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Sustainability
Our net zero roadmap
We’ve achieved net zero in our own operations and aim to be net zero in our financed emissions by 2050.
We are working across our business and functions to deliver on our net zero commitments. We prioritise measurement and decarbonisation efforts in the highest-emitting and most carbon-intensive sectors of our portfolio, demonstrating our commitment to supporting the transition of the real-world economy, alongside working to reduce emissions from our own operations and supply chain.
Key milestones
Our net zero roadmap
2021
Launched our roadmap to net zero by 2050, including interim targets and a supporting methodology.
Announced plans to mobilise USD 300 billion in Sustainable Finance by 2030.
Published our inaugural Transition Finance Framework.
2022
Developed financed emissions baselines and interim 2030 targets for the Aviation, Shipping and Automotive Manufacturers sectors.
Joined the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF).
2023
Announced our enhanced Oil and Gas absolute financed emissions target.
Updated our Power and Steel sector baselines and targets, moving from a revenue-based intensity metric to a production-based intensity metric.
Developed financed emissions baselines and set interim 2030 targets for four additional sectors.
2024
Measured and disclosed an agriculture baseline and target, becoming the first GSIB to have measured and disclosed a baseline and target for all 12 high-emitting sectors recommended by the NZBA.
Set a baseline and target for our facilitated emissions portfolio focusing on the oil and gas sector.
2025
Issued the Group’s first Transition Plan.
Achieved net zero in our Scope 1 and 2 emissions.
Calculated the Group’s financed methane emissions intensity for the upstream oil and gas sector.
Exceeded our target of at least $1 billion sustainable finance annual income by 2025.
2030
We expect to have substantially reduced our exposure to the thermal coal mining sector in line with our Position Statements.
Aim to meet the Group’s financed and facilitated emissions interim targets set for high-emitting sectors.
2032
Targeted end date for legacy direct Thermal Coal Mining financing globally.
2050
Aim to become net zero in our financed emissions.
Key documents
Transition Plan
Discover our framework to operationalise our net zero ambition.
Net Zero Methodological White Paper
See how we plan to manage and measure our progress through our commitment to sector-specific, science-based methodologies for defined high-emitting sectors.
We engaged EY to check that our targets are science-based, meet the long term temperature goal of the Paris Agreement and are mathematically accurate in reference to the third party scientific scenarios. This makes us the first Global Systemically Important Bank (GSIB) to have such external confirmation.
Read EY’s public report to view its findings.
Our emissions profile
We focus on three areas to reduce emissions.
0.01%
Our operations: Scopes 1 and 2
0.86%
Our supply and value chain: Scope 3, Categories 1-14*
99.13%
Our clients: Scope 3, Category 15
Our approach to managing our emissions
Explore how we’re delivering in each area and see our recent progress.
We aim to be net zero in our financed emissions by 2050
The vast majority of our emissions are linked to our investment and lending activities, known as financed emissions.
We have prioritised our measurement and decarbonisation efforts in the highest-emitting and most carbon-intensive sectors of our portfolio, and are continuing to work with our clients where we can have the greatest impact.
Recent progress
We have:
- Set and disclosed science-based interim 2030 financed emissions targets for our 12 highest-emitting sectors. Detailed progress against those targets – for which we are predominantly on track – is communicated in our Annual Report 2025.
- Set a facilitated emissions target for oil and gas, which currently makes up the majority of emissions within our facilitation portfolio.
- Analysed the intensity of our upstream oil and gas portfolio for methane. We found our portfolio compares favourably to the IEA NZ Emissions 2030 methane target.
We have set long-term targets to reduce emissions in our supply chain
In line with the Group’s sustainability agenda, we are managing impacts in our supply chain.
- We plan to direct at least 50% of our total spend* with suppliers who have set science-based emissions reduction targets.
Recent progress
In 2025, we:
- Advanced our commitment to building a resilient and responsible supply chain by reducing our upstream Scope 3 emissions by 20 per cent *
- Continued to prioritise collaboration with suppliers actively pursuing decarbonisation. As of 2025, 54 per cent of our supplier spend is now with suppliers with science-based emissions reduction targets in place.*
We’re working hard to cut our emissions and minimise our environmental impact.
- In 2018, we set a target to be net zero in our Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2025. We define this in accordance with the ISO IWA 42 definition of Net Zero.
- In 2022 we joined RE100, a global corporate initiative for businesses committed to achieving 100 per cent renewable electricity.
- We aim for 90 per cent of our waste to avoid landfill by 2030.
Recent progress
In 2025, we:
- Achieved net zero in our Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, having taken all possible steps to reduce residual emissions by 96 per cent from a 2018 baseline of 148 ktCO2e to just 6 ktCO2e, in line with ISO IWA 42.
- Achieved 100 per cent renewable energy for Scope 2.
- Our RE100 performance for 2025 is 95 per cent. While we strived to achieve 100 per cent, market maturity varies significantly by geography, which constrains full coverage, particularly within Africa and the Middle East (for example, Bahrain, Qatar, Botswana, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Tanzania and Zambia). In these markets we continue to actively monitor developments and aim to transition to RE100 certified mechanisms as they become available.
- Certified nearly 130 buildings across our office and branch portfolio to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), WELL or other prominent local certification programmes
- Reduced our overall waste generated by 49 per cent from our 2018 baseline and achieved 74 per cent avoidance from landfill.
- Slightly improved our water efficiency metric by 5 per cent from 0.53 kilolitres per square metre in 2024 to 0.49 kilolitres per square metre in 2025. This is a 54 per cent reduction from our 2018 baseline.
Latest news and insights
Fuelling change in aviation
Listen to our podcast on how sustainable aviation fuel could help reduce airline emissions, amidst other strategies airlines are pursuing to achieve their net zero targets.
Building a sustainable supply chain
To facilitate delivery against our long-term commitments, we’ve partnered with Dell Technologies to support a more sustainable purchasing model for our technology needs.
Standard Chartered has an important role to play in supporting our clients, sectors and markets to deliver net zero, but to do so in a manner that supports livelihoods and promotes sustainable economic growth. We provide financial services to clients, sectors and markets that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions however we’re committed to managing our environmental and social risks and to becoming net zero in our financed emissions by 2050.
Learn more about our approach.
* See our Annual Report 2025 for full details on our emissions reporting and targets.