Internal training and capacity building
Training and coaching are an important part of our approach to managing social and environmental risk. We work with colleagues across the world who are involved in client lending, to ensure that social and environmental risks are identified early in the credit assessment process and are considered alongside more conventional risks.
During 2011, we provided training and coaching for over 100 employees across the organisation. This included face-to-face presentations in Australia, North America, South Africa, Russia and the UK.
Engagement
We work with a number of universities and colleges to help raise awareness of environmental and social issues and contribute to the wider public debate. For example, during 2011, we worked with the Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership to develop cross-industry approaches to the risks posed by climate change.
We also took part in the ‘Investing in Sustainable Development’ conference hosted by the Russian Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs in Moscow, and a UN training day for Russian Banks on environmental and social risk. We have been involved in the Banking Environment Initiative, which is a collaboration between ten international financial institutions. The initiative looks at how banks can work together to redirect capital away from environmentally-damaging activities towards sustainable low carbon growth.
We believe that issues such as unconventional fossil fuels (oil sands and shale gas), industrial water use and the impact of climate change will continue to grow in importance in 2012. We aim to develop a greater understanding of the risks associated with these issues, and the effect they will have on our clients, through investigation and research and, where appropriate, through engagement with relevant industry and regulatory bodies.
