StanChart rolls out Sing$ sustainable time deposit

Standard Chartered Bank's Singdollar sustainable time deposit enables retail and private banking investors to get returns for their investments in sustainability. PHOTO: REUTERS

Standard Chartered Bank announced yesterday the launch of its Singdollar sustainable time deposit, the first local currency sustainable deposit product that enables retail and private banking investors to get returns for their investments in sustainability.

The deposits reference loans and projects that the bank has made in support of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as Covid-19 healthcare, food security, renewable energy, access to water and climate change adaptation.

They are similar to a typical fixed deposit in which customers place a sum of money with the bank for a fixed period and get a fixed amount of interest at the end of the tenure. With an initial deposit of $5,000 and above, the interest paid per annum is 0.3 per cent for a tenure of 12 months, according to StanChart's website.

The Singdollar sustainable time deposit follows its earlier US dollar sustainable deposit launched in Asia in October last year that allows both corporate and retail clients to access sustainable financing to support the SDGs.

According to StanChart's 2020 Sustainable Investing Review, nearly four in 10 investors in Singapore are considering allocating 5 per cent to 15 per cent of their funds to sustainable investments in the next three years, with half of the affluent and high-net-worth segment interested or extremely interested in sustainable investing.

Even so, StanChart Singapore chief executive officer Patrick Lee noted there is a "massive shortfall" of US$25 trillion (S$33.5 trillion) in financing globally each year.

"At Standard Chartered, we believe that emerging markets have the greatest opportunity to leapfrog to low-carbon technology, to transit to more sustainable business practices and create good sustainable jobs," he said. "This potential cannot be fulfilled when emerging markets are bearing the brunt of this financing shortfall."

He added that the bank is curating more of such sustainable investing solutions that can deliver both financial performance and sustainability outcomes to meet customer needs.

To ensure the deposits support the SDG themes as intended, the Singdollar sustainable time deposit is governed by the bank's Green and Sustainable Product Framework, which guides the development of green and sustainable products and governs the use of proceeds.

It was developed by StanChart, with the support of Sustainalytics, a provider of environmental, social and corporate governance research and ratings for investor, financial institution and corporate clients.

THE BUSINESS TIMES

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 03, 2020, with the headline StanChart rolls out Sing$ sustainable time deposit. Subscribe