Environmental, Social and Governance Strategy | Santander Bank - Santander


Our approach
Our support for inclusive, sustainable growth helps customers and communities build paths to prosperity. Our Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy aligns directly with overall business strategy, ensuring we stay focused on: financially empowering people, businesses, and communities; the transition to a low-carbon economy; and responsibly managing environmental and social risks.



Our ESG strategy
At Santander US, we believe that we can and should have a positive impact on the communities where we live and work. We are building paths to prosperity by focusing our efforts on three key areas:
Empower people & businesses
By expanding access to capital as well as financial education and training
Support the green economy
By helping customers transition to a low-carbon economy and achieving our sustainability goals
Foster inclusive communities
By meeting the needs of underserved individuals and communities, and by championing diversity, equity, and inclusion
Annual contributions and efforts

167,000+
Financially empowered people1
25,404
Volunteer hours
400+
Partner organizations supported
$3.1B
Renewable finance exposure
$608M
Community development lending & investments
$1.6B
Small business loan financing2
100%
Carbon-neutral in operations
$18M
Charitable giving
Global commitments
Since 2019, Banco Santander has made a series of global public commitments that reflect its commitment to responsible and sustainable banking.
388k
Scholarships & entrepreneurship
programs (exceeded 2021 goal)
6.1M
People helped through community
programs (exceeded 2021 goal)
10M
People financially empowered (2025)
100%
Carbon-neutral in own operations since
2020
100%
Electricity from renewable sources
(2025)
€120B
Green Finance Raised (2025)
30%
Senior positions held by women (2025)
0%
Equal Pay Gap (2025)
Community partnerships & philanthropy
Environment

Diversity, equity & inclusion
Governance & reports
Santander Universities
Sustainable operations
1Financially empowered people include those impacted through financial education training and grants, recipients of specialized lending products, and people who gained housing through investments in affordable housing projects.
2Includes 2021 Paycheck Protection Program lending.