• UN Climate Change Conference 2021

    Deutsche Bank at COP26

    From Ambition to Impact

How do we manage the transition to a low carbon economy? How do we preserve biodiversity on land and sea – the natural capital that underpins our economy? What is the future of environmental, social, governance or ESG bonds and how can we use them to help companies transition? What can CEOs do to drive sustainability? Experts from around the world attempted to answer these questions in a series of Deutsche Bank events at the UN Climate Change conference 2021 (COP26) in Glasgow. Watch the replays of these events here.

Our vlogger Jürgen Schmitt – known from his ExpeditionFinance series – sheds light on these topics in a series of videos leading up to and during the conference in Glasgow. Follow him as the bank charts its route from ambition to action.

Deutsche Bank is committed to carbon neutrality, which we achieved in 2012 and have maintained since then. We continue to offset unavoidable carbon emissions covering GHG Scopes 1 and 2 and business travel by purchasing and retiring high quality emission reduction certificates.

Enabling green mobility – Perspectives for Cities

Climate-neutral by 2050: A highly ambitious goal which can only be achieved if various sectors are working in collaboration to accelerate climate actions. Schaeffler, LSE and Deutsche Bank explore in a partnership approach how real economy, academia and financial industry can work together to identify the challenges and the potential risks of sustainable transformation.

Managing the transition to a low carbon economy

Transforming to a sustainable, low-carbon economy and society is the biggest challenge humanity faces today, and the next decade is critical. Economies and corporations worldwide will be severely affected by climate change, but have great potential for strategic change, mitigation and adaptation projects. Credibility is key in getting support from stakeholders, attracting green funding solutions, and successfully tackling the challenge of sustainability.

Natural Capital: protecting the ocean and land biodiversity

Biodiversity loss and ocean degradation are moving up the Climate Change agenda. This October, governments will agree on a global target for biodiversity conservation that is likely to be backed by regulation. COP26 should provide additional opportunities to shape the global debate, at the centre of which is "natural capital" – protecting species and habitats by calculating their value, not as mere commodities but as living providers of "ecosystem services".

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    Biodiversity and ocean protection

    Although the global sustainability debate is rightly focused on climate change, related issues such as biodiversity loss and ocean degradation are about to move up the agenda. Watch the replay of our event hosted and moderated by Salman Mahdi, Vice Chairman of the International Private Bank.

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    Why nature should be an asset

    “It’s getting very difficult to be a community, be a nation. The Maldives are facing challenges from many sides,” says his Excellency Mohamed Nasheed, former President of the Maldives. He talks about what he expects from COP26 and what should be done immediately.

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    Why is nature loss a financial risk?

    Because “more than 50 percent of our global GDP is reliant on services that nature provides”, knows sustainable finance expert Grant Rudgely from Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

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    All hands on deck to protect our oceans?

    The climate crisis is also a water crisis. The protection of our oceans is a key topic at the COP26. But how can this be managed and financed?

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    Can nature be an asset?

    What is the value of a whale? Why and how can we value our nature? Markus Müller, Global Head of Chief Investment Office Private Bank at Deutsche Bank, answers these questions. He is an expert on biodiversity: “If we do not value our nature, we will overuse it.”

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    dbResearch Podzept podcast Biodiversity - From insects to corporate giants

    This dbResearch Podzept podcast discusses the corporate response to growing biodiversity concerns, which has been slow. The problem is that companies with higher biodiversity risks can find increased scrutiny from customers, politicians, and investors.

    dbResearch Podzept podcast Listen to podcast

  • Partnering with ORRAA to protect our ocean

    Blue nature, blue economy

    Deutsche Bank is the first bank to be a full member of the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA), a multi-sector collaboration designed to drive investment into marine and coastal ecosystems.

The future of ESG Bonds

Using ESG issuance to drive company transition

With over $650bn of issuance expected in 2021, ESG Bonds (Green, Social, Sustainability and Transition) are proving vital for raising the capital required to transition to a low carbon economy. In this panel we explore how green / ESG issuances play a role in increasing focus at Deutsche Bank around de-carbonisation and other sustainability objectives; increasing transparency around ESG to investors; and what lies ahead for this market.

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    ESG bonds – a vital tool

    ESG Bonds have proven to be a vital tool in raising the significant capital required to support the transition to a low carbon economy, with over $650bn of issuance expected in 2021. Watch the replay of our event hosted by Hosted by Henrik Johnsson, Global Co-Head of Capital Markets.

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    Why issuing bonds is not enough

    "We need the big sectors like cement or steel to change their business models, if we want to reach the climate targets”, says Henrik Johnsson, Co-Head of European Markets and European Investment Banking at Deutsche Bank. In Glasgow he explains to Jürgen Schmitt why issuing bonds is not enough.

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    Can green bonds save the climate?

    “The way to avoid greenwashing is through the definition of standards,” says Michelle Horsfield from the Climate Bonds Initiative, a non-profit organisation that seeks to mobilise finance for climate action. At COP26 she explains to Jürgen Schmitt why it needs cross-discipline action now.

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    Will green investments help us save the planet?

    Claire Coustar, Global Head of ESG Fixed Income & Currencies at Deutsche Bank explains: “The green bond market alone has gone from zero to over one trillion US-Dollars in the last ten years.”

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    Read more in flow How should banks drive the ESG agenda?

    How should banks support corporate clients with their environmental, social and governance issues? Should they be involved in setting the client’s targets? Deutsche Bank’s magazine “flow” looks back on a keynote session at the 2021 ACT virtual conference.

    Read more in flow more

  • Green financing Deutsche Bank: Our Green Financing Framework

    As part of our broader sustainability strategy Deutsche Bank AG has established a Green Financing Framework. Our goal is to ensure that our clients have access to financing that helps them to pursue the necessary transition to an environmentally sustainable future.

    Green financing more

How German CEOs drive sustainability

WERTE-Stiftung conducted a study: “From attitude to action - How German CEOs drive sustainability”. An international panel of business and academia experts discuss conclusions from the transformation paths of German companies. Deutsche Bank launches the new FUTURIST Institute for Sustainable Transformation, which will support organizations in their transformation to more sustainability.

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    How German CEOs drive sustainability

    Werte Stiftung presented the results of its study “From attitude to action – How German CEOs drive sustainability” followed by an international panel from business and academia.

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    ExpeditionFinance at COP26 – with Christian Sewing

    “Finally traction”, is what Christian Sewing,  Deutsche Bank’s CEO, wishes for at the COP26. He sees the financial industry well prepared to support the transformation towards a sustainable economy.

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    Footprint, handprint, heartprint

    “It’s about being emotional and winning the hearts of people”, says Tobias Raffel. He is CEO of WERTE foundation that recently conducted a CEO Study. In it, 20 company leaders gave candid insights into how to transition to a low carbon business model.

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    dbResearch Podzept podcast How can corporates hit their sustainability goals?

    In this dbResearch Podzept podcast Luke Templeman from dbResearch interviews Daianna Karaian, Founder and CEO of Today Do This, a firm that works with Blue Chip global corporates to help them achieve specific sustainability goals.

    dbResearch Podzept podcast Listen to podcast

  • Werte-Stiftung Who is Werte-Stiftung

    The Werte-Stiftung is hosting this event. They are involved in three areas of activity: society, economy and sport. The aim of the foundation work is to convey, promote and bring values to life.

    Werte-Stiftung more

Take a look back on our event programme

12:00-14:00 GMT, hosted by Werte-Stiftung

Sustainable Transformation – Launch of CEO Study and FUTURIST Institute

Study director Dr. Tobias Raffel, Johan Rockström, director at Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and Walter Sinn, Managing Partner Germany, Bain & Company, will present the study results “From attitude to action – How German CEOs drive sustainability”. Afterwards, an international panel from business and academia will discuss what conclusions can be drawn from the transformation paths of German companies for COP26. Finally, we will launch the new FUTURIST Institute for Sustainable Transformation, which will support organizations in their transformation to more sustainability in the future.

Presenters and panelists include: Christian Sewing, Chief Executive Officer, Deutsche Bank; Jörg Eigendorf, Global Head of Communications & Sustainability, Deutsche Bank; Tobias Raffel, Managing Director, Werte-Stiftung; Jörg Rocholl, President, ESMT Berlin; Johan Rockström, Director, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research; Klaus Rosenfeld, Chief Executive Officer, Schaeffler; Jannis Röthemeier, Program Director, Futury; Walter Sinn, Managing Partner Germany, Bain & Company; Astrid Teckentrup, Vorsitzende der Geschäftsführung, Procter & Gamble DACH

Including video statements from: Frank Appel, Chief Executive Officer, Deutsche Post; Martin Brudermüller, Chief Executive Officer, BASF; Ola Källenius, Chief Executive Officer, Daimler; Martina Merz, Chief Executive Officer, Thyssenkrupp; Jochen Zeitz, Chief Executive Officer, Harley Davidson; Jörg Rocholl, President, ESMT Berlin;  Jannis Röthemeier, Program Director, Futury; Jörg Rocholl, President, ESMT Berlin.

17:00-19:00 GMT, hosted by Schaeffler and Deutsche Bank

The green mobility revolution: Perspectives for cities

7.6 per cent per year: In 2019, the United Nations Environment Programme concluded that global emissions need to be cut by 7.6 percent every year for next decade to meet 1.5°C Paris target. This trajectory can only be achieved through unprecedented societal, economic and industrial change. It also requires new coalitions of partners willing to enable such radical transformation.

Cities and urban regions will increasingly become the territories and political arenas where the formation of new partnerships for climate action will be most effective. While urban areas account for high levels of carbon emissions today, they also hold the key to ecological modernisation and a zero carbon economy due to their great potentials for innovation, efficiency and collective action.

For this urban-led transformation, Schaeffler and Deutsche Bank, supported by the knowledge partner LSE Cities, explore new partnership approaches how city governments and urban stakeholders, the real economy and financial industry alongside academia and research institutions can work together to identify on-the-ground transition pathways that meet the requirements of a safe climate in the future. The urban transport sector will serve as an exemplary reference case for this exploration.

The Schaeffler Group as a leading global supplier to the automotive and industrial sector that enables green mobility and green energy solutions in the urban context. Deutsche Bank is committed to significantly increasing financing to facilitate sustainable economic developments. And with the analytical depths of LSE Cities the three hosting partners outline at the Urban Zero Night the sustainability ambitions in their field of competence and how to enable green mobility in urban space.

Following keynote presentations, there will be a panel debate with Klaus Rosenfeld, CEO Schaeffler; Christian Sewing, CEO Deutsche Bank; Philipp Rode, Executive Director, LSE Cities and a senior urban leader to debate how to manage the challenges and how to best take advantage of the given opportunities in cities.

Host and moderator: Tiina Lee, Chief Executive Officer UKI, Deutsche Bank

9:00-10:15 GMT

Managing the transition to a low carbon economy

The transformation to a sustainable economy and society is the biggest challenge humanity is facing today. The next decade is critical for the low-carbon transition. Economies and corporations around the globe are expected to be severely affected by climate change, but they also have great potential for strategic change, mitigation and adaptation projects. Credibility is key to get the proper support among all stakeholder groups, attract green funding solutions and tackle the sustainability challenge successfully.

Hosted by Jörg Eigendorf, Global Head of Communication & Sustainability

Keynote speech: Gerald Podobnik, Chief Financial Officer Corporate Bank

Deutsche Bank speakers include Lavinia Bauerochse, Global Head of ESG Corporate Bank, Deutsche Bank; Viktoriya Brand, Head of group Sustainability; Claire Coustar, Global Head of ESG FIC; Kamran Khan, Head of ESG APAC; Emily Kreps, Head of ESG Americas

12:45-14:00 GMT

Natural Capital: protecting the ocean and land biodiversity that underpins our economy

Although the global sustainability debate is rightly focused on climate change, related issues such as biodiversity loss and ocean degradation are about to move up the agenda. In October at the biodiversity COP, governments met to agree on a global target for biodiversity conservation that is likely to be backed by regulation. COP26 should provide additional opportunities to shape the global debate, and at the centre of this debate will be the concept of "natural capital" – protecting species and habitats by calculating their value, not as mere commodities but as living providers of "ecosystem services".

Hosted and moderated by Salman Mahdi, Vice Chairman, Deutsche Bank International Private Bank

Keynote speech: Christian Nolting, Chief Investment Officer and Head of Investment Solutions, Deutsche Bank Private Bank

Panelists include Markus Müller, Global Head CIO Office, Deutsche Bank Private Bank; Karen Sack, Co-Chair and Executive Director, Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance; his Excellency Mohamed Nasheed, Former President of the Maldives; Reinout Viersma, Programme Manager of Climate Adaptation, Van Oord

9:00-10:15 GMT

The future of ESG Bonds: Using ESG issuance to drive company transition

ESG Bonds (Green, Social, Sustainability and Transition) have proven to be a vital tool in raising the significant capital required to support the transition to a low carbon economy, with over $650bn of issuance expected in 2021. Deutsche Bank is a clear leader supporting clients in executing successful ESG bond programmes. In this panel we will explore how green or ESG issuances played a role in focussing the organization around decarbonisation and other sustainability objectives, and increasing transparency around ESG to investors. The panel will also explore what lies ahead for this market.

Hosted by Henrik Johnsson, Global Co-Head of Capital Markets, Deutsche Bank AG

Panelists include Kaspar Jensen, Head of Treasury, Orsted; Henrik Johnsson, Global Co-Head of Capital Markets, Deutsche Bank; Michelle Horsfield, Head of Climate Sustainability Standards, Climate Bonds Initiative; Anders Langworth, Head of Group Sustainability, Nordea; Trisha Taneja, Head of ESG Advisory, Deutsche Bank and via live video link Jose Sainz, Chief Financial Officer, Iberdrola

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