At Scotiabank, we recognize that climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time. It is significantly impacting our natural systems and communities across the globe and poses a significant risk to the global economy and society as a whole – now, and for future generations.
As an international financial institution, we acknowledge the unique role we can play in transitioning to a low-carbon, more resilient economy by accelerating climate solutions through our core business activities and enabling our customers, employees, and communities to thrive.
This is why we have made the following Climate Commitments:
- Mobilize $100 billion by 2025 to reduce the impacts of climate change.
- Ensure robust climate-related governance and transparency in our reporting.
- Enhance integration of climate risk assessments in our lending, financing and investing activities.
- Decarbonize our own operations and find innovative solutions to reduce the Bank’s impact on the changing climate.
- Establish a Climate Change Centre of Excellence to mobilize internal and external collaboration, dialogue and information sharing and contribute to the global conversation on climate change.
To help support these commitments internally, a group of passionate Scotiabankers formed the Environmental & Climate Action Employee Resource Group (ERG). With Scotiabank's Chief Economist as their Executive Sponsor, the ERG focuses on educating Scotiabank employees on various environmental topics and empowering them to make a positive impact in their day-to-day lives.
We chatted with our Environmental & Climate Action ERG Executive Team to learn more about the ERG and their goal to help Scotiabank become a more sustainable workplace!
- Sonia, Branding and Communications
- Brenda, Branding and Communications
- Wanning, Sustainable Merchandise
- Rosemary, Operations
- Angelina, Internal and External Partnerships
Meaghan: Tell me about the Environmental & Climate Action ERG and its mission here at Scotiabank.
Nilla: The Environmental & Climate Action ERG’s mission is to educate and energize employees to make changes in their day-to-day lives to help the environment and fight climate change. With 90,000 Scotiabank employees, we have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact!
Each month, the Environmental & Climate Action ERG provides Scotiabankers with information and ways to take action on one topic relevant to the environment and/or climate change. Some of these topics include sustainable gift-giving, zero waste, saving water, plastic-free living, green transportation, etc. For example, our focus for April is “Saving our Water” where we educate Scotiabankers on easy ways to reduce their water footprint and protect our freshwater ecosystems. The ERG also holds virtual events, webcasts, and publishes resources to help employees work and live more sustainably.
Our ERG launched less than a year ago and we are proud to already have 201 ambassadors and champions across Canada and the Globe, including Europe, LATAM, the Caribbean, and New York!
Meaghan: Why did you decide to get involved in the Environmental & Climate Action ERG?
Nilla: I decided to get involved because I saw so many opportunities that we as Scotiabankers could immediately action to help the environment. With the support of key leaders, I had the unique opportunity to launch this ERG and have so many incredible people join our team. Our expert team has a wealth of education, knowledge, experience, and passion as it pertains to environmental sustainability, and it is that passion that can spark real change.
Rosemary: Environment and sustainability are important issues for me. Volunteering with this ERG allows me to make a difference while working here at Scotiabank. I have learned a great deal from the team and feel that the information we have shared over the past year is starting to make an impact with employees across the Bank. It has been rewarding to watch employee engagement grow and I look forward to seeing this momentum continue!
Meaghan: Why is it important to have this ERG at Scotiabank, and why is it important to you?
Sonia: As we work towards our Climate Commitments, it is important to mobilize and empower our employees to play their part in these commitments. By encouraging Scotiabankers to take small but meaningful action in their day-to-day lives, we can accelerate climate solutions and help our communities thrive. We all have a role to play in our fight against climate change and we are stronger together than apart. It is important to me that our ERG continues to raise awareness, drive the conversation, and take action together.
Meaghan: What are you most proud of that Scotiabank has done to support this ERG?
Angelina: I am most proud of the amazing level of support we’ve received from Executives and Senior Management across the Bank in less than a year since our ERG’s inception. Their support and active participation have been essential for the success we’ve had in engaging employees and amplifying our message.
I am also proud of all the Scotiabankers who have actively joined our monthly challenges and have reshared our content with peers. Fighting climate change is a joint effort and I am very proud of how quickly our employees have recognized this.
Meaghan: How do you feel that you are making a difference in the lives of Scotiabank employees?
Wanning: As an organization, we have our Corporate Sustainability team to help guide our environmental practices on an enterprise level, but the Environmental & Climate Action ERG enables employees to come together as individuals who are passionate about making a significant, collective impact on sustainability across Scotiabank. We also help make sustainable action more accessible to Scotiabankers who may be interested in doing what’s best for the environment but require some additional support. The topic can be overwhelming, so we focus on easy, immediate steps Scotiabankers can take to make a difference together.
Meaghan: Can you share some simple, yet powerful changes we can all make in our day-to-day lives to help the environment?
Brenda: Our plastic water bottle and sustainable coffee campaigns highlighted some of the easiest ways to make more environmentally friendly decisions! The negative impact of single-use water bottles on our personal health, our wallets, and our environment is shocking – only 10% of these water bottles are recycled and it takes 1000 years for the plastic to fully decompose. We encouraged our employees to make the easy and affordable switch to a reusable water bottle, and we encourage our readers to do the same!
Another immediate action we can take is to be more conscious of our coffee consumption! This includes buying fair trade coffee to support a sustainable environment, using a reusable mug instead of single-use cups, and buying recyclable, aluminum single-use pods to avoid these pods ending up in a landfill. Although these actions seem small, they make a huge impact given most of us consume water and coffee every day. If each one of us commits to making these changes, we can truly make a difference and work towards becoming #SustainableTogether.
Check out Scotiabank’s full list of Employee Resource Groups and learn how we are growing an environment to thrive.
