Strategic Focus: ESG & Sustainability Strategies In Banking And Financial Services
Priyanka Bawa
Kim Knickle
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Executive Summary
The largest banks in G7 countries are financing more GHG emissions – an enormous 2.7 billion tonnes – than the total emissions of Russia. This, along with a $700 billion annual shortfall in biodiversity funding, means the banking and financial services sector is facing mounting pressure to advance sustainable development, curb environmental risks and bridge critical funding gaps. In response, the sector is undergoing a significant transformation, increasingly adopting proactive sustainability strategies for building a resilient and inclusive financial system. This report provides an overview of the unique challenges that the sector faces and highlights strategies that the C-Suite can adopt to align with global sustainability goals.
Financial services are the throbbing pulse of a truly sustainable world
Sustainability priorities for the banking and financial services sector
The sector faces multifaceted challenges to integrate sustainability within business functioning
Financial services firms must embed sustainability into their core business offerings
The sustainability market can equip the industry to drive ESG innovation and financial resilience
Figure 2. SDGs and the banking and financial services sector
Figure 3. Sustainability initiatives in the banking and financial services sector
Figure 4. Glossary of sustainability-related terms
Figure 5. Regulations, guidelines and voluntary frameworks for the banking and financial services sector
Figure 6. Greenwashing accusations in the banking and financial services sector in 2024
Figure 7. Examples of industry groups and alliances advancing sustainability agendas in the banking and financial services sector
About the Authors
Priyanka Bawa
Principal Analyst
Priyanka is a Principal Analyst at Verdantix, where she leads research to enable sustainability leaders and services firms to analyse shifting market dynamics and evaluate inn...
Kim Knickle
Research Director
Kim Knickle is a Research Director at Verdantix, bringing more than two decades of analyst experience to the evolving world of sustainability. Her current research spans ESG a...
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