Ecological impact
Supporting a climate of change
A climate of change
Every year, millions of tonnes of fossil fuels, such as oil, gas and coal, are burned, producing large volumes of waste, such as carbon dioxide (CO2). The accumulation of CO2 in nature has been identified as the primary factor behind global climate change.
Our commitment to fighting climate change goes back to 1998 and in line with our customers concerns, we have had an Ethical Policy commitment not to invest in businesses whose core activity contributes to climate change through the production or extraction of fossil fuels.
We've also campaigned on the issue with Friends of the Earth, as part of our Customers Who Care campaign.
The wider landscape: tackling other green issues
Despite climate change taking centre stage as the green issue of our time, we haven't lost sight of our customers' concerns about other environmental issues.
For example, we refuse to invest in companies that manufacture chemicals that are persistent in the environment – an issue that has recently been the subject of a major new European law.
And we're also taking a stand on the unsustainable harvest of the world's natural resources – timber and overfishing being specific areas of concern.
Investing your money sustainably
We seek to invest your money in areas such as recycling, renewable energy and the production of sustainable natural products.
Not only is this good for the planet, it can be rewarding financially too as many of these areas have shown strong growth in recent years.
Our policy on ecological impact
In line with the principles of our Ecological Mission Statement, we will not invest in any business whose core activity contributes to:
- global climate change, through the extraction or production of fossil fuels.
- the manufacture of chemicals which are persistent in the environment and linked to long term health concerns.
- the unsustainable harvest of natural resources, including timber and fish.
Furthermore, we will seek to support companies involved in:
- recycling and sustainable waste management.
- renewable energy and energy efficiency.
- sustainable natural products and services, including timber and organic produce.
- the pursuit of ecological sustainability .
Want to know more?
What is the basis of the bank's Ecological Mission Statement? What has the bank done to campaign on these issues?
Our policy on ecological impact (open as PDF - 610Kb)
