Building Sustainable Legacies

22/04/2022

Investing in our planet as a leading responsible bank

The climate emergency has made responsibility a mega trend. Reflecting on the theme of this year’s Earth Day - Invest in our Planet - we recognise the critical role investors will play in accelerating net-zero.

In addition to financial returns, there is an increasing desire to understand where money is invested and what the impact could be from an environmental, social and governance (ESG) perspective.

At Kleinwort Hambros, our ambition is to be a leading responsible bank, known for client service and expertise. This is not just a motto. It is not just a tagline. It is underpinned by a set of goals and measurable targets that we all work on together.

Underneath that leadership of responsibility are the stakeholders that we seek to serve as a leading responsible bank. That is our clients, our colleagues, the community and the climate.

Clients - We help our clients build sustainable legacies. Colleagues - We support and promote diversity and inclusion. Community - We make a societal impact. Climate - We reduce our carbon footprint.

Our Responsibility Journey

2019
Launched Responsible Investment Committee
Started excluding controversial sectors – for example thermal coal - from direct holdings of all managed portfolios
Committed to HM Treasury’s Women in Finance Charter, with a target of achieving 50% of women in senior roles by 2025
Became a founding partner of the WealthiHer Network, which champions the transformation of the finance industry’s approach to women
2020
Signed the UN Principles of Responsible Investing and became a member of the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association
Created a dedicated Responsible Bank Committee chaired by the CEO to review, define and implement the bank’s responsibility activities, targets and roadmap
Together with SG Group, we raised over £925k for CLIC Sargent, the UK’s leading cancer charity for children and young people
7,732 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) volunteering hours logged in 2020 by Kleinwort Hambros staff
Our new London offices - One Bank Street - achieved the highest sustainability classification as a building and for interior design by BREEAM, the world's longest established method of assessing, rating, and certifying the sustainability of buildings
2021
As part of our commitment to increase transparency regarding responsible investing, we included ESG metrics and the carbon intensity of all our portfolios in marketing documents and client reporting
We are proud to support Shelter, Jersey Women’s Refuge, GROW and Clubhouse as our staff selected charity partners
We planted over 5,700 trees in partnership with MyTree, a specialist in reforestation projects
72% of investments are now subject to ESG integration processes
2022
Working with an external consultant to measure the carbon impact of our business activities, as part of our Net Zero roadmap
Our new Gibraltar Office is rated Grade A for energy efficiency & environmental impact
Integrating ESG criteria in the selection of alternative assets, for example real estate & private equity

Earth Day 2022 - Invest in our Planet

Each year, Earth Day casts a global spotlight on the climate emergency. It also highlights our collective responsibility to support the transition to an equitable, prosperous green economy for all.

Earth Day 2022 focuses on investing in our planet. How can governments, businesses and individuals accelerate solutions to combat climate change?

Investors can be the Catalyst of Change

Sustainable investing has now moved from the periphery to the mainstream. Responsible investments are poised to reach $41 trillion by the end of this year and $50 trillion by 2025, according to estimates from Bloomberg Intelligence. This is a significant increase from the $35 trillion invested responsibly in 2020.*

Investors’ priorities are shifting and many are seizing the opportunity to take a leading role in accelerating climate action, in addition to financial returns.

*Source: Bloomberg Intelligence, data as at January 2022

Trees and river