The Alliance for Green Commercial Banks (the Alliance) is a global initiative to accelerate the transformation of commercial banks to mainstream and scale up green and sustainable finance in commercial banking. To achieve global climate targets and support real-economy transition, tremendous financing is needed that cannot be met by the public sector alone. However, a series of unprecedented challenges, such as conflicts, energy crises, inflation, and rising interest rates, have exacerbated existing hurdles to mobilizing adaptation and mitigation financing at scale and with speed across key sectors.
The financial sector urgently needs to rethink its business and investments in ways that are more adaptive, resilient, and sustainable. Commercial banks can play an essential role in financing solutions. It is crucial to develop the capacity of the financial services sector to access the risks and opportunities of climate change. The Alliance is a key initiative in this context, with a primary focus on banks in emerging and developing markets. It aims to building market capacity by equipping these banks with expertise, skills, and tools to steer their business and investments towards low-carbon activities.
FOUNDER
IFC — a member of the World Bank Group — is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2023, IFC committed a record $43.7 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity as economies grapple with the impacts of global compounding crises. For more information, visit www.IFC.org.
FOUNDING MEMBER AND REGIONAL ANCHOR FOR ASIA
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) is Hong Kong’s central banking institution. One of the HKMA’s main functions is to maintain Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre, including the maintenance and development of Hong Kong’s financial infrastructure. The HKMA is committed to promoting green and sustainable finance and collaborating with local and global stakeholders to address climate risk.
HKMA is a founding member of the Alliance and the first regional anchor (Asia). For more information on the HKMA, please visit www.hkma.gov.hk/eng/
Cornerstone Banks
Cornerstone Banks are the banks who have committed to supporting the Alliance initiatives by leveraging their resources and expertise in green finance to provide guidance, best practices, and insights to the Alliance Members on green and sustainable financing.
Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (“BOCHK”) puts sustainable development at the heart of its strategy. Through continuous innovation and diversification of its green products and services, BOCHK is committed to working with its customers to make a low-carbon transition, and promoting smart living and sustainable development with a view to creating value for its stakeholders and the community, and building a greener future together. For more information, please visit www.bochk.com.
Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management. For more information, please visit www.citigroup.com.
Crédit Agricole CIB is the corporate and investment banking arm of Crédit Agricole Group, the 12th largest banking group worldwide in terms of tier 1 capital (The Banker, July 2021). Nearly 8,900 employees across Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa support the Bank's clients, meeting their financial needs throughout the world. Crédit Agricole CIB offers its large corporate and institutional clients a range of products and services in capital markets activities, investment banking, structured finance, commercial banking and international trade. The Bank is a pioneer in the area of climate finance, and is currently a market leader in this segment with a complete offer for all its clients. For more information, please visit www.ca-cib.com.
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited is the founding member of the HSBC Group. HSBC serves customers worldwide from offices in 64 countries and territories in its geographical regions: Europe, Asia, North America, Latin America, and Middle East and North Africa. With assets of US$2,958 billion at 31 December 2021, HSBC is one of the largest banking and financial services organisations in the world. For more information, please visit www.hsbc.com.
Standard Chartered is a leading international banking group, with a presence in 59 of the world’s most dynamic markets and serving clients in a further 83. Its purpose is to drive commerce and prosperity through its unique diversity, and its heritage and values are expressed in its brand promise, here for good. Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong Stock Exchanges.
The history of Standard Chartered in Hong Kong dates back to 1859. It is currently one of the Hong Kong SAR’s three note-issuing banks. Standard Chartered incorporated its Hong Kong business on 1 July 2004, and now operates as a licensed bank in Hong Kong under the name of Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Standard Chartered PLC. For more information, please visit www.sc.com.
In Partnership With
The World Bank Group Partnership Fund for the Sustainable Development Goals responds to the growing demand for strategic initiatives that advance the achievement of SDG 17, which aims to strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.
In alignment with the World Bank Group’s twin goals of ending extreme poverty and increasing shared prosperity, the Fund is working closely with client countries to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through knowledge-sharing, capacity building, data, financing, and partnerships. By providing the latest data, analysis, tools, and technologies directly to local, regional, and global stakeholders, the Fund is driving development from the ground up, helping countries and their people to address critical development challenges.
The Fund also leverages multi-stakeholder partnerships with more than 250 partners to share knowledge, experience, resources, and connections to achieve our common goals by 2030. For more information about the fund, please visit www.worldbank.org/sdgfund.