Barclays: Green Product Framework
This practical example has been taken from the A4S Essential Guide to Debt Finance.
Barclays is a British consumer and wholesale bank, headquartered in London, with a history spanning more than 325 years. It is committed to playing a leading role in the transition towards a sustainable environment and low carbon global economy.
Increasingly, regulatory, reputational and commercial drivers are forcing businesses to engage with the significant risks and opportunities presented by the impact of climate change. ‘Going green’ can help an organization reduce costs, encourage innovation and differentiate itself from competitors.
To ensure that its clients have access to finance that places green principles at its core, Barclays has developed its market-leading Green Product Framework in conjunction with Sustainalytics, a leading global provider of environmental, social and corporate governance research and ratings.
This framework identifies projects and activities that have a positive environmental impact, such as: energy efficiency, renewable energy, green transport, waste management, greenhouse gas emission reduction and sustainable food, agriculture and forestry. These projects are eligible for Barclays’ green financing options, including: green asset finance, innovation finance, green loans, green trade loans and green deposits.
“What we’re increasingly hearing from our clients is a shift in mindset, with sustainability becoming more central to their overall investment strategy. We share that view at Barclays and know that unless sustainability is at the heart of how companies conduct their operations, they could fall behind. As a major UK bank, we’re proud to have devised a range of products targeted exclusively at funding green corporate banking investment activity, that will help promote growth now and contribute towards a better, greener, future for all.”
Angela Ottaway, Managing Director, Global Lending Group Product Management, Governance & Transformation, Barclays Corporate Banking
