Environmental impact of operations

By implementing the Sustainability Policy and the Global Net Zero Strategy, we reduce greenhouse gas emissions from internal activities (electricity consumption, business travel or fleet operations).

From 2020 onwards, the bank is neutral in terms of internal CO2 emissions.

The energy we purchase directly comes exclusively from renewable sources. Our emissions are offset through the purchase of carbon credits. The purchase of carbon credits is carried out by the Santander Group for all subsidiaries (we did not purchase carbon credits in 2022 due to the surplus from 2021).

Greenhouse gas emissions

  • TCFD:
  • Disclose the indicators used by the organisation to assess climate-related risks and opportunities in line with the risk management strategy and process. Disclose the extent of greenhouse gas emissions and the associated risks. Describe the measures and targets used by the organisation to manage climate-related risks and opportunities and performance against targets.
    MEASURES AND TARGETS
    Disclose the indicators used by the organisation to assess climate-related risks and opportunities in line with the risk management strategy and process. Disclose the extent of greenhouse gas emissions and the associated risks. Describe the measures and targets used by the organisation to manage climate-related risks and opportunities and performance against targets.
  • GRI:
  • Total direct greenhouse gas emissions 305-1
    Total direct greenhouse gas emissions
  • Total indirect greenhouse gas emissions by weight 305-2
    Total indirect greenhouse gas emissions by weight
  • Other indirect greenhouse gas emissions305-3
    Other indirect greenhouse gas emissions
  • GPW:
  • Greenhouse gas emissionsE-P1
    Greenhouse gas emissions
Emissions tCO2e
Scope 11 5,264.9
Scope 2 (location-based)2 26,348.7
Scope 2 (market -based)2  14,234.9
Scope 3 (business travel)3 870.1*
Total Scope 1+2
(location-based)2		 31,613.6
Total Scope 1+2
(market -based)2		 19 499.8
* Only location-based data from DEFRA was used
1. Scope 1 is defined as direct GHG emissions that are controlled by the bank
2. Scope 2 is defined as indirect GHG emissions arising from the consumption of purchased electricity, heat or steam used by the bank
3. Scope 3 considers GHG emissions across the bank's value chain– upstream and downstream

Source of emissions Consumption Unit Data type Emission factor kgCO2e/unit Source Emissions tCO2e
Petrol – car fleet 1,574,765.3 litres Real 2.1619 DEFRA 2022 3,404.4
Diesel oil – car fleet 7,538.8 litres Real 2.5578 DEFRA 2022 19.3
Natural gas for central heating and hot water. 9,227.1 MWh Real 182.545 DEFRA 2022 1,684.3
Heating oil for central heating and hot water. 30,000.0 litres Real 2.5401 DEFRA 2022 76.2
Diesel oil for aggregates 1,500.0 litres Real 2.5578 DEFRA 2022 3.8
Refrigerant R410A 23.0 kg Real 2,088.0000 DEFRA 2022 48.0
Refrigerant R407C 14.2 kg Real 1,774.0000 DEFRA 2022 25.2
Refrigerant R32 5.4 kg Real 675.0000 EPA / Schiessel 3.6
TOTAL 5,462.0

Source of emissions Consumption Unit Data type Emission factor Source Emissions tCO2e (location based) Emissions tCO2e (market based)
Electricity – offices 21,670.2 MWh Real 0.0007 KOBiZE 14,432.5 2,318.6
Electricity – remote work 793.0* MWh Estimation 0.0007 KOBiZE 528.1 528.1
District heating 111,615.2** GJ Estimation 0.1020 URE 11,383.1 11,383.1
TOTAL 26,348.7 14,234.9
* Estimation based on person-days spent working remotely and the assumption that a person working remotely consumes 0.12 KWh per working hour.
** Estimation based on benchmarks of annual heat consumption per sq. m of floor area (from the 2020 Statutory Energy Audit) and floor area of occupied premises (heated with district heating).
In 2021 and 2022, electricity consumption related to and emissions from remote working of bank employees have been included in Scope 2. Remote work represents a marginal part of this Scope – about 2% on a location-based basis and about 3.8% on a market-based basis. The inclusion of employee remote working within Scope 2 was dictated by the bank's methodology for calculating its carbon footprint, taking into account comparability between the bank's emission categories. It is planned that in 2023 and beyond, electricity consumption from remote work and associated emissions will be reported in Scope 3.

The calculation takes into account locations abandoned during 2022 based on the number of days they were used by the bank.

Source of emissions Consumption Unit Data type Emission factor kgCO2e/jd Source Emissions tCO2e (location based)
Car rental 772,209.0 km Real 0.1694 DEFRA 2022 130.8
Bus* 20,200.0 km Estimation 0.0268 DEFRA 2022 0.5
Train** 1,349,200.0 km Estimation 0.0351 DEFRA 2022 47.4
Aircraft – domestic flights 215,136.8 km Real 0.2446 DEFRA 2022 52.6
Aircraft – flights in Europe 3,172,199.2 km Real 0.1528 DEFRA 2022 484.6
Aircraft – flights outside Europe 802,386.7 km Real 0.1921 DEFRA 2022 154.2
TOTAL 870.1
* Due to lack of data, a distance of 100 km was assumed for each bus journey purchased.
** Due to lack of data, a distance of 200 km was assumed for each purchased train journey.

We use emission factors to calculate our impact on climate change.

The table above provides a detailed summary of our emissions, along with a description of the sources of the emissions we have considered, the consumption of resources expressed in the relevant unit of measurement, the type of data, the emission factor and the source on which the calculation was based.

We have already taken ambitious steps to reduce our own emissions by using renewable energy. In 2022, our offices had zero-emission electricity from renewable sources under a grid contract with Tauron (we purchased 18,088.81 MWh of such energy), and we also used electricity from outside this contract (3,582.4 MWh). We have received an access certificate for the Tauron Group’s ECO Premium product. The document confirms that the electricity we purchase participates fully in the Green Energy Guaranteed Sales Scheme and comes from environment-friendly energy sources – mainly hydroelectric power plants. In addition, we are focusing on increasing energy efficiency in our own operations. In 2022, electricity consumption in the bank’s offices fell by 19.6% compared to the 2021 level, and we reduced natural gas consumption for central heating and hot water by a quarter (also compared to 2021).

For a description of the calculation methodology, see Our results section.

 

Other environmental indicators

  • GPW:
  • Energy consumption
    E-P2
    Energy consumption
  • Water consumptionE-S3
    Water consumption
  • Pollution and wasteE-S6
    Pollution and waste
  • GRI:
  • Energy consumption within the organization302-1
    Energy consumption within the organization

Electricity consumption in 2021 and 2022

Energy consumption [MWh] 2021 2022
Total electricity consumption 26,449.30 21,670.20
Of which total consumption of energy from non-renewable sources 14,174.30 9,551.29
Including:
natural gas 12,399.38 9,227.10
fuel oil 1,549.37 308.28
Diesel oil 225.55 15.91

Bank’s car fleet

Bank’s car fleet
2021 2022
Number of petrol cars 13 12
Number of diesel cars 2 3
Number of hybrid/electric cars 1,303 1,310

Business trips

Business trips
Indicator 2019 2020 2021 2022
Number of trips per employee 3.17 1.55 0.60 1.05
  • GRI:
  • Zużycie wody jako wspólnego źródła303-1
    Zużycie wody jako wspólnego źródła

Water consumption

At all Santander Bank Polska S.A. locations, we are connected to water mains and we use tap water for drinking and sanitary purposes. The water used is discharged into municipal sewage system.

  • How we save water:

  • Upon every branch modernisation, dishwashers are installed

  • In our Atrium office in Warsaw, a grey water system is used. In addition, efficient bathroom fittings and waterless urinals reduce water consumption by 69% and save 10 million litres a year – an amount comparable to the volume of four Olympic-size swimming pools

  • At the Business Support Centre office in Poznań, rainwater is collected on the roofs of buildings and then used to water the green areas. Low-flow toilets and taps, as well as waterless urinals, reduce water consumption and save around 6.8 million litres of water a year

  • In the Business Support Centre office building in Wrocław, we have reduced water consumption by half thanks to low-flow toilets and taps

  • GRI:
  • Materials used by weight or volume 301-1
    Materials used by weight or volume

Materials used in the bank by weight and volume

Materials used in the bank by weight and volume
Paper (kg) Magnetic storage media (kg)
Branches 150,015,.0 4,670.0
Business Support Centres 18,077.5 13,575
Total 2022 1,168,092 18,245
Total 2021 1,216,560.0 13,770

Reduction in Diesel oil and petrol consumption associated with business travel using the bank’s fleet in 2022

Reduction in Diesel oil and petrol consumption associated with business travel using the bank’s fleet in 2022
Fuel consumption
Diesel consumption (in l) 7,538.8
Change in Diesel consumption compared to 2021 1,024.7
Petrol consumption (in l) 1,574,765.3
Change in petrol consumption compared to 2021 128,263.3
Average fuel consumption per employee: 0.0063