Impact Banking
With the help of Impact Banking, we and our clients are contributing to the transformation to a sustainable economy
What does impact banking mean? A definition.
"Impact Banking" aims to promote sustainable projects. With our commitment, we want to support those companies and organisations that generate the greatest possible positive impact on our environment. Another dimension is "social impact banking": supporting organisations and projects that have a positive impact on social aspects. In addition, we want to encourage our customers to actively shape change through targeted investments, thus broadening financial education. In this way, you too can participate in what is happening with the help of "Impact Investing".
What role does Commerzbank play in impact banking?
As one of the largest universal banks in Germany, we play a key role as a provider of capital and advisory in the sustainable transformation of the economy. As a bank, we have a special role and responsibility in this. In doing so, we set ourselves the goal of maximising the positive social/environmental contribution through sustainable products and solutions.
Climate change and the new geopolitical situation pose immense challenges for politics, business, and society. To meet the international climate targets to which Germany has committed, we need radically new, sustainable ways of doing business. And this applies not only to climate and energy, but also to other environmental and social challenges, across the entire supply chain.
Impact of the customer's money
Mobilise customer funds for sustainable products
We have set ourselves the goal of permanently allocate at least 10 percent of our new lending business as sustainable loans. The sustainable lending business enables Commerzbank to actively drive the transformation towards a more sustainable economy. Commerzbank finances both directly sustainable projects and business models (green loans and social loans) and initiatives that support the transition to more sustainable business models (transition loans).
Developing sustainable bonds and loans
Green bonds are a way of providing corporate financing for projects with a positive impact on the environment or climate. Social bonds, on the other hand, can be used to finance projects that make a positive contribution to social issues, such as promoting education or combating poverty. As Commerzbank, we lead the way in monitoring corresponding emissions as part of our sustainability approach.
Impact Investment
With klimaVest ELTIF, our customers invest directly in the sustainable energy transition. In addition to the production and expansion of renewable energies, customers also support the maintanance and expansion of sustainable infrastructure. The volume of klimaVest ELTIF amounted to around 1.5 billion euros at the end of 2024 (2023: 1.3 billion euros, 2022: 992.3 million euros, 2021: 586.5 million euros). By 2030, the volume is expected to increase further to a total of 4.5 billion euros.
Founder of the future
Since its establishment in 1970, the Commerzbank Foundation has built up many sustainable partnerships throughout Germany and has thus established itself as a fixed funding benchmark in the German foundation landscape. In the 55 years of its existence, it has supported well over 1,000 projects in the fields of culture, social affairs and science with a total of around 40 million euros.