Nedbank's approach to responsible lending is built on 2 commitments: actively directing capital towards sustainable development and ensuring that every financing decision considers its social and environmental impact.
Principles for responsible banking
Nedbank has not formally signed the UN Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB). Our purpose – to use our financial expertise to do good for individuals, families, businesses and society – guides our activities in alignment with the PRB's intent, and we continue to increase our efforts to deliver on the outcomes the principles are designed to achieve.
How we assess deals
Every client-facing credit review and new application includes screening through our Social and Environmental Management System (SEMS) – Nedbank's proprietary framework for identifying and assessing social and environmental risk across our lending portfolio. All transactions in high-impact sectors, including mining, construction, chemicals, oil and gas, manufacturing, agriculture and property development, need social and environmental sign-off before the credit committee considers financing.
For project finance transactions, Nedbank applies the Equator Principles (EP4) and the International Finance Corporation's performance standards – international benchmarks for environmental and social risk management. In 2025, four Equator Principles deals to the value of US$145m had their first drawdown. Of those deals, 3 were in the renewable energy sector and 1 in the construction or infrastructure sector.
Supporting clients responsibly
Responsible lending also extends to clients experiencing financial distress. We offer tailored support to help individuals and businesses manage debt sustainably, including restructuring, payment arrangements, short-term relief, consolidation, debt counselling and payment holidays where appropriate. These interventions support long-term financial wellbeing while maintaining responsible credit management.
We complement these measures through financial wellness and education initiatives that help consumers and small businesses build financial resilience. In 2025 our financial literacy programmes reached more than 5 000 individuals and 5 000 small businesses through targeted consumer and business financial literacy interventions.
What we won't finance
Nedbank's financing exclusions reflect deliberate choices about the transition and our responsibilities to the ecosystems and communities we serve. We do not provide project financing for the following:
- New thermal coal mines
- Shale oil and gas
- Arctic oil
- Tar sands and oil sands
- Deep-water offshore oil and gas
- Coalbed methane
- Any activities that degrade or destroy protected conservation areas or critical habitats
Thermal coal financing is targeted to be less than 0.5% of gross loans and advances by 2030, oil production to receive no new financing from 2035., and exposure to fossil fuel-related activities be at zero by 2045.
