ANZ and WWF join forces to change business decision-making

ANZ and WWF join forces to change business decision-making

21 Nov 2006

ANZ and WWF-Australia today launched a strategic three-year partnership that aims to change the way business decisions are made.

The two organisations have worked together to develop a very practical program focusing on environmental finance, responsible lending in sensitive industry sectors, reducing ANZ's environmental footprint and building awareness and understanding of sustainability issues among ANZ staff.

The combined strength of ANZ's business and investment bankers and WWF's international network of specialists will be brought to bear on a program which sets out to:

* Develop and embed environmental policies and performance benchmarks to inform business decision-making for ANZ and its clients

* Provide ANZ staff with the skills and information they need to engage with clients on reducing environmental impact.

Mr Steve Targett, Group Managing Director Institutional, ANZ said: "This partnership, which has taken many months to design and build, gives us the opportunity to work with WWF for the good of our planet. It's as simple, and as difficult, as that. The three-year agreement asks of us - bankers, business people, professionals - that we use our skills and knowledge to better effect, in the interests of environmental and social sustainability."

Mr Targett said the agreement was a recognition that changing the way a bank and its clients make business decisions was a tough ask, and one which could better be achieved in partnership with an expert and global conservation organisation.

"We have an important role to inform and engage others including our clients, on how they deal with the environment, their people and social issues. This partnership will assist us to focus on tangible outcomes that will make a difference," said Mr Targett.

Mr Greg Bourne, CEO, WWF-Australia said: "We believe engaging companies from within is a stronger method of creating change in the way business is done. We are working with ANZ to create business policies that truly benefit the environment. These policies will have clear and measurable environmental targets.

"The development of environmental management policies that meet world standards and have high performance targets in high impact industries such as energy, forestry and mining will make ANZ a leader in sustainable finance," said Mr Bourne.

ANZ and WWF have developed 5 key workstreams for the partnership, that will be used as benchmarks of success:

1. Rigour: Building ANZ's capacity for rigorous decision-making based on environmental standards, particularly in the development of policies and guidelines for sensitive sectors such as forestry

2. Learning: Helping ANZ's people to learn about the environment (eco-literacy) and helping WWF's staff and supporters learn about how the corporate and investment banking can impact positively on the environment

3. Discipline: Reducing ANZ's environmental footprint by focusing on waste, water, electricity and fuel usage

4. Leading: Working with WWF on the bigger picture - the business case and the practicalities of Australia becoming an environmentally sustainable economy by 2030

5. Research: Our contribution to environmental science, through a major research project we will develop with WWF.

The partnership is international and extends to regions significant to both organisations, including regions in which ANZ's clients conduct operations, or where WWF International has country-specific expertise.

Find out more

Sue-Ellen Atherton, Manager External Communications, ANZ Institutional

Phone: 03 9273 4766

Email: athertos@anz.com

Angela Heck, Communications Manager - Partnerships, WWF-Australia

Phone: 02 8202 1268

Mobile: 0421 053 023

Email: aheck@wwf.org.au

source

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