VIDEO: Bank's chief executive speaks to BusinessGreen's James Murray about the challenge of achieving net zero financed emissions
NatWest Group is targeting net zero by 2050, and to also halve its financed emissions by 2030 in the interim, marking out the financial firm as one of the leaders in the race to decarbonise the UK banking sector.
Alison Rose, the firm's chief executive, has been instrumental in driving its climate and sustainability agenda, and she was names 'Leader of the Year' at the BusinessGreen Leaders Awards 2021 for her efforts.
The firm's achievements under her leadership include tightening its fossil fuel lending rules and exceeding its £20bn sustainable funding and financing target for 2021 six months early, while this month it plans to seek approval for its climate strategy from its shareholders.
Just this week, meanwhile, NatWest launched a new £1.5m training programme alongside the University of Edinburgh aimed at boosting climate knowledge, green economy and green finance skills for 16,000 of the bank's staff over the next five years.
In a wide-ranging chat with BusinessGreen's editor in chief James Murray recently, Rose discussed the massive business opportunity from net zero, and the challenge of decarbonising NatWest's core business as well as its vast value chain, including investments, financing and its loan book.
The conversation can be watched again in full above.
This video interview is sponsored by NatWest Group.
