DBS named World's Best Bank for Sustainable Finance

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Responsible Banking

We constantly seek to innovate and be thoughtful around our sustainability agenda to create a healthy planet, while ensuring a just transition.

Our responsible banking practices support our customers’ transition towards lower-carbon business models, enhance their access to ESG investments, and deliver customised retail solutions to meet their specific needs.

Responsible Financing

In 2021 we became the first Singaporean bank, and among the first 100 banks globally to sign up to the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA), committing to align our lending portfolios with net zero emissions by 2050, with interim targets by 2030.

Our climate strategy accounts for a two-way relationship by strengthening the climate risk management capabilities and ensuring portfolio alignment with our net zero commitment into a single cohesive framework.

This opens new opportunities for us and helps empower our customers to achieve their decarbonisation targets.

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Our roadmap to achieving our 2050 decarbonization targets

2022
Established a new Board Sustainability Committee
Set decarbonisation interim targets (2030 or sooner) and a 2050 target
To establish a risk appetite approach, including climate risk
Achieved carbon neutrality in our own operations
2023
To publish decarbonisation transition pathways and stress testing results for further sectors
2024
To publish annually our absolute emissions and emissions intensity in line with best practice and report on the progress against our decarbonisation transition pathways
To disclose progress against a board-level reviewed transition strategy, setting out proposed actions and climate-related sectoral policies
2030
To meet decarbonisation interim targets or sooner
2039
To phase out thermal coal financing completely or sooner
2050
To become a net zero bank by aligning all lending and investment portfolios with net zero emissions

2022

Established a new Board Sustainability Committee to enhance our governance process in relation to climate and the broader ESG matters

To develop tailored decarbonisation solutions for client engagement alongside capital finance advisory, and set decarbonisation interim targets (2030 or sooner) and a 2050 target

To establish a risk appetite approach, including the incorporation of climate into the risk appetite statement

To achieve net zero operational carbon

2023

To publish decarbonisation transition pathways and stress testing results for further sectors

2024

To publish annually our absolute emissions and emissions intensity in line with best practice and report on the progress against our decarbonisation transition pathways

To disclose progress against a board-level reviewed transition strategy, setting out proposed actions and climate-related sectoral policies

2030

To meet decarbonisation interim targets or sooner

2039

To phase out thermal coal financing completely or sooner

2050

To become a net zero bank by aligning all lending and investment portfolios with net zero emissions

Policies, standards and frameworks

Our policies, standards and frameworks govern our efforts and approach to sustainable finance and confirm our commitment to responsible banking practices.

Our Group Core Credit Risk Policy incorporates principles and approaches to managing ESG issues. They are supplemented by the Group Responsible Financing Standard and our nine Sector Guides pertaining to sectors with elevated ESG risks.

Our Group Responsible Financing Standard applies to all lending, capital market products and services, and treasury/ corporate investments within DBS and forms an integral part of our credit approval process governed by the Group Core Credit Risk Policy.

Our ESG standards also extend to promote share financing in Private Banking.

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Financial Inclusion

We want to ensure more segments of the community have access to useful and affordable financial products and services that meet their needs and are delivered in a responsible and sustainable manner. We aim to democratise wealth by:

Creating an enabling environment for the underbanked by expanding our reach to low-income individuals or groups who are typically excluded from traditional banking.
Addressing the financing gap for small businesses by improving financing for underserved local small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs) and social enterprises (SEs) to build capabilities and capacities and scale businesses.