MAKE YOUR ORGANISATION’S
MONEY MATTER
For businesses, NGOs and institutions, sustainability policies have become an expected standard across all sectors and industries, yet one of the most impactful choices we can make is who we trust to look after our money.
Banks are the life source behind the global fossil fuel industry driving the climate crisis. By continuing to support and use the services of these banks, we risk undermining our own sustainability efforts, endorsing the role our banks play in furthering climate catastrophe.
We trust our banks to look after our money, but can we trust them to look after our future?
Our Banks and the Climate Crisis
Emissions from the banks
Since the Paris climate agreement, the top 5 UK banks, Barclays, HSBC, Santander, NatWest and Lloyds have invested $141 billion in the fossil fuel industry. That includes $37 billion to the biggest oil and gas expanders in 2022 alone.
Weak Policies
The science couldn’t be clearer: we cannot afford to dig for any new fossil fuels. Yet, none of the Big 5 have policies strong enough to stop money flowing to new fossil fuel infrastructure, locking in emissions for decades.
Changing Times
Some of the UK’s biggest institutions are leading the change. Major universities, charities and religious organisations are standing up to fossil fuel banks. In fact, almost half of the UK population plan to switch to a sustainable bank in the next 12 months.
The Movement
Oxfam
In 2024 Oxfam publicly removed some of its services with Barclays, and pledged to later withdraw the deposits it has with the bank. Read more in The Times.
Christian Aid
In 2023 Christian Aid publicly left Barclays over their financing of fossil fuel expansion and lack of action taken on climate. Read more in The Independent and The Standard.
Uni of Cambridge
In 2024, they led a group of 25 universities publicly calling for banking services from providers that do not finance new fossil fuels. Read more in the Guardian and the Financial Times.
ready to join them?
We’ve created an easy-to-use guide that shows
three steps you can take to green your banking provider.
