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Environment

We believe that climate change and the future health of our environment are two of the biggest challenges facing our world. We are fully committed to the goals of the Paris Agreement and to supporting the transition to a climate-resilient and zero-carbon economy.
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Our approach

Our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy aligns directly with overall business strategy, ensuring we stay focused on: financially empowering people, businesses, and communities; financing renewable energy and the transition to a low-carbon economy; and responsibly managing environmental and social risks.

Supporting the sustainable transition

Financing opportunities that support clients and the transition to a more sustainable economy

Reducing our
carbon footprint

Minimizing our environmental impact across branches and corporate buildings

Effective climate risk management

Embedding climate risk management, including physical and transitional risk considerations, in all we do
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100%

Carbon-neutral in operations

$3.1B

Renewable energy finance exposure, supporting $7.8B in total deal size (including other participating banks)

47.7%

Electricity from renewable sources

$79.2B

Total deal size of sustainability-linked transactions in which Santander US (with other banks) participated

100%

Elimination of single-use plastics where feasible
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Supporting the sustainable transition

At Santander US, we are leveraging our global resources to support our customers in the transition to a low-carbon economy by addressing climate change with comprehensive green and sustainable finance solutions. We support the climate goals of the Paris Agreement, and our ambition is to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050. In 2021, Santander US supported clients through execution of transactions in:

Renewable Energy, Structured Finance
3.1B renewable energy finance exposure supporting $7.8B in total deal size (including other participating banks). Learn more about renewable structured finance.

Debt Capital Markets & Sustainable Bonds
Santander US has participated in capital markets sustainability-linked bond transactions that amounted to $20.8B in total deal size (among all syndicate members, including Santander and others) in the US and Latin America.

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Sustainable Finance Classification System

Created in 2022, the Sustainable Finance Classification System is a framework that defines products and services that can be considered green, social, or sustainable, and aims to provide a harmonized structure to facilitate growth.
Learn more

Learn more about Santander
Corporate & Investment Banking's approach to ESG

Learn more

Minimizing potential risk

We are focused on continuously enhancing our climate risk identification, assessment, management, and reporting. Climate Risk is part of our overall enterprise risk management framework. In 2021 and 2022, we further refined our approach to managing environmental, social, and climate change risks in key sectors and incorporated new climate considerations into our Risk Appetite Statement.

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Our goals

  • 100% carbon-neutral in operations since 2020
  • 47.7% electricity from renewable sources
  • 100% elimination of single-use plastics where feasible
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Our areas of focus

  • Reducing and offsetting CO2 emissions
  • Reducing and responsibly managing consumption
  • Raising awareness of environmental issues