The Bank’s Climate Change Policy Statement is Board approved and encompasses our evolving approach of Climate Change as our understanding, science, technology and policy develop further. Our Policy Statement is shaped by our internal facing Climate Risk Policy, the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and net zero being sharply in focus for governments and businesses globally.
“Bendigo and Adelaide Bank recognises climate change has far-reaching risks for the environment, the economy, society, our customers and their communities. We support the required transition to net zero emissions by 2050 with aligned interim targets. We are committed to playing our part in this transition. We will work to build climate mitigation and adaption into our business and work to assist our customers and their communities to build climate resilience into their futures.”
The Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Climate Change Action Plan outlines the action the Bank will take to improve our climate outcomes, drive cultural change and engage our people and customers, enhance our climate change governance and risk management framework, and report on our climate change performance.
The Bank concentrates our efforts on four focus areas of activity, which incorporate the direct and indirect environmental impacts and influence the Bank has through its operations;
- Reduce our footprint: We will reduce the carbon and environmental footprint of our own operations.
- Support our customers: We will support our customers and communities to mitigate, adapt and respond to climate change.
- Understand and manage the risks: We will optimise our climate change risk governance and risk management framework.
- Be transparent: We will disclose our climate-related performance.
Consistent with this, our Bank does not and will not provide finance1 directly to projects or large scale2 electricity generation in the following sectors:
- Coal;
- Coal seam gas;
- Crude Oil;
- Natural gas;
- Native forest logging.
While the Bank does not provide finance directly to projects in the above sectors it does recognise that there are individual and business customers and their communities which rely on such projects for their livelihood and economic sustainability. The Bank will continue to provide finance and other services to those individuals and businesses on a commercial basis.
The Bank will continue to develop and refine its lending policies, processes and products consistent with the key principles of the support our customers and understand and manage the risks principles, outlined above.
We recognise we play an important role in supporting communities, both today, and as we transition to net zero and are looking to opportunities to finance projects that support this transition.
In addition, we support our customers to acquire sustainable assets or solutions to improve the efficiency of their use of natural resources and/or to reduce carbon emissions. Whilst not an exhaustive list, the types of sustainable assets or solutions the Bank will consider financing could include:
- Electric motor vehicles and associated charging equipment;
- Solar panels and associated inverters and installation;
- Domestic and commercial batteries and associated systems;
- Other sustainability infrastructure relating to energy and water efficiencies.
Sustainable communities
Our fundamental purpose is helping customers and communities succeed by securing prosperous futures. We therefore support long term strategies that aim to reduce our carbon and environmental footprint, improve our resilience, and better understand the dependencies we have on the natural environment.
Climate change
As a corporation we have an obligation to the environment and society. But it’s more than that. We are working hard towards creating a significant difference because we recognise the serious impact climate change is having on the world.
Our locations
Find out how we're making a positive difference to the environment with our award winning head office locations.
Things you should know
1 We provide financial services and therefore while this reference is to “finance” we do not provide advisory services to these sectors.
2 For example, we do not provide finance directly to grid connected fossil fuel electricity generation however, we may provide equipment finance to support a customer’s backup diesel generator.
