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Environmental footprint

Our highest priority is to make reductions within our emissions categories and to reduce as much as we can to minimise our own operational footprint. However, some emissions are unavoidable, and Danske Bank has been offsetting remaining operational emissions annually since 2009.

Our offsetting practices have evolved over the years, and in 2022 we set increased ambitions informed by current best practices and leading authorities, such as the SBTi Net-Zero methodology and the Oxford Offsetting Principles.

As from 2022, we purchase 100% carbon removal offsets for our internal operations, ensuring that every tonne is compensated for by 1 tonne of CO2e removed from the atmosphere.

Target & status

This target links to Sustainable Development Goal #13: Climate action.

  • 2030-target: 80% reduction in carbon emissions in scope 1 and 2 from 2019 and 60% reduction in carbon emissions in scope 1, 2 and currently measured scope 3 categories from 2019*  
  • 2022 status: 55% carbon emissions reduction since 2019. The significant reduction is a result of the corona pandemic and new ways of working.


*Find more information about scope 1, 2 and 3 in our climate plan. 

Selected initiatives

Eliminating fossil fuels for heating
By 2022, we will have eliminated emissions from on-site heating across all sites.

In Denmark, we will purchase biogas certificates of origin to transition on-site gas usage to carbon-neutral heating, and in Northern Ireland we are replacing oil and gas boilers with heat pumps and electric radiators.
Waste segregation
In 2020, we established waste segregation stations at all offices and branches and replaced all individual waste bins to increase our recycling rate from 45% to 75%.

From 2022, we will be able to track the waste flows by means of quarterly waste reports that detail recycling rates and carbon emissions from waste from across the Group. 

Sustainable food purchasing
In 2021, we reviewed the food-purchasing process for our canteens in Denmark, and we set targets for increased local and seasonal sourcing and reduced consumption of red meat at our canteens across the Nordic countries and in Lithuania.

In 2022, we will assess the climate impact of food purchased in all our canteens. 

 

Selected publications & policies

In our Sustainability Report you can read more about our carbon reduction initiatives - for example energy-efficient buildings and electric vehicle charging stations.
  • 09. maj 2023Sustainability Report 2022
  • 08. maj 2023Sustainability Fact Book 2022
  • 02. feb 2023Statement on Carbon Neutralisation 2022
  • 20. jan 2023Climate Action Plan
  • 25. mar 2021Danske Bank Position Statement Climate Change
See more

Sustainable sourcing

We strive to ensure that the products and services we buy are produced responsibly. The Supplier Code of Conduct applies to all our suppliers. 

  • Risk profile assessment on the basis of information about the type of products and services in the tender and where they are produced.

  • Suppliers that are assessed as high-risk are asked to complete an additional in-depth questionnaire about their ESG policies and performances.

  • If we deem the result of the self-assessment questionnaire to be unsatisfactory, we engage in dialogue and agree on a corrective action plan, if needed.