Who are we?
09.Mar, 2011
The “Bee Story” & good.bee’s focus region
The ancestor of the Erste Group, “DIE ERSTE Oesterreichische Spar-Casse” (the first Austrian savings bank) was established in Vienna in 1819. Back then, access to banking services was available only to the rich and privileged. The Spar-Casse was an innovative concept: it offered “ordinary” people a bit more financial safety in their daily lives. It helped them to stand on their own feet. “Erste” was first to spread this idea in Central and Eastern Europe – a sign of industriousness, individual development and public good, the bee became the symbol of the Spar-Casse. Today, good.bee aims to build on the idea, on which the “Erste” was established almost 200 years ago: that everyone should have access to basic financial services as a mean to improve their lives and their communities.
good.bee’s focus region is Central and Eastern Europe, in particular those countries, where the Erste Group is represented. The first active good.bee microfinance initiatives started in Romania.
