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DNB finances the climate transition and is a driving force for sustainable value creation

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DNB will be a driving force for sustainable transition, and we will use our expertise and provide banking services to help our customers move in a sustainable direction. As Norway's largest financial services group, DNB has considerable influence on the sustainable transition in Norway and internationally. Through advisory services, financing, competence sharing and clear requirements, we will help forward-looking companies succeed with sustainable solutions. 
 
DNB has an overall goal of achieving net-zero emissions from our financing and investment activities by 2050. To achieve this, we have set sub-targets for reducing financed emissions by 2030, as well as financing targets for sustainable activities. We will work to ensure that total assets under management are steered towards more sustainable alternatives.
 
The targets are intended to reduce the level of risk in DNB's credit portfolio, and to guide our customers towards sustainable transition. The targets are dynamic and follow developments in society and the market, the degree of data availability and the various sectors' level of maturity.
 

Goal and ambitions

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Net-zero emissions

  • DNB's overall goal is to achieve net-zero emissions from our financing and investment activities by 2050
  • To achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, we have set sub-targets for reducing financed emissions in the period up to 2030, as well as financing targets for sustainable activities
 
DNB's climate targets and sustainable strategy are further explained in DNB's sustainability library.
 
 

Emissions intensity targets in selected industries

DNB will reduce emissions intensity both at portfolio level and in key sectors by 2030, and the baseline is set to 2019. The emission targets will require that greenhouse gas emissions from the projects and customers we finance are reduced over time.
 
Oil and gas:
  • Reduce the portfolio's emissions intensity by 25 per cent from 2019 to 2030
  • This is in addition to a reduction of 28 per cent in the period 2015 - 2019
  • At least 75 per cent of all syndicated loans will include a sustainability clause by 2025
 
Shipping:
  • Reduce the portfolio's emissions intensity by one third from 2019 to 2030
  • More than 80 per cent of all syndicated loans/credit facilities will include a sustainability clause by 2025
 
Commercial property:
  • Reduce the emissions intensity related to energy consumption in the commercial property portfolio by 25 - 35 per cent from 2019 to 2030
 
Life insurance (DNB Livsforsikring):
  • Reduce the carbon intensity of the portfolio by 55 per cent by 2030 (baseline: 2017 - 2019)
 

Emission reduction targets in own operations

DNB's own operations are also to be climate neutral. We have already achieved this through energy-efficiency measures and some quota purchases.
 
  • Up to 2030, we will further reduce emissions from our own operations by 7 per cent annually
Sustainable financing targets
  • Building new industries and enabling existing ones to make a transition requires considerable investment. We will help our customers to move in a more sustainable direction and to reduce emissions by offering financial products and services that promote sustainable activities, solutions, investments and innovation. We have therefore set an overall sustainable financing target at portfolio level. DNB will be a driving force for sustainable transition by financing, investing in and facilitating sustainable activities worth NOK 1.500 billion by 2030.
  • DNB will increase total assets in mutual funds with a sustainability profile to NOK 100 billion by 2025
  • In 2025, 50 per cent of net flows will go to mutual funds with a sustainability profile
 
Risk factors relating to sustainability must be analysed and emphasised on an equal footing with other risk drivers in DNB's financing process. Requirements for both new and existing customers, as well as an ongoing dialogue about challenges and opportunities relating to the companies' own sustainability efforts, are tools for guiding customers in the right direction. Read more about DNB's requirements and expectations within sustainable financing in DNB's sustainability library. 
 

Targets for prioritised sustainability challenges

DNB will focus on selected sustainability challenges through advisory services, innovation, expectations and requirements. These are areas where we provide advisory services and offer our expertise, where there is increased regulatory attention, and which are becoming increasingly important for a number of industries and private individuals. The final topics will be specified in more detail in 2021, but we have established targets within the topics circular economy, the natural environment and biodiversity, start-up and growth companies and innovation.
 
  • Include a clause about responsible ship recycling in all new offshore loans and all new and refinanced shipping loans
  • Put natural risk higher on the agenda through customer dialogue, expectations and industry guidelines for relevant sectors
  • Contribute NOK 140 million in growth loans to companies that need capital to grow in areas that are important to society
  • Promote cleantech solutions and innovation through strategic partnerships and DNB NXT Accelerator
  • Use data and AI (artificial intelligence) in DNB to support the transition to a more sustainable economy 
  • Help customers make greener choices
 
 

Investment

In DNB, we manage a substantial investment portfolio both for our customers and for the bank itself, and we are concerned with the environmental, social and financial conditions of the companies we invest in. 

We assert influence both through selection of investment objects, exclusion and dialogue with relevant companies. DNB offers sustainable funds and products. Through good labelling and climate reporting, we make it easier for customers to make appropriate and sustainable choices. 

Loans

When we choose which companies to lend money to, we not only consider financial factors, but also how the various companies safeguard the environment, social conditions and good corporate governance. In the credit process, these factors are analysed and emphasised on an equal footing with other risk drivers.

The demand for green loans is growing. DNB has developed a framework for green loans and bonds, providing clear criteria for what qualifies as ‘green’.

In the personal customer market, we have a new strategy for unsecured credit, or so-called consumer loans. Our aim is to prevent our customers from ending up in financial distress. We follow the same principle in our advisory services and lending practices for home mortgages. We must always keep our customers’ best interests in mind.