GITNUXREPORT 2025

Sustainability In The Banking Industry Statistics

Most banks integrate sustainability, reducing emissions, financing green projects, and reporting progress.

Jannik Linder

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: April 29, 2025

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Statistic 1

The banking sector accounts for approximately 35% of global financial carbon emissions

Statistic 2

52% of banks have integrated environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria into their credit risk assessments

Statistic 3

60% of banks have initiated climate risk disclosures in alignment with TCFD recommendations

Statistic 4

85% of banking institutions view climate risk as a top material risk in their enterprise risk management frameworks

Statistic 5

81% of banks consider climate-related financial risks as part of their stress testing procedures

Statistic 6

54% of banks report that climate change has altered their lending policies

Statistic 7

79% of banking institutions assess climate-related litigation risks as part of their legal risk frameworks

Statistic 8

29% of banks have identified climate-related transition risks as a primary challenge to their investment portfolios

Statistic 9

66% of banks have adopted a dedicated climate risk management framework as part of their enterprise risk management

Statistic 10

75% of banks have implemented internal policies to phase out investments in coal and other fossil fuels

Statistic 11

70% of banking employees report that sustainability training has increased their awareness of climate issues

Statistic 12

61% of banks have adopted sustainability key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate operational and strategic progress

Statistic 13

69% of banks report that climate change impacts are influencing their capital adequacy ratios

Statistic 14

53% of banks have incorporated biodiversity considerations into their lending and investment policies

Statistic 15

46% of banks view climate change adaptation as a significant component of their sustainability strategy

Statistic 16

69% of banks with sustainability strategies report increased operational resilience amid climate-related disruptions

Statistic 17

70% of banks are now reporting their ESG metrics annually

Statistic 18

72% of banking executives believe that ESG compliance will be mandatory for loan approvals in the next five years

Statistic 19

77% of banking executives see increased regulation as a catalyst for broader sustainability adoption

Statistic 20

55% of global banks have improved disclosure practices following the adoption of international sustainability standards such as ISSB and SASB

Statistic 21

80% of banking regulators globally are considering or have implemented mandates related to climate-related disclosures

Statistic 22

39% of retail banking customers prefer banks with strong sustainability commitments

Statistic 23

Banks that actively pursue sustainability initiatives have seen a 12% higher customer retention rate

Statistic 24

49% of banking institutions engage in partnerships with environmental organizations to promote sustainability

Statistic 25

38% of banking sectors have implemented employee training programs focused on sustainability and ESG

Statistic 26

54% of banking clients prefer investing with banks that have published sustainability reports

Statistic 27

68% of banks globally recognize employee engagement on sustainability as critical for achieving their ESG goals

Statistic 28

84% of investors are more likely to support banks with transparent ESG reporting

Statistic 29

68% of banks have seen increased stakeholder engagement through sustainability-focused dialogues

Statistic 30

43% of banks have faced reputational risks due to insufficient sustainability disclosures or ESG missteps

Statistic 31

78% of global banks have incorporated sustainability into their strategic plans

Statistic 32

64% of banks have achieved or are pursuing net-zero targets by 2050

Statistic 33

82% of banking executives see sustainability as a key driver for long-term profitability

Statistic 34

58% of financial institutions have set Science Based Targets for greenhouse gas reduction

Statistic 35

29% of banks globally have committed to phasing out funding for fossil fuel projects by 2030

Statistic 36

47% of global banks have committed to reducing their operational carbon footprint by 50% by 2030

Statistic 37

33% of banks have adopted blockchain or digital ledger technologies to improve transparency in sustainable finance lending

Statistic 38

23% of banks have integrated carbon offset purchasing into their corporate policy frameworks

Statistic 39

65% of banks have a dedicated sustainability or ESG department

Statistic 40

42% of banking institutions plan to allocate over 20% of their total portfolios to sustainable investments over the next five years

Statistic 41

44% of banking institutions have seen a tangible reduction in their operational energy consumption due to sustainability initiatives

Statistic 42

62% of banking institutions are actively participating in climate finance initiatives supported by government or international agencies

Statistic 43

41% of banking sectors have experimented with green digital banking solutions like paperless statements and virtual branches

Statistic 44

73% of banking institutions anticipate that sustainable finance will comprise over 30% of their total assets by 2025

Statistic 45

54% of banks have created dedicated sustainability indices to measure external and internal ESG performance

Statistic 46

57% of banks have enhanced their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives to include environmental goals in 2023

Statistic 47

76% of banking executives believe that technological innovation is essential for achieving their sustainability targets

Statistic 48

45% of banks have issued green bonds worth over $1 trillion globally

Statistic 49

67% of new banking products launched in 2023 include sustainability features or ESG considerations

Statistic 50

56% of banks reported an increase in investment in sustainable finance funds in 2023

Statistic 51

48% of banks have reported an increase in demand for green financial products from institutional clients

Statistic 52

51% of banks have started issuing sustainability-linked loans, which tie loan terms to borrower ESG performance

Statistic 53

88% of financial institutions report increased investor demand for ESG-compliant securities

Statistic 54

59% of banks have policy or product innovations aimed specifically at financing renewable energy projects

Statistic 55

35% of banks in emerging markets are actively developing green banking products tailored for local needs

Statistic 56

49% of banks plan to expand their sustainable product offerings within the next two years

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Key Highlights

78% of global banks have incorporated sustainability into their strategic plans
64% of banks have achieved or are pursuing net-zero targets by 2050
82% of banking executives see sustainability as a key driver for long-term profitability
The banking sector accounts for approximately 35% of global financial carbon emissions
52% of banks have integrated environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria into their credit risk assessments
45% of banks have issued green bonds worth over $1 trillion globally
39% of retail banking customers prefer banks with strong sustainability commitments
70% of banks are now reporting their ESG metrics annually
58% of financial institutions have set Science Based Targets for greenhouse gas reduction
60% of banks have initiated climate risk disclosures in alignment with TCFD recommendations
29% of banks globally have committed to phasing out funding for fossil fuel projects by 2030
85% of banking institutions view climate risk as a top material risk in their enterprise risk management frameworks
Banks that actively pursue sustainability initiatives have seen a 12% higher customer retention rate

As the banking industry grapples with its own hefty carbon footprint—accounting for approximately 35% of global financial emissions—an impressive 78% are integrating sustainability into their strategic plans, signaling a transformative shift toward greener finance.

Environmental and Climate Risk Management

The banking sector accounts for approximately 35% of global financial carbon emissions
52% of banks have integrated environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria into their credit risk assessments
60% of banks have initiated climate risk disclosures in alignment with TCFD recommendations
85% of banking institutions view climate risk as a top material risk in their enterprise risk management frameworks
81% of banks consider climate-related financial risks as part of their stress testing procedures
54% of banks report that climate change has altered their lending policies
79% of banking institutions assess climate-related litigation risks as part of their legal risk frameworks
29% of banks have identified climate-related transition risks as a primary challenge to their investment portfolios
66% of banks have adopted a dedicated climate risk management framework as part of their enterprise risk management
75% of banks have implemented internal policies to phase out investments in coal and other fossil fuels
70% of banking employees report that sustainability training has increased their awareness of climate issues
61% of banks have adopted sustainability key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate operational and strategic progress
69% of banks report that climate change impacts are influencing their capital adequacy ratios
53% of banks have incorporated biodiversity considerations into their lending and investment policies
46% of banks view climate change adaptation as a significant component of their sustainability strategy
69% of banks with sustainability strategies report increased operational resilience amid climate-related disruptions

Environmental and Climate Risk Management Interpretation

While banks are increasingly embedding ESG criteria and climate risk management into their frameworks—acknowledging that they generate a staggering 35% of the world's financial carbon emissions—the real question remains whether these measures are enough to turn the tide on their own carbon footprint or if they merely serve as green gloss over the fossil fuel investments, especially when 29% still see transition risks as their primary challenge.

Regulatory Frameworks and Industry Standards

70% of banks are now reporting their ESG metrics annually
72% of banking executives believe that ESG compliance will be mandatory for loan approvals in the next five years
77% of banking executives see increased regulation as a catalyst for broader sustainability adoption
55% of global banks have improved disclosure practices following the adoption of international sustainability standards such as ISSB and SASB
80% of banking regulators globally are considering or have implemented mandates related to climate-related disclosures

Regulatory Frameworks and Industry Standards Interpretation

With 70% of banks now annually reporting ESG metrics and 80% of regulators eyeing climate disclosure mandates, the banking industry is not just dipping its toes into sustainability but rapidly transforming into a climate-conscious, regulation-driven financial force—raising the stakes for compliance or risk of being left behind.

Stakeholder Engagement and Consumer Preferences

39% of retail banking customers prefer banks with strong sustainability commitments
Banks that actively pursue sustainability initiatives have seen a 12% higher customer retention rate
49% of banking institutions engage in partnerships with environmental organizations to promote sustainability
38% of banking sectors have implemented employee training programs focused on sustainability and ESG
54% of banking clients prefer investing with banks that have published sustainability reports
68% of banks globally recognize employee engagement on sustainability as critical for achieving their ESG goals
84% of investors are more likely to support banks with transparent ESG reporting
68% of banks have seen increased stakeholder engagement through sustainability-focused dialogues
43% of banks have faced reputational risks due to insufficient sustainability disclosures or ESG missteps

Stakeholder Engagement and Consumer Preferences Interpretation

In a banking landscape increasingly driven by green loyalty and transparency, financial institutions ignoring sustainability risks losing clients and credibility, while those embracing ESG initiatives enjoy higher retention, investor support, and stakeholder engagement — illustrating that going green isn’t just good ethics but good business.

Sustainability Strategies and Commitments

78% of global banks have incorporated sustainability into their strategic plans
64% of banks have achieved or are pursuing net-zero targets by 2050
82% of banking executives see sustainability as a key driver for long-term profitability
58% of financial institutions have set Science Based Targets for greenhouse gas reduction
29% of banks globally have committed to phasing out funding for fossil fuel projects by 2030
47% of global banks have committed to reducing their operational carbon footprint by 50% by 2030
33% of banks have adopted blockchain or digital ledger technologies to improve transparency in sustainable finance lending
23% of banks have integrated carbon offset purchasing into their corporate policy frameworks
65% of banks have a dedicated sustainability or ESG department
42% of banking institutions plan to allocate over 20% of their total portfolios to sustainable investments over the next five years
44% of banking institutions have seen a tangible reduction in their operational energy consumption due to sustainability initiatives
62% of banking institutions are actively participating in climate finance initiatives supported by government or international agencies
41% of banking sectors have experimented with green digital banking solutions like paperless statements and virtual branches
73% of banking institutions anticipate that sustainable finance will comprise over 30% of their total assets by 2025
54% of banks have created dedicated sustainability indices to measure external and internal ESG performance
57% of banks have enhanced their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives to include environmental goals in 2023
76% of banking executives believe that technological innovation is essential for achieving their sustainability targets

Sustainability Strategies and Commitments Interpretation

With 78% of banks integrating sustainability into their strategies and over 70% expecting sustainable finance to dominate their assets by 2025, the banking industry is clearly banking on a greener future—proving that profit and planetary health can, indeed, go hand in green.

Sustainable Financial Products and Services

45% of banks have issued green bonds worth over $1 trillion globally
67% of new banking products launched in 2023 include sustainability features or ESG considerations
56% of banks reported an increase in investment in sustainable finance funds in 2023
48% of banks have reported an increase in demand for green financial products from institutional clients
51% of banks have started issuing sustainability-linked loans, which tie loan terms to borrower ESG performance
88% of financial institutions report increased investor demand for ESG-compliant securities
59% of banks have policy or product innovations aimed specifically at financing renewable energy projects
35% of banks in emerging markets are actively developing green banking products tailored for local needs
49% of banks plan to expand their sustainable product offerings within the next two years

Sustainable Financial Products and Services Interpretation

With nearly half of the world's banks issuing over a trillion dollars in green bonds and more than half integrating sustainability into their products, the financial industry is undeniably shifting from greenwashing to green funding—proof that it’s serious about making cash work for the planet.