Santander identified by Global Finance as the top bank in sustainable finance within Latin America
Santander Group Wins Multiple Awards for Sustainable Finance Initiatives
Santander Chile and Santander Mexico have been honoured with prestigious awards in the field of sustainable finance, recognising the bank's commitment to supporting its clients in transitioning to a greener economy and combating climate change.
On August 19, 2021, Santander Chile was awarded the "Outstanding Leadership in Sustainable Finance" award for Latin America in the category of Global Finance. Santander Mexico received a similar accolade, further cementing the group's position as a global leader in this area.
The awards were given in recognition of Santander's initiatives to support its clients in their transition to a greener economy and to address climate change. The bank's efforts are focused on offering green finance solutions, promoting ESG investments, and encouraging sustainable business practices.
Miguel Mata, the general manager of Santander Chile, expressed his gratitude for the recognition, stating that the company's efforts to respect the environment while conducting business are valued at an international level. He also emphasised that Santander will continue to work tirelessly to deepen the Sustainable Linked Loans (SLL) market in Chile and reduce its own carbon footprint through responsible waste management, renewable energy use, and other measures.
Santander Group's initiatives are not limited to Latin America. The bank has committed to contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and aims to mobilise €120,000 million between 2019 and 2025 and €220,000 million between 2019 and 2030 in green funding.
One of the key ways Santander is achieving this is through Sustainability-Linked Loans (SLLs), a financing alternative for companies that also has a positive impact on communities and the planet. The bank has provided several SLLs to support clients in their green transitions.
In addition, Santander has integrated Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria into its business strategy. This focus enhances the bank’s ability to offer financial products that facilitate sustainable development.
The bank also runs initiatives such as the Santander X Global Challenge | Circular Economy Revolution, which rewards startups and scale-ups that develop innovative digital solutions promoting circular economy principles (reduce, reuse, recycle). This program supports customers by encouraging sustainable business models and resource efficiency.
Finally, Santander actively recognises and promotes small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) committed to sustainability. For example, the bank awards the Sustainable SME of the Year in Barcelona, highlighting its role in encouraging local businesses to embed sustainability into core business strategies, which contributes to broader climate action and green growth.
Together, these initiatives form an integrated approach where Santander leverages finance, innovation support, ESG commitments, and customer engagement to facilitate an inclusive, just, and stable transition to a greener economy and stronger climate action. The bank's efforts have positioned it internationally in the area of green finance, as evidenced by its inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability Emerging Markets Index, making Santander Chile the only local bank in the index.
[1] Santander, (2021), Clean Energy Finance and Support for Renewable Projects
[2] Santander, (2021), Promotion of Circular Economy through Innovation Challenges
[3] Santander, (2021), Priority on Green Finance and ESG Investments
[4] Santander, (2021), Recognition and Support of Sustainable SMEs
- Santander's commitment to sustainable finance extends beyond Latin America, as they aim to mobilize €120,000 million between 2019 and 2025 and €220,000 million between 2019 and 2030 in green funding, contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
- One of Santander's key strategies in achieving this goal is through Sustainability-Linked Loans (SLLs), a financing alternative for companies that also has a positive impact on communities and the planet.
- In addition to SLLs, Santander has integrated Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria into its business strategy, enhancing its ability to offer financial products that support sustainable development while addressing climate change.
