Rising to the challenge of net zero banking

As soaring greenhouse gas emissions threaten the planet, policymakers and regulators around the world are looking to banks to lead the fight against climate change. So far, almost 60% of the world’s leading banks have made public commitments to reach net zero carbon emissions. Moreover, Accenture research found that many banks are eager to go a step further. They want to become stewards of the global transition to a net zero economy and guide their corporate customers as they decarbonize. This role would enable banks to extend and strengthen their businesses while also playing a pivotal role in preserving the planet for future generations.

According to our research, four major obstacles, or conundrums are hampering banks from achieving this goal:

1. An internal top vs. bottom disconnect: C-suite executives at many banks want their organizations to become stewards of the transition to net zero. But these banks have often not embedded the cultural and policy changes needed to ensure that all members of the workforce support such ambitions.
2. It’s difficult to see the forest for the trees: Banks that have begun their net zero journey with small teams and although programs have been set up, there's an “add on” approach rather than embedding. For an initiative as significant as sustainability in the net zero journey, a full scale transformation agenda is needed.
3. Huge product promises that ring hollow: Many banks have made ambitious sustainable finance commitments. But their “green” product and service offerings are still in their infancy and customer relationships have yet to grow into partnerships.
4. Carbon data – banks’ best friend and worst enemy: Banks recognize that carbon emissions data is vital for their journey to net zero. However, they are often frustrated by difficulties in sourcing reliable and accurate data, as well as by the complexities of integrating such information into their often fragile legacy systems.

For banks to overcome the conundrums hampering their advance to net zero and become stewards that guide other companies on the path to decarbonization they must embark on an extensive transformation of all aspects of their organizations. It is vital that banks secure support across their organizations for their journey to net zero; tackle the challenge of reaching net zero as a holistic transformation; train, educate and onboard relationship managers to become ‘climate scientists’ who can help corporate customers decarbonize; and build systematic carbon intelligence throughout their businesses.

The transformation that banks must undergo will certainly be challenging. But the rewards promise to be substantial. Banks that succeed will be stronger and more profitable. Furthermore, they will stand on the right side of history and lead the fight against climate change.

Most of the world’s largest banks have committed themselves to becoming net zero across all their activities, yet only 12% of banks are currently on track to reduce their own Scopes 1&2 emissions (from their own operations) by their net zero target date of 2050. What’s more, these emissions are just a small fraction of the total emissions for which banks are accountable. Addressing their Scope 3 financed emissions—helping their customers and the companies they have invested in to curb greenhouse gas emissions—will have a much greater impact on the banks’ progress towards net zero. These financed emissions represent more than 95% of the average bank’s overall emissions.

Measuring and reducing Scope 3 emissions, over which banks have no direct control, will be a huge challenge. Yet, it is a challenge that lies at the heart of the banks’ potential role as stewards of the transition to a net zero economy. Unless banks quickly master the preliminary stages of their own transition to net zero and, simultaneously, get to grips with their financed emissions, they are likely to fall short of their commitments and miss out on a historic opportunity to broaden and grow their businesses.

To curb their own and their financed emissions, banks need to use their capital resources and close corporate relationships to encourage and assist companies in their lending and investment portfolios to substantially reduce their production of greenhouse gases. There are benefits for all—banks, their customers and their respective industries—when banks become not only trusted advisors but partners in their customers’ transition to net zero.

Banks that step up to the challenge of helping build a net zero economy will likely pull away from their competitors. Their businesses will become stronger, more diverse and more durable than those of their counterparts that are slower to reorient their portfolios to greener opportunities and fulfil only the minimum regulatory reporting requirements.