In our credit and investment operations, the Bank’s ESG Strategy sets the framework for managing business opportunities linked to climate adaptation, climate change mitigation, and reducing our environmental impact. These principles are embedded in our lending processes through a series of internal policies, the most significant of which are the Credit Risk Strategy (approved by the Bank’s Supervisory Board) and the Credit Risk Policy (approved by the Bank’s Management Board). The level of integration depends on the customer segment and the nature of the transaction.
These policies aim to:
- Ensure effective credit risk management across the Bank and the Capital Group;
- Define our risk appetite, including ESG-related risks in our lending portfolio;
- Integrate ESG risk, particularly climate risk, into our credit process.
The Credit Risk Policy complements the Credit Risk Strategy, focusing on principles and guidelines concerning credit risk, including ESG factors. These regulations apply across all units involved in customer acquisition, transaction assessment, risk management, and portfolio oversight. The Integrated Risk Management Department is responsible for overseeing these policies within the Bank.
Both the Credit Risk Strategy and the Credit Risk Policy support the reduction of our negative impact on climate change by shaping the balance sheet structure towards low-emission exposures. As a rule, we do not undertake new financing and limit financing for existing customers operating in high-emission sectors, such as electricity and heat generation using hard coal and lignite, ancillary services supporting coal mining and extraction, and the production of machinery and installations for the coal mining industry. Exceptions are made for transformational projects in the Polish energy sector.
The Credit Risk Policy is accompanied by a range of detailed supporting regulations dedicated to identifying and assessing risks in the sustainable development area, particularly climate risk, in relation to strategic and corporate customers, small and medium-sized enterprises, business customers, and local government financing. These regulations enable us to:
- Redirect financial flows towards strategically prioritised areas while maintaining risk appetite;
- Identify high- and medium-emission portfolios and exposures, allowing us to assess the potential for managing the portfolio’s carbon footprint to reduce our climate impact.
Additionally, these detailed regulations serve an informational and educational role, outlining key aspects of ESG risk, including climate risk (transition risk and physical risk) and environmental risk, while defining concepts such as green (sustainable) financing and brown (high-emission) financing. Stakeholders involved in the credit process contribute to the establishment and implementation of credit regulations. Selected aspects of the Bank’s ESG risk appetite are made available to external stakeholders.
From 2024 onwards, ESG risk management processes within the exposure portfolio are governed by a procedure approved by the Vice President overseeing the Risk Management Division, with ownership assigned to the Risk Strategy and Development and ESG Department. This regulation, incorporating the requirements of the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF), the European Banking Authority, and best market practices relevant to the banking sector’s sustainable development, sets out actions for identifying ESG risks, along with methodologies and tools for measurement and control. Specifically, the procedure governs the operation of the strategic limit on green financing for Bank Pekao and the Pekao Group, defined as the percentage share of green financing within the overall financing portfolio. The purpose of this indicator is to support decision-making processes related to business opportunities associated with climate change mitigation and adaptation. The regulation also introduces internal indicators to monitor exposure to high-emission financing (in fossil fuel sectors and fossil-fuel-based energy production) and greenhouse gas emission intensity in corporate financing. These indicators are used to manage and reduce our negative climate impact at the portfolio level. Responsibility for implementing and modifying this regulation is assigned to the Risk Area, as outlined in the Bank’s internal regulations. Additionally, the regulation specifies the scope and manner in which Pekao Capital Group companies report ESG risk information and data to the Bank.