UOB is the first Singapore bank to achieve carbon neutrality, and it invests to help the marginalised and to support businesses, industries and economies in creating positive long-term economic, social and environmental impact.

UOB is the first Singapore bank to achieve carbon neutrality, and it invests to help the marginalised and to support businesses, industries and economies in creating positive long-term economic, social and environmental impact.

®Holding up to its brand promise “Right by You,” UOB, a leading Singapore financial institution, works with governments, businesses, investors and individuals to change business practices and lifestyles for the greater good. UOB’s values of Honour, Enterprise, Unity and Commitment form its sustainability strategy's guiding principles embedded in its everyday operations. The four pillars of its sustainability strategy are:

1. Drive growth sustainably
2. Keep customers at the centre
3. Develop professionals of principle
4. Uphold corporate responsibility

These four pillars reflect UOB’s expertise, the responsibilities it holds and the role it can play in supporting its stakeholders in their sustainability journeys, forging a sustainable future for ASEAN. UOB’s holistic sustainability approach extends across the region and aligns with all 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

Employee involvement in driving sustainability

With its sustainability strategy embedded throughout the bank’s business, all employees drive the sustainability agenda. The Group Sustainability Framework supports UOB’s business decision-making at all levels and provides employees with guidance on managing sustainability-related risks and business opportunities, including direct and indirect impacts on the environment, society and the economy.

Integrating sustainability into business strategies, models and practices can be complex, which is why UOB’s sustainability approach simplifies sustainability for businesses.

UOB runs various sustainability training programmes to equip its employees with the right skillsets. Across its network, UOB also shares sustainability-related updates on its intranet, MyUOB, to keep its employees abreast of market developments and that of the bank. In addition, the Corporate Sustainability Office site on MyUOB houses all sustainability-related content and news across the Group, which employees can access easily.

Carbon neutrality achievement

In 2021, UOB became the first Singapore bank to achieve operational carbon neutrality for its Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions. UOB is committed to maintaining carbon neutrality through the following:

1. switching to more renewable energy sources
2. incorporating more energy-efficient features and systems
3. using carbon offsets for hard-to-abate emissions

UOB also aims to reduce its electricity use and Scope 2 emissions intensities by 14 per cent and achieve green building certifications for all key wholly owned UOB buildings by 2030. It also targets to achieve the BCA-HPB Green Mark for Healthier Workplaces certification for all new and renovated commercial offices by 2025. The BCA-HPB Green Mark is a collaboration between the Singapore Building and Construction Authority and the Health Promotion Board.

Inclusive finance to help the marginalised

UOB’s private equity arm, UOB Venture Management, established the Asia Impact Investment Funds (AIIF) to invest in growth companies across Southeast Asia and China to support people living on US$3,000 or less a year. With inclusive finance as a key focus, the AIIF has been investing in microfinance institutions in Southeast Asia that help improve the livelihoods and income resilience of marginalised groups, such as low-income individuals and women micro-entrepreneurs. With the efforts of AIIF’s portfolio companies, more than 1.23 million low-income individuals have gained better access to finance to build or invest in agricultural activities or small businesses. As of the end of 2021, the AIIF’s investment portfolio companies’ efforts have benefitted close to 19 million low-income individuals.

The AAIF invests selectively in portfolio companies that seek to improve the livelihoods and well-being of low-income communities and overcome the challenges they face.

Working with stakeholders

Sustainability continues to become increasingly important for various stakeholders – governments, regulators, investors and consumers – and it is an ongoing journey to which UOB is committed, alongside its stakeholders. UOB acts as a catalyst and enabler, working closely with customers, colleagues and the wider community to create a multiplier effect in sensibly managing sustainability risks and opportunities. This ensures that the organisation’s collective impact is positive and meaningful in the long term.

For example, UOB’s key sustainable finance solutions bring together ecosystem players and the power of industry collaboration to promote the switch to renewable energy, more energy efficiency projects, and the adoption of electric vehicles: U-Solar, U-Energy and U-Drive.

Supporting a net zero future for ASEAN

UOB is committed to forging a net zero future in collaboration with its stakeholders, especially in Southeast Asia, one of the most vulnerable regions to the effects of climate change. As the region comprises diverse economies with different social and economic needs, UOB believes that environmental commitments must incorporate energy security and socioeconomic equity and equality to ensure that lives and livelihoods can continue to improve.

In 2021, UOB provided green trade and working capital facilities to Barramundi Group – a pioneer in sustainable aquaculture – to support greater resilience and security in the seafood ecosystem.

In this regard, UOB based its sectoral targets on regional pathways aligned with global net zero goals using internationally recognised climate science models. This approach reflects the bank’s strong belief in a just transition across Southeast Asia that continues to support economic growth and improve energy security.

Time is running out for climate action, and UOB is committed to playing its part in forging a sustainable future for the people and businesses within and connecting with ASEAN so that future generations can continue to thrive. .