Sustainability Strategy

Deutsche Bank’s commitment to sustainability is long-standing. Since 2019, it is also a central component of our “Compete to win” strategy. Our sustainability principles are anchored in our Code of Conduct.

Our sustainability strategy focuses on four dimensions:

Sustainable finance

Making sustainability an integral part of our strategy and client offering, as well as offering products and services that help the clients’ business models to transform towards a low-carbon future
Responsible banking

Integrating environmental and social considerations into our risk management framework (climate risk management, environmental and social risk framework)
Corporate footprint

Addressing our own environmental and social footprint
Thought leadership

Actively engaging in regulatory discussions and innovative initiatives as thought leaders

Sustainability targets
To underline Deutsche Bank’s strong commitment to sustainability, the bank has set itself the following targets:

Facilitate at least 200 billion euros in sustainable financing and investments by 2025 to support sustainable economic development
Align our credit portfolios with the goals of the Paris Agreement, which encompasses a commitment to introduce methods of measuring climate impact, including carbon intensity, by the end of 2022
End global business activities in coal mining by 2025
Maintain the carbon neutrality of our own operations which we achieved in 2012, and use 100% renewable electricity by 2025
Be a leading voice in public debate on climate change and sustainable growth

Sustainability governance
Deutsche Bank has continuously enhanced its governance to incorporate sustainability across the group. Our group-wide Sustainability Council acts as the main advisory body to the Management Board on current and emerging sustainability topics and helps to drive the integration of Deutsche Bank’s group-wide sustainability strategy. Chaired by the CEO, Christian Sewing, this Council is composed of senior representatives from business and infrastructure functions. Furthermore, we address sustainability-related risks and opportunities through dedicated divisional governance structures to anticipate client demands, continually expand our ESG products and services, and adequately manage sustainability-related risks.

International agreements and commitments

Our sustainability approach considers global agreements, such as the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on climate change. We voluntarily commit to following international principles, including the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact, the UN Principles for Responsible Banking, and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

Our Sustainability Principles

We commit to balancing economic success with environmental and social responsibility;
We identify and address the environmental and social impacts of our business activities;
We foster business that enables sustainable growth;
We are guided by internationally recognised principles and standards;
We ensure that our sustainability strategy is firmly grounded in robust governance, policies and processes;
We encourage transparent communication and open dialogue with stakeholders.

UNEP-FI

(since 1992)

Member of the UN Environment Programme – Finance Initiative (UNEP-FI)

UN Global Compact

(since 2000, founding signatory)

Founding Signatory of the UN Global Compact

PRI

(through DWS, since 2008)

Signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment

Green Bond Principles

(2014)

Supporter of the Green Bond Principles as part of a coalision of twelve major financial institutions

Paris Pledge for Action

(2014)

Signatory of the Paris Pledge for Action

TCFD

(TCFD) (2018)

Formal supporter of the recommendations developed by the Financial Stability Board’s Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD)

UNEP/FI

(2019)

Co-founder of the UN Principles for Responsible Banking