I’m a fast-growing financial institution and we are interested in setting a SBT. We’d like to set an absolute scope 1&2 target and an intensity target for scope 3. We are thinking of an economic intensity based on annual revenue, but looking into the GEVA approach, growth in value added is equal to average GDP growth. We expect our annual growth to be much higher than GDP growth. Thus, does it make sense for us to set an economic-based intensity target for scope 3, or should we do something else, like physical based? If physical based, can we use revenue as the denominator?
Hello, thanks for posting! GEVA is not an accepted method for FI’s scope 3 category 15 targets. Please review Chapter 5. Approaches to Setting Scope 3 Portfolio Targets in the FI Guidance for the three methods we accept from FIs on their investments and lending activities.
Thank you for the insights. We are actually quite unique in the sense that we do not have any financed emissions (scope 3 category 15). We are an online bank, and our customers’ deposits go directly to our partner banks, so we do not hold any deposits. Because of this, we don’t invest in any listed equity or corporate bonds, we don’t issue any business loans or have investments in unlisted equity, we don’t directly finance project, nor are we involved in commercial real estate investments, mortgages, or motor vehicle loans. That said, would you consider us a FI? Or would we be labeled more as a tech firm? If the latter is true, I’m curious about my original question of a fast growing company using GEVA. We consider ourselves a financial institution, but the line is blurred because we don’t have any financed emissions. We do, however, manage a mutual fund, but the emissions from managing a mutual fund is not required because we only manage the money in it and do not invest any of our own capital into the fund.
Hi,
It sounds like you are an FI and that you could consider your partner banks your “supply chain”, hence scope 3.
Regarding your mutual fund, whilst banks are currently not required to set targets for mutual funds, it is recommended. Asset managers are required to set targets for mutual funds if they have influence over the investment strategy or have voting rights, regardless if they are the asset owner or not. Best practice for you would be to do the same. If you exclude the mutual fund you need to disclose this. See p 54 in the FI Guidance.