OSB Group joins the UN's Net Zero Banking Alliance

To reinforce its commitment, OSB Group said it is pledging to achieve net zero emissions made through the group's operating footprint by 2030, and net zero emissions across its business activities, including where customers use its products and services, by 2050

OSB Group joins the UN's Net Zero Banking Alliance

Specialist lender OSB Group has announced that it has joined the United Nations Net Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA), pledging to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

“I am delighted that following our decision to become carbon neutral for our operational emissions in 2021 and to demonstrate our continued and long-term dedication to climate change, we have joined the Net Zero Banking Alliance and committed to assisting with our industry’s efforts to achieve its decarbonisation goals and to achieve net zero gas emissions by 2050,” Andy Golding, chief executive officer of OSB Group, said. “Not only have we committed to mitigate the operational emissions of 2021, we are doing the same for 2022 and will continue to do so while we progress towards net zero.”

To reinforce its commitment, OSB Group said it is pledging to achieve net zero emissions made through the group’s operating footprint by 2030, and net zero emissions across its business activities, including where customers use its products and services, by 2050.

OSB Group said that, from 2022, it will announce products and services to support and invest in greener finance, helping its customers make the lifestyle changes required in their homes, businesses, and investments by creating green products and services that make it easier for them to invest in tackling climate change.

Read more: Mark Carney: Financial services has ‘jumped ahead of government’ on issue of climate change.

“We’ve carefully selected quality, verified carbon mitigation schemes, focussing on areas aligned to the decarbonisation of the housing sector,” Golding said.

The projects, he said, include, among others, a solar energy project in India, bringing reliable solar power and solar water heating systems to buildings reliant on grid electricity.

“We believe that even though there is much detail still to be defined in the UK’s pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions, it’s critical for us to make the pledges we have announced today and to take a committed stance. This commitment has energised us to develop detailed plans to achieve this ambitious goal for the group and its stakeholders and I’m looking forward to the journey ahead of us,” Golding said.