Which is Asia's best bank for sustainable finance?
Full Results. It is no surprise that
Triodos Bank
Triodos was the first bank to create a green fund for environmental projects. They also publish a report of all their investments each year, so you know exactly where your money is being invested. They won Best Ethical Financial Provider at the British Bank Awards 2023.
In addition, DBS has been accorded the “Safest Bank in Asia“ award by Global Finance for 15 consecutive years from 2009 to 2023.
Santander among the world's most sustainable banks according to the 2023 Dow Jones Sustainability Index. Santander scored 80 out of 100 in the Index, which includes 27 banks from across the globe. The bank has featured in the Index, which measures environmental, social and governance performance, for 23 years running.
HSBC sustainability progress
As of 2023, the bank has reduced absolute greenhouse gas emissions in Scopes 1 and 2 as well as Scope 3 business travel by 57.3%, and increased renewable electricity used across its operations to 58.4%.
Barclays has been named Best Bank for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) in the UK by the prestigious industry publication, Euromoney. In the magazine's annual Awards for Excellence programme, the bank is recognised for how it is helping to provide green and sustainable finance to customers and clients.
JPMorgan Chase, the financial institution that owns Chase Bank, topped our experts' list because it's designated as the world's most systemically important bank on the 2023 G-SIB list. This designation means it has the highest loss absorbency requirements of any bank, providing more protection against financial crisis.
Singapore keeps crown as Asia's top financial centre, outranks Hong Kong on all factors of competitiveness: GFCI report. Singapore continues to outrank Hong Kong – albeit by a single point – as the top financial centre in Asia, according to the latest edition of the semi-annual Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI).
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd., China Construction Bank Corp., Agricultural Bank of China Ltd. and Bank of China Ltd. remained as the top four.
HSBC Global Private Banking (“HSBC GPB”) has won eight industry awards at the annual Asian Private Banker Awards for Distinction 20221.
What is the greenest bank in the world?
Triodos Bank is considered one of the leading sustainable and ethical banks, with a strong focus on environmental and social responsibility. Triodos Bank, based in the Netherlands, is known for its commitment to providing financial support to projects and initiatives that have a positive impact on the environment.
Chase Bank remains the world's biggest funder of climate chaos since the Paris Agreement. Our other three least ethical banks, Citi, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America, are still among the top 5 fossil financiers since 2016. Let's take a closer look at how these banks use your money.
The Co-operative Bank
The Co-operative Bank has had an ethical policy since 1992, meaning it doesn't lend to companies that don't fit with its values, so it doesn't do business with the oil, coal or gas industries.
Company | ESG Risk Rating | Industry Rank |
---|---|---|
HSBC Holdings Plc | 24.9 Medium | 446 out of 1061 |
Royal Bank of Canada | 25.1 Medium | 455 out of 1061 |
China Construction Bank Corp. | 26.4 Medium | 528 out of 1061 |
Bank of China Ltd. | 29 Medium | 750 out of 1061 |
HSBC's success as a global financial services provider can be attributed to its strategic expansion into new markets. The company recognized the potential for growth in Asia and began expanding its operations in the region in the 1980s.
The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) has received federal approval to proceed with its acquisition of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC), according to the former.
The American banks – Citi, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo – are listed as having left the group of institutions that have signed the principles. The news was condemned by climate groups as “shocking” and “cowardly”.
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations are integrated into the policies and principles that govern our business and reflect our commitment to inclusive, sustainable growth.
Rank | Company | 3-yr EPS growth rate |
---|---|---|
1 | Microsoft | 18 |
2 | Applied Materials | 29 |
3 | Woodward | -9 |
4 | Verisk Analytics | 2 |
A handful of banks have fully committed to ensure that your money won't go to oil, gas or coal. The gold standard in ethical banking is Triodos Bank, which goes further than simply avoiding the bad stuff – it only invests your money to make a positive impact on the planet and society.
Which of the Big 4 is most sustainable?
- EY is leading the Big Four on sustainability and ESG. ...
- Global CCaSS Leader Matt Bell adds: “This accolade is a great win for EY, and a particular testament to the work of our rapidly growing team of 2,500+ CCaSS professionals." ...
- EY also ranked #28 of the top 100 companies in sustainability, above the rest of the Big Four.
- Transparency about their goals, how they behave and what they invest in.
- Commitments to the environment and sustainability, including how they operate the business.
- Avoiding certain industries – such as arms dealing, tobacco or gambling.
Wells Fargo (WFC)
Nevertheless, it finds itself as one of the least likely financial institutions to fail. Interestingly, since the Jan. opener, WFC gave up more than 13% of equity value. That makes WFC slip in somewhere between JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America.
Last year, Ethical Consumer magazine gave the Chase current account a “red” (worst) rating due to its poor record on the the environment as well as on financial issues such as director pay and tax avoidance. The not-for-profit co-operative gave a recommendation that Chase is a “brand to avoid”.
Another report this past summer by the Sierra Club found that the four biggest banks in the United States–JPMorgan Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America, and the British-based Barclays–are the top five financial institutions propping up the coal power industry in the United States.
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