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Our position statements

Prohibited activities

Effective Q3 2024*

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Our commitment

Standard Chartered is committed to promoting economic and social development in the markets we serve. We seek to drive positive impact whilst at the same time reducing potential negative impacts to people and planet through managing environmental and social (E&S) risks.

There are a minimum set of standards that we apply to our clients regardless of the sector in which they operate and these are set out in our cross sector Position Statements on Human Rights, Climate Change and Nature. Our approach is informed by international standards including the IFC Performance Standards, the Equator Principles, OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Furthermore, clients must comply with all applicable laws and regulations and we expect that their approach be guided by international conventions, international standards and best practice.

Negative threshold criteria from our cross sector and sector specific Position Statements are captured below. These should be read in conjunction with those Position Statements. How we apply our Position Statements is explained in our Environmental and Social Risk Management (ESRM) Framework

Cross sector requirements

We will not provide financial services to clients who:

We will not provide financial services directly towards projects or activities that:

Agribusiness

Please see our Agribusiness Position Statement

We will not provide financial services to clients who:

Animal welfare

We will not provide financial services directly towards:

¹ exotic leather includes leathers from alligators, crocodile, lizards, python and kangaroos

Aquaculture and wild fisheries

We will not provide financial services to clients who:

Biofuels

We will not provide financial services directly towards:

Forestry

We will not provide financial services to clients who:

Palm oil

We will not provide financial services to clients who:

Soy

We will not provide financial services to clients who:

Chemicals and manufacturing

Please see our Chemicals and Manufacturing Position Statement.

Chemicals

We will not provide financial services to clients who:

Manufacturing

We will not provide financial services to clients who:

Extractive industries

Please see our Extractives Position Statement.

We will not provide financial services directly towards:

Metals and mining
Oil and gas

We will not provide financial services directly towards projects or activities, including associated export facilities, which involve the exploration or production of:

We will not provide financial services directly towards:

Power generation

Please see our Power Generation Position Statement.

Fossil fuel power

We will not provide financial services directly towards:

Thermal coal

Please see our Thermal Coal Position Statement.

Project or asset level criteria

We will not provide new financial services and will phase out existing financial services towards Thermal Coal Assets.

Client entity level criteria

We will not provide new financial services and will phase out existing financial services to client entities who:

  1. acquire or invest in Thermal Coal mines or Thermal Coal-fired power plants;
  2. develop Thermal Coal Assets; or
  3. are:

Client entity level criteria do not apply to client entities who:

  1. are 5 per cent. or less dependent on Thermal Coal Activities (based on percentage of revenue).
  2. use Thermal Coal for captive purposes to support the manufacturing process in industries such as aluminum, cement and steel where there is no economically viable alternative.

Client entities undertaking Thermal Coal Activities will be subject to Enhanced Due Diligence. Where we phase out the provision of existing financial services under this position statement, we will do so in accordance with existing contractual arrangements.

Important notice

How we apply our cross sector and sector specific Position Statements is explained in our Environmental and Social Risk Management (ESRM) Framework. This Position Statement should be read in conjunction with our ESRM Framework, which explains in greater detail how our Position Statements are applied in practice. Please refer to the Important Notice included in our ESRM Framework, which also applies to this Position Statement.

*Specific date to be confirmed in Q3 2024.