Publications

The integration of biodiversity into banking operations is becoming a central issue for financial institutions given the ongoing loss of biological diversity. hree-quarters of corporate loans from Euro area banks go to ecosystem-dependent companies, and their financed activities impact an area equivalent to 60% of Europe.

While all German banks have recognized biodiversity as a relevant topic, only 25% have dedicated strategies. The position paper by the Sustainable Finance Cluster presents a 12-step roadmap for the systematic integration of biodiversity into banking operations.

Using practical examples from German banks such as DKB, KfW, DZ BANK, ING, and Commerzbank, the paper demonstrates concrete approaches to portfolio analysis, target setting, operational integration, and reporting. The study provides evidence-based recommendations for banks and regulators and shows that despite challenges such as data gaps, practical solutions already exist today.

Transition plans are becoming strategically crucial for German banks to manage climate risks and meet regulatory requirements. Although all surveyed banks use 1.5°C scenarios, 60% cannot identify a clear business case and 40% lack board-level accountability.

The position paper by the Sustainable Finance Cluster analyzes the five core areas of successful transition planning: Ambition & Targets, Business Model & Customer Relationships, Risk Management, Governance, and Reporting. Using practical examples from ING and Helaba, it demonstrates systematic customer engagement approaches.

The central challenge: Banks depend on customer transition plans for 96% of their emissions (Scope 3), yet almost half of German companies still lack climate targets. The study provides concrete recommendations for banks, companies, and regulators for the strategic integration of transition planning into core business processes.

Driving ecological and social change in the financial sector is the primary goal of the Sustainable Finance Cluster (short: Cluster). To actively promote this transformation, fundamental structures and processes must be changed. Within the context of the Cluster, this means formulating and consistently pursuing thematic priorities and objectives.

In close consultation with stakeholders from the financial sector, “transition plans” and “biodiversity” were identified as key focus areas at the beginning of 2025. These topics will be extensively addressed throughout the year. The goal is to publish position papers for each of these topics, which will be made accessible to the public.

The movement towards Net Zero Banking, aligning bank portfolios with the Paris Climate Agreement, has become a key issue for financial institutions around the world.

Despite significant commitments to climate action, the actual impact of these initiatives is increasingly being questioned. There is therefore a need for transparent, evidence-based strategies that stand up to external assessment.

The paper “Net Zero Banking in Practice: Climate Change in Banks’ Core Business” discusses the integration of climate change strategies into bank business processes such as balance sheet management, pricing strategies, information dissemination and supporting activities. The paper shows how banks can influence climate protection in their portfolios and in the real economy through specific measures and instruments.

The need for comprehensive access to sustainability data is becoming increasingly urgent in view of the current global challenges. The broad availability of high-quality and reliable data is not only a lever for the success of the sustainable transformation, but also a basic prerequisite for the development of effective strategies to tackle the ecological, social and economic challenges of our time.

The study “An ESG data platform for a successful transformation!”, which was commissioned by the safeFBDC in collaboration with the Net Zero Banking Alliance Germany, attempts to make a contribution here. Based on the concept of an ESG data platform, success factors and obstacles for the practical implementation of an ESG ecosystem were identified together with representatives of financial institutions. The results can serve as a basis for future projects and initiatives to build an ESG data ecosystem and the recommendations derived can help to develop efficient strategies to promote sustainable finance.

In the discussion paper “Employees fit for Paris: Upskilling in banks for a climate-neutral Germany 2045”, the NZBAG proposes a curriculum for training bank employees on climate transformation.