Creating a healthier planet and protecting our environment
We work to create a healthier planet - supporting the environment that supports us.
Our progressive approach to banking represents a positive future. That’s why we’re not afraid to lead and to challenge the way people think about the role banks play in building a strong, fair nation and a healthy planet.
We have done this by:
- investing in the Bank Australia Conservation Reserve, which is a world-first environmental project for a bank that is collectively owned by our customers
- using the Conservation Reserve to offset the environmental impacts of new home constructions we finance
- staying carbon neutral since 2011 and making sure our house is in order by minimising the environmental impact of our buildings and the activities of our staff. Our Environmental Policy guides this work
- committing to action on climate change. We are the first bank in the world to sign onto all seven climate commitments under the We Mean Business climate leadership platform
- promising to never make any loans to the fossil fuel industry, including coal and coal seam gas projects.
We’re taking action to create a healthier planet through our operations
We know our business has direct and indirect impacts on the environment and we’re working hard to tackle these.
That’s why we’re reducing our emissions, using energy and water more efficiently and reviewing our supply chain to avoid deforestation.
We run on 100% renewable electricity
We have solar panels on our head office in Melbourne, Echuca and Swan Hill branches, and National Contact Centre in the Latrobe Valley. Plus, we have a 10-year agreement with the Crowlands Wind Farm as part of the Melbourne Renewable Energy Project.
We’ve been carbon neutral since 2011
We measure, reduce and offset our greenhouse gas emissions every year and we’re certified carbon neutral by the National Carbon Offset Standard. View our 2018 carbon neutral summary here.
We’ll reduce our emissions by 16% by 2025
We used science-based methods to work out how much we need to reduce our emissions from gas, the bank’s cars and electricity to do our bit to keep global temperature increase below 2 degrees.
Our priorities
Ahead of the Paris climate change talks in 2015, Bank Australia made seven commitments as part of We Mean Business, a global platform to demonstrate business leadership on climate action. These commitments have guided our action so far.
Our partners
We’re proud to stand together with other businesses and organisations taking action, as members of:
Did you know your choice of bank has a huge impact on the world?
Find out what we do to support people and the planet.
B Corp
We’re proud members of the B Corp movement, committed to embedding purpose in all aspects of our business. We use banking as a force for good.
Clean Money
The money in your account is used by banks to make loans and investments - to industries that do good or those that do harm. So where you bank ultimately shapes the world we live in.