Green financing

  • Goal 8 - Decent work and economic growth
    Goal 8 - Decent work and economic growth
    Goal 8 - Decent work and economic growth
  • Goal 12 - Responsible consumption and production
    Goal 12 - Responsible consumption and production
    Goal 12 - Responsible consumption and production
  • Goal 13 - Climate action
    Goal 13 - Climate action
    Goal 13 - Climate action
  • GRI:
  • Management of material topics (identified as material in the materiality matrix) : Green finance; Aligning the portfolio with the objectives of the Net Zero 2050 strategy3-3
    Management of material topics (identified as material in the materiality matrix) : Green finance; Aligning the portfolio with the objectives of the Net Zero 2050 strategy
  • Main eco-friendly products and services offered to customers, including offerings that influence climate change solutionsCustom indicator
    Main eco-friendly products and services offered to customers, including offerings that influence climate change solutions
  • ESG:
  • Our approach to the environmentE- Enviroment
    Our approach to the environment
  • TCFD:
  • Integrating the assessment of climate-related risks and opportunities into relevant Investment, Credit and Insurance StrategiesKE/TCFD
    Integrating the assessment of climate-related risks and opportunities into relevant Investment, Credit and Insurance Strategies
  • PRB:
  • We will align our business strategy to be consistent with and contribute to individuals’ needs and society’s goals, as expressed in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Climate Agreement and relevant national and regional frameworks. We will focus our efforts where we have the most significant impact.1 Alignment
    We will align our business strategy to be consistent with and contribute to individuals’ needs and society’s goals, as expressed in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Climate Agreement and relevant national and regional frameworks. We will focus our efforts where we have the most significant impact.
  • We will continuously increase our positive impacts while reducing the negative impacts on, and managing the risks to, people and environment resulting from our activities, products and services.2 Impact
    We will continuously increase our positive impacts while reducing the negative impacts on, and managing the risks to, people and environment resulting from our activities, products and services.

We support our clients in the transition to a low-carbon economy and in the development of their sustainable and green investments. We consistently participate in the country’s energy transition.

We were the first financial institution in Poland to offer financial solutions in which the margin is based on the customer’s fulfilment of social and environmental criteria (ESG-linked loans). We have both local and global experts in ESG, which makes us stand out in the Polish banking market.

We offer sustainable financing to various customer groups, including customers from industries with the greatest impact on climate issues, i.e. the energy, fuel and industrial sectors. Therefore, sustainable financing to date has focused on customers in these areas. From 2021 onwards, we are seeing increasing interest in this type of financing in other sectors as well, largely due to greater customer awareness and the public announcement of sustainability strategies.

Santander Bank Polska S.A.'s green finance products:

  • loans dedicated to sustainable investments, including RES investments,
  • loans linked to the Sustainable Development Goals,
  • green bonds or sustainability bonds,
  • sustainability-linked bonds,
  • advice on raising sustainable finance,
  • financial advice in the ESG area.

Green finance in 2021

Area EUR m PLN m
Green buildings 107.8 495.7
Renewables 109.5 503.7
Clean mobility 79.1 363.6
Agro 76.2 350.5
Circular economy 0.2 0.9
Total 372.8 1,714.4

Supporting the green transition in 2021.

  • The leasing company offers eight products in the following categories: Renewables, Clean Mobility, Agro and Circular Economy.
    • Lease or loan for the purchase of emission-free or hybrid vehicles for business. For this product, two promotional leases have been made available from the beginning of 2021 until 18 November 2021: 100% for the purchase of an electric vehicle and 102% for the purchase of hybrid vehicles.
    • A loan was made available to customers for the purchase of emission-free or hybrid vehicles for consumers.
    • Lease or loan for the purchase of photovoltaic installations for business.
    • Loan for the purchase of photovoltaic installations for consumers (new).
    • Lease or loan for the purchase of energy-efficient machinery (including agro machinery) for business.
  • The Corporate and Investment Banking Division carried out the second largest sustainable bond issue for a non-financial company with a total value of PLN 400 million.
  • In 2021, we issued 860,700 green cards, accounting for 42.4% of all cards issued.
  • We provided customers with the first Eco Loan, where we reimburse customers for eco purchases.

We have a Global Framework on Sustainable Bonds and a Framework on Green Bonds, which define our commitments to allocate green bond funds to renewable energy projects (solar and wind). At the same time, new global framework policies are being developed within the Santander Group, aligned in all aspects with the Group Sustainable Finance Classification System (SFCS), which we will implement from 2022.

In 2021, we developed a Sustainable Issuance Framework, verified by an independent rating agency (SPO: Second Party Opinion), and conducted an issue of the first sustainable debt securities in Poland with a nominal value of PLN 750 million. The funds raised from the issue will be used to finance or refinance green assets (Eligible Green Assets) or social assets (Eligible Social Assets).

  • Santander Bank Polska S.A., together with Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego, financed the purchase of 37 electric buses for the City of Poznań (transaction value: PLN 111 million). The replacement of the vehicles helped to reduce the negative impact of urban transport on the environment and contribute to improving air quality.
  • Santander Group and Energix Renewable Energies signed a loan agreement worth PLN 550 million to finance a portfolio of two onshore wind farms with a total capacity of 125 MW. Santander Bank Polska acts as Agent, Security Agent and Account Bank in this transaction.
  • Santander Bank Polska S.A., in cooperation with other banks, has signed agreements worth PLN 479 million to finance a portfolio of RES owned by an independent renewable energy producer. The financing will be used to build a portfolio of four wind projects and 29 photovoltaic projects with a total capacity of 106 MW, which won the RES auctions.

We have provided additional information on the emissions generated by the portfolio in the TCFD Report, which is an integral part of this report.