Our financing helps shape and incentivise sustainable practices of our customers. Our Group Core Credit Risk Policy and Group Responsible Financing Standard incorporate the principles and approach for considering environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks in our lending and capital market activities.

Our Approach to Responsible Financing, including a summary of our Sector Guides, can be found below. The document provides a point of reference as it outlines our sustainability commitments and the expectations we have of our customers, forming the basis of our corporate business relationships.

Nine Sector Guides have been developed detailing industry-specific ESG risks, referencing industry best practices such as International Finance Corporation Performance Standards, World Bank Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines, International Labour Organization Convention and Recommendations, International Council on Mining and Metals , Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil Principles and Criteria, The Stockholm and Rotterdam Convention for chemicals, UNESCO World Heritage Convention and the Association of Banks in Singapore’s Haze Diagnostic Kit.

The ESG risk assessment process detailed below, with established roles and responsibilities, enables us to develop an overall understanding of the customer’s approach to managing ESG issues including commitment, capacity and track record.

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ABS Guidelines on Responsible Financing

As part of the industry’s push towards sustainable development, the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) released a set of industry guidelines to enhance the implementation of responsible financing in October 2015.

Developed in consultation with banks, including DBS, the guidelines underscore the sector’s commitment to advancing responsible financing in a more structured and transparent manner. The guidelines will help achieve systematic environmental and social criteria integration into banks’ lending decision-making as well as provide higher levels of transparency and accountability.

We have fully implemented the ABS guidelines in 2017.