforts. Integrating sustainability and climate risks into business strategies is crucial for a sustainable economy. Jean-Philippe Peters, Partner at Deloitte Luxembourg and Maria Josefin Johansson Juup, Senior Manager at Deloitte Luxembourg provide us with insights, as well as 5 useful tips for companies developing a climate risk management framework.

We’ve all heard about it, some of us have already used it... but can you define exactly what Open Data is? What is its purpose, its benefits? What is its reality in Luxembourg? And, finally, what are the short- and medium-term outlook? We spoke to Francis Kaell,Open Data manager within the government’s Information and Press Department, who provided insights, Mr Kaell works closely with Marie-Astrid Cauquy, from Spuerkeess’s Data Management department, to ensure the proper provision of data..

The financial industry can contribute to the European Green Deal by avoiding negative investment and promoting sustainable finance. There has already been cooperation between Spuerkeess and etika since 1996. In the current environment, sustainable economic activities remain a priority. We spoke with etika’s Ekkehart Schmidt about the latest developments and five useful tips on how we can all drive sustainable change in the financial industry.

Luxembourg's industrial sector is transitioning to renewable energy and has to overcome challenges like high electricity costs and infrastructure investments. Strengthening manufacturing capacities and promoting green reindustrialization is crucial for the economy. We spoke to Dr. Gaston Trauffler, head of industrial policy at FEDIL who provided insight and five useful tips for our readers.

Why use open data? We spoke to Romain Van De Louw and Marie-Astrid Cauquy, members of the Spuerkeess Data Management department. They provided us with information on a specific use case, real estate risks and open data in their everyday business activity.

The Luxembourg Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (LPEA) has recently launched a technical committee dedicated to fund financing. In an exclusive interview, Yves Wampach, IRM – Lending-Fund Finance at Spuerkeess and newly elected co-chair of the new ‘Fund Financing’ Technical Committee” within the LPEA, shares the origins of this initiative and its ambitious goals.

Do you like the idea of helping to finance a project that respects the planet and treats its employees fairly, with ethical values? In this case, Alternative Savings from etika should be of particular interest to you. Any project that respects the environment, and/or involves social issues and/or is based on solidarity, is worthy of special attention from Spuerkeess, which proposes a solidarity mechanism, the Alternative Loan, in partnership with etika. Find out more about these two solidarity products in this article, with our expert Zoé Peter, Corporate Relationship Manager at Spuerkeess.  

Private asset funds in general and their ancillary entities have gained a strategic importance within Luxembourg's financial ecosystem and lending to the fund industry is playing a growing role on the financial place. In the context of these market dynamics, Spuerkeess completes its product offering to the Luxembourg fund industry with two main lending products: Equity bridge financing (EBF) to Luxembourg alternative funds and other liquidity credit facilities to mainstream / alternative funds. In setting up a new Luxembourg fund or in driving growth for existing ones, why not taking advantage of such facilities, should the structuring and risk profile match the risk appetite of the bank? In this first article, Paolo RADAELLI, Team Manager Lending-Fund Finance and Yves WAMPACH, IRM – Lending-Fund Finance at Spuerkeess introduce the EBF product offered by the bank.

The new government has stated its intention to boost the housing sector and made this an urgent priority for its administration. Measures have been announced and changes are under way. How does this affect mortgages? We interviewed our expert Michel Marx, Team Manager Retail Banking at Spuerkeess, to find out the situation with regard to investments and the financing of buy-to-let properties. Happy reading!

While the Autofestival is being prepared in the various car dealerships and garages in Luxembourg, Sophie and Marc are asking themselves 1001 questions! Which car should you buy with a child and a dog? Is it better to buy or to rent? All they know is that they need a second car and for the rest of their questions, they count on Autofestival to answer them.

Your child is about to turn 18 - it’s hard to believe he is an adult now! It seems like just yesterday that you held him in your arms for the first time, but that already was 18 years ago. Time really does fly! The only thing that matters for him at the moment is to pass his driving licence and buy his first car.

'Should we buy or rent?', ask Julie and Charel, a young couple in the process of making life's big decisions. Having recently completed their studies, they're now well established in their jobs and looking forward to embarking on a new stage in their lives: the time has come to buy their first home.

Many unforeseen events can occur in life: a desire to move elsewhere for a work opportunity, downsizing your home as you approach retirement, a divorce or separation. These events can cost more than you've acquired so far, so financing is an absolute must! But will your bank support you in this change, given your advanced age?

You've heard so much about them that you can't ignore them any longer. Especially as you now see them just about everywhere… except on your roof! Now is the time to take a more serious interest, especially with the subsidies offered by the State, which are more than attractive if you want to install photovoltaic panels to generate electricity for your own use. In this article, we give you the lowdown… happy reading!

Comfortably installed in his Paris studio, Sam feels privileged compared to his colleagues at the Sorbonne, where he has been accepted for his first year of law studies. Sam walks home from class because strolling through the alleys and lanes of Paris has become a source of inspiration. The support of his parents, financial aid and his state-guaranteed student loan mean that he can concentrate 100% on his studies. Find out more about his approach and the new digital solutions that make student life easier.

Louise is 19 years old and lives in Luxembourg with her mother and brother. She has just finished the last oral sessions on her final exams, and is waiting for the results. Phew! Soon a little rest and then the holidays. Despite being an excellent student, Louise put a lot of pressure on herself during her exams. Fortunately, her mother was very attentive, cooking her favourite dishes and supporting her as best she could during this stressful period.

Wherever you choose to study, you're automatically entitled to financial aid! You're wondering how to go about it, or how interest rates work if you take out a state-guaranteed student loan! Find out all about financial aid, deadlines, rates and the 100% digital solution for obtaining your student loan.

Originally from Canada and an expatriate, Kasia has plenty of creative ideas when it comes to getting involved in ecological projects. After a baby and a pandemic, her desire to help others was too strong not to embark on an entrepreneurial project. What steps did she take to set up her own business? In this article, she explains her journey. Happy reading!

Growing up in Paris, Thierry developed a taste for cooking. He inherited his entrepreneurial spirit from his Chinese grandfather. With these ingredients, market analyses, recipe tests and production processes, Thierry embarked on the Seabiscuit adventure. Local production, regional products, sheltered workshops - these are just some of the key words in this project. Happy reading!!

Antoine, who originally comes from France and has a background in marketing, decided to try his hand at entrepreneurship in 2021 and set up his company WE ARE VOYAGERS in Luxembourg. His goal: to create a clothing brand made from recycled and French-made garments to consume fashion differently and move away from fast fashion. Happy reading!

Julia drew on her professional experience in environmental education and the development of sustainable and innovative projects to co-create the on.perfekt cooperative. The main aim is to create distribution channels for less-than-perfect food in order to raise awareness of food waste. Happy reading!

Marina, co-founder of WIDE ANDCO, has always been passionate about entrepreneurship. After learning to code, she realised there was a real need to train women in this field. Using digital technology to innovate and create a positive impact is one of her objectives. WIDE ANDCO obtained Societal Impact Company status at the beginning of 2022 and the adventure of this company has only just begun. Happy reading!

Jessica has always considered design to be her vocation. The birth of her son made her reflect on the meaning of her work after being employed as a jewelry designer for several years. Setting up her own creative business, considering ethical and environmental aspects, upgrading existing objects through recycling and upcycling - these are the core ingredients of her DIMANCHE MATIN project. Happy reading!

Alec, Joao and Eric, who has just joined, have created DèsVuStays, a B2B platform that offers all types of accommodation, from company accommodation to long-stay hotel accommodation, thereby helping companies to streamline their search for temporary accommodation for expatriate employees and others. Find out more about their backgrounds, visions and challenges in this article. Happy reading!

With her deep desire to make a difference in this world, Giulia came to Luxembourg in 2020, where she decided to take her existing business next level and transform it into a social enterprise (SIS). Her primary goals are to promote gender equality and give women in business greater influence in order to create a society that is fair and inclusive. Happy reading!

Three friends who shared a common dream: a trendy meeting place in eastern Luxembourg selling local wines and promoting Luxembourg's beautiful Moselle region. Charel Vandivinit, one of the initiators, tells us about their entrepreneurial journey, which was not without obstacles. Happy reading!

Born and raised in Mauritius, Raginee Poloogadoo, CEO and Lead Mediator at Pro Solve Consulting studied law and for family reasons moved to Luxembourg. Since she always had a dream of helping parties achieve fairness in their legal proceedings, she developed her interest in mediation and trained to be a professional mediator giving support in a professional environment as well as in interhuman conflicts. Happy reading!

After studying in Paris and London, Isabelle Mattern decided to join the rising local scene in Luxembourg to set up as a freelance designer and conceptor in early 2020. Joining the 1535° Creative Hub gives her a space to exchange ideas and collaborate with other designers and artists. Happy reading!

Passionate about social entrepreneurship and convinced that this is the model that will meet the economic, environmental and social challenges facing our society, Laure Talavet-Omont chose to become a social entrepreneur when she left university. Her aim is to offer private tuition to all children, giving them equal opportunities through variable pricing. Happy reading!