The world's local bank
Developing sustainable business
HSBC recognises the potential for developing sustainability-focused business in a number of areas, particularly low carbon energy, water infrastructure, sustainable forestry and related agricultural commodities. We identify these business development opportunities by geography, industry sector and customer group.
We seek to identify low carbon projects globally, but especially in our key emerging markets – China, India, Brazil and Mexico. By funding or investing in these projects, we will secure carbon credits to offset our own carbon emissions, and ensure they are environmentally credible, incremental and cost effective. We will maintain our carbon neutrality through our core business of lending and investment.
We provide a range of sustainable & responsible investment funds and are reviewing opportunities in energy-efficient loans, mortgages, credit cards and savings products.
With significant operations in the emerging markets and expertise in transactional solutions, and supported by our office network, services, processes, capital and customer relationships, we are well placed to serve the microfinance sector. Following our pilot projects in 2005, HSBC has engaged more closely with microfinance enablers and on-the-ground microfinance institutions (MFIs) to understand the principal issues facing the sector. The findings have informed and shaped our priorities in microfinance. HSBC is currently working with MFIs in Argentina, India, Mexico, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Turkey. Our approach to this sector is based on commercial viability with high social benefit, and our microfinance activities are integrated into our local business operations.
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2007 Sustainability Report
(39 page pdf 1,744K)
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