Natural Capital

A few key results

Natural Capital Declaration

Only Australian bank to sign the Natural Capital Declaration.

Credit Risk

Established a working group to integrate consideration of natural capital into our credit risk decisions.

Why is this important?

Natural Capital is part of our journey towards understanding natural capital risks and opportunities, and integrating natural capital considerations into our day-to-day decision making and risk assessment processes.

The world's stock of natural capital produces a wide range of ecosystem services, such as the provision of clean water, pollination services of bees, decomposition of wastes and many more, which allow human life to thrive.

As our population grows, the impacts of degrading our natural capital pose significant challenges for our economic prosperity. Vice versa, by investing in building our natural capital, we can enhance business resilience and productivity.

We need to manage our natural capital with the same diligence that we manage our financial capital. This means accounting for the availability of clean water, investing in biodiversity and putting a value on soil conservation.

What do we do?

We’ve put in place our Natural Capital strategy

Our Natural Value strategy is built on understanding the linkages and dependencies of natural capital upon customers, operations and supply chains. It is founded upon integrating this understanding into our products, services and building capability within our networks.

Initially, we have focused upon our agribusiness customers. However our commitment to Natural Value extends across our entire business.

We’ve listened to our customers

In 2017 we completed our third farmer sustainability survey which spoke to farmers right across Australia. 91% rated soil health a significant business risk. Energy costs, biodiversity, run-off and water scarcity were all rated as key business risks. Three quarters had made a recent change to their business to address a sustainability risk.

This is the third time in four years that the farmer sustainability survey has been completed with results showing a slight uplift in concern this year. In aggregate, nearly 10,000 customers have been surveyed to date.

Below are some great Natural Value stories:

We’ve initiated Natural Value training across our banker network

Building banker capability is an important part of the success of our Natural Value program. We’ve developed a number of tools and initiatives to equip our bankers with the knowledge and capability to positively engage with customers on key Natural Value issues.

We’ve also formed a Natural Value Champions network made up of 25 Agribusiness bankers who cascade the Natural Value communications to our network of 550 agribankers across Australia.

We’ve worked with valuation experts and deepened our involvement in the agribusiness space

We’re working with valuation experts to explore the links between the good management of natural capital assets, financial performance and business resilience.

In partnership with CSIRO, we are investigating the linkages between natural capital and on farm financial risk and productivity. This work aims to identify the key metrics that can be used to identify good natural capital management, how these metrics might be tracked cost-effectively and how material they are to farm performance. In short, we are working to find metrics that will help to identify sustainably managed land.

This will bring transparency to the market for agricultural land - enable those landholders who manage their land well to attract competitive risk-based prices on their debt, premium prices for their land and to communicate to high value markets that their produce is sustainable.

As part of our commitment to driving awareness and engagement on Natural Value, we’ve presented at various agricultural conferences and public events.

We’re the only Australian bank to sign the Natural Capital Declaration (NCD)

The Natural Capital Declaration (NCD) – an initiative of the Natural Capital Finance Alliance (NCFA) – is a global statement that recognises that natural capital poses significant potential risks and opportunities to the finance sector. In December 2011, NAB was one of two inaugural signatories to the NCD globally, and to date is the only Australian bank to sign.

Participating in the NCFA and endorsing the NCD is part of our journey towards understanding natural capital risks and opportunities, building the tools and methodologies to integrate natural capital considerations into our day-to-day decision making processes and risk assessment, and supporting our collaboration with others as we work to help our business (and our sector) adapt for a sustainable future.

By taking a leadership role in the NCD, NAB has the opportunity to raise the global profile of the exceptional work being undertaken by Australian farmers.

The NCD is convened by the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative and the Global Canopy Programme.

Environmental approach

We're committed to understanding and managing the impacts and dependencies of our business on the environment.

Climate change

The impacts of climate change and climate-related policy are having a growing effect on our business, our customers and the communities in which we operate. That's why we're taking action.

Environmental products and services

We’re helping our customers take action for the good of the environment and their business.

Resource scarcity

We’re working towards minimising waste and reducing consumption.

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NATURAL CAPITAL

A few key results

Natural Capital Declaration

Credit Risk

Why is this important?

What do we do?

We’ve put in place our Natural Capital strategy

We’ve listened to our customers

We’ve initiated Natural Value training across our banker network

We’ve worked with valuation experts and deepened our involvement in the agribusiness space

We’re the only Australian bank to sign the Natural Capital Declaration (NCD)

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Environmental approach

Climate change

Environmental products and services

Resource scarcity

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NATURAL CAPITAL

A few key results

Natural Capital Declaration

Credit Risk

Why is this important?

What do we do?

We’ve put in place our Natural Capital strategy

We’ve listened to our customers

We’ve initiated Natural Value training across our banker network

We’ve worked with valuation experts and deepened our involvement in the agribusiness space

We’re the only Australian bank to sign the Natural Capital Declaration (NCD)

Discover more

Environmental approach

Climate change

Environmental products and services

Resource scarcity