The environmental challenge 

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Sustainability is one of the most important challenges the world today is facing, and banks are committed to face the challenge. The Net-Zero Banking Alliance is working to keep temperature increases under 1.5 degrees, through the careful investments of members of the Alliance, such as ING. Since 2018, ING has been working with clients to transform the most carbon-intensive parts of their portfolios, by financing low-carbon technologies, renewable energy and clean transport, for a sustainable future.  As Riana Poupin, Head of ING Lease, points out, “the company leads by example with ambitious targets by 2025 in order to reduce its own environmental footprint, by favouring public transport, decreasing energy consumption and optimizing the air renewal system. As a bank, ING has a role to play in financing and facilitating the shift to a more sustainable society”. 

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“Sustainability is not a short term trend, it's a strategic mindset, with a long term commitment.” – Marc Geib, ING  

Making leasing sustainable 

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Sustainable financing and leasing are a crucial part of reducing carbon emissions, the three main stakeholders being the customer, the government setting the framework, and the bank for financing the activities and projects of their clients. To support investments in sustainability of their customers, banks offer sustainable leasing or loans to finance low carbon developments. “The growing climate challenges ahead imply a deep change in the world and within the financial industry,” ING Head of Business Banking Marc Geib says. For ING, this involves a strong focus to carry and incite sustainable investments for supporting the ecological transition. “For leasing, the focus lies on financing sustainable asset classes such as electric vehicles or photovoltaic panels. Our ambition is to launch an offer on sustainable lending by the end of the year”, explains Riana Poupin, Head of ING Lease. By putting sustainability at the heart of its strategy, ING aims to be a pioneer in sustainable financing, setting an example for others.  

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“For leasing, the focus lies on financing sustainable asset classes such as electric vehicles or photovoltaic panels.  - Riana Poupin, ING

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The challenge of the future 

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Sustainable development requires significant changes, and ING is determined and committed to make that happen by helping customers to finance investments for becoming greener and accelerate their sustainable transition. Lending and leasing in the right way can steer clients toward more sustainable behaviour, supported by a political environment that promotes long-term sustainable investments. Banks have to face fundamental issues, such as like how to measure environmental impacts so that customers can see the impact of their investments. But this challenge only motivates ING's employees even more. Their financial support for projects like “Plant a tree” in collaboration with the company Reforest’Action, planting trees in Luxembourg and in the cross border region for every new signed credit or leasing contract, as well as their contribution to financing  sustainable transition in the local transport sector are part of the hard work of building a more sustainable future. All ING projects have measurable, identifiable, long term impacts that will help to shape a green future.