The planet’s biological diversity is an integrated and intricate web of life that provides essential economic, cultural, recreational and ecological benefits to humanity. The relentless and accelerating loss of this biodiversity is one of the world’s most pressing environmental problems.

The bank’s policy should ensure that it will only be involved in the financing of companies which have adopted the prevention of biodiversity loss as a leading principle and be systematically incorporating action into practice. Find here what BankTrack considers 'best practice' in preserving biodiversity.

0. The bank has no policy on this issue;
   
1. The bank’s policy makes a general commitment to the protection of biodiversity in its financing activities, but does not commit to clear steps;
   
2. The bank’s policy makes a clear commitment - in line with the recommendations as in the chapter on biodiversity - to one of the main elements of biodiversity protection (ecosystem and habitat protection; species protection and genetic materials protection);
   
3. The bank’s policy makes a clear commitment - in line with the recommendations as in the chapter on biodiversity - to at least two of the three main elements of biodiversity protection (ecosystem and habitat protection; species protection and genetic materials protection);
   
4. The bank’s policy is fully in line with the recommendations as in the chapter on biodiversity for the three main elements of biodiversity protection (ecosystem and habitat protection; species protection and genetic materials protection).

The climate is rapidly changing as a result of human activity. Temperature and water levels are rising. Ecosystems are altering rapidly as a result and societies run the risk of being hit by floods and cyclones. If continued unchecked, climate change threatens to change life on earth beyond recognition.

As financiers of many investment projects, banks should play a leading role in reducing climate change, by promoting the shift towards a carbon extensive economy. Find here what BankTrack considers 'best practice' in climate change policy.

0. The bank has no policy on this issue or has a policy that deals only with operational emissions;
   
1. The bank’s policy acknowledges the bank has a responsibility for its financed emissions, but does not commit to clear steps;
2. The bank’s policy aims to measure and reduce the bank’s financed emissions OR takes concrete steps to shift its financing to renewable energy and a carbon-extensive economy (excluding unacceptable alternatives);
   
3. The bank’s policy aims to measure and reduce the bank’s financed emissions AND takes concrete steps to shift its financing to renewable energy and a carbon-extensive economy (excluding unacceptable alternatives);
   
4. The bank’s policy sets ambitious (about 90%) portfolio-level reduction targets and is actively shifting its portfolio towards renewable energy and a carbon-extensive economy (excluding unacceptable alternatives).

Business has the potential to impact upon human right, both positively and negatively, in a multiplicity of ways. The manner by which a company hires and fires its workers, structures and manages its production processes, purchases supplies and services, conducts itself in its host community can all profoundly affect the promotion or realisation of human rights.

Banks need to develop a policy that ensures they will only be involved in the financing of companies which act in line with what is captured in the draft UN Human Rights Norms for Business. Find here what BankTrack considers 'best practice' for human rights and compare to the score given below.

0. The bank has no policy on this issue;
1. The bank’s policy is vaguely worded or aspirational, for instance by endorsing the Global Compact or the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, with no clear commitments;
2. The bank’s policy defines a bottom-line on human rights-related activities and practices which will not be financed OR requires a Human Rights Impact Assessment for relevant transactions, sectors and countries;
3. The bank’s policy defines a bottom-line on human rights-related activities and practices which will not be financed AND requires a Human Rights Impact Assessment for relevant transactions, sectors and countries;
4. The bank’s policy is fully in line with the UN Human Rights Norms for Business.

Throughout the world indigenous peoples are disproportionately vulnerable to human rights abuses, loss of culture, loss of land and access to territories, and even to the threat of extinction.

Businesses need to respect and guarantee the rights of indigenous peoples to protect their land, societies, cultures and livelihoods by acknowledging their sovereignty and self-determination. The bank’s policy should ensure that it will only be involved in the financing of companies which respect and guarantee these rights. Find here what BankTrack considers 'best practice' in dealing with indigenous peoples.

0. The bank has no policy on this issue;
1. The bank’s policy endorses the UN Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples or a similar statement but is not precise on what this means in practice;
2. The bank’s policy defines a bottom-line on human rights-related activities and practices which will not be financed OR requires an impact assessment with respect to the rights of indigenous peoples for relevant transactions, sectors and countries;
3. The bank’s policy defines a bottom-line on human rights-related activities and practices which will not be financed AND requires an impact assessment with respect to the rights of indigenous peoples for relevant transactions, sectors and countries;
4. The bank’s policy is fully in line with the UN Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and requires an impact assessment with respect to its elements for all relevant transactions. The policy puts a ban on the bank’s direct, indirect and silent complicity with the violation of the rights of indigenous peoples.

Protecting people in the workplace is a fundamental responsibility of companies and governments. All businesses should ensure that workers have the right to be free from discrimination and abuse, to work in a safe environment, to associate freely with co-workers and representative organisations, and to earn fair wages and benefits.

Banks must develop a policy that ensures that they will only be involved in the financing of companies which fully respect workers' rights. Find here what BankTrack considers 'best practice' for labour rights.

0. The bank has no policy on this issue;
1. The bank’s policy stimulates its clients to adhere to the four ILO fundamental principles and rights at work and/or the Tripartite Declaration, but does not make clear how this affects the bank’s financial services;
2. The bank’s policy defines a bottom-line on labour-related activities and practices which will not be financed OR requires an assessment of the client’s adherence to the four ILO fundamental principles and rights at work and/or the Tripartite Declaration for relevant transactions, sectors and countries;
3. The bank’s policy defines a bottom-line on labour-related activities and practices which will not be financed AND requires an assessment of the client’s adherence to the four ILO fundamental principles and rights at work and/or the Tripartite Declaration for relevant transactions, sectors and countries;
4. The bank’s policy ensures respect for local, national and international law and adherence to the four ILO fundamental principles and rights at work and the Tripartite Declaration in all its spheres of influence.

Stimulated by global competition, the liberalization of capital markets and developments in information and communication technologies, corporations are increasingly pursuing aggressive tactics to avoid or sometimes even evade paying taxes.

All businesses should pay all appropriate taxes in the countries they are operating in, to finance essential public goods such as health care, infrastructure and social security. A bank’s policy should ensure that it will only be involved in the financing of companies which are living up to this fundamental principle and refrain from facilitating tax evasion. Find here what BankTrack considers 'best practice' on taxation policies.

0. The bank has no policy on tax compliance;
1. The bank’s policy on tax compliance in its financing activities is vaguely worded or aspirational, with no clear commitments other than that the bank ensures legal compliance (no tax evasion);
2. The bank’s policy on tax compliance includes some important elements, including statements on legal compliance and on tax compliance to the spirit of the law (no tax avoidance), but is not sufficiently consistent;
3. The bank’s policy on tax compliance sets as precondition for all its financing services one of the following three conditions: transparency and country-by-country reporting, compliance to local regulations OR refraining from aggressive tax avoidance schemes;
4. The bank’s policy on tax compliance in its financing activities is completely consistent with world-class standards, setting as precondition for financing transparency and country-by-country reporting, compliance to local regulations AND refraining from aggressive tax avoidance schemes.

Man-made chemicals are all around us. During their manufacture and use, toxics are released into the environment. Hazardous man-made chemicals have contaminated every environment and up to 300 man-made toxics have been found in humans.

The bank’s policy should ensure that it will only be involved in the financing of companies which only use toxics in production processes when their safety is scientifically proven. Find here what BankTrack considers 'best practice' in toxics.

0. The bank has no policy on this issue;
1. The bank’s policy is vaguely worded or aspirational, with no clear commitments;
2. The bank’s policy on toxics contains several standards included in either REACH or SAICM;
3. The bank’s policy requires all clients in sectors producing and consuming chemicals to comply fully to REACH or to SAICM;
4. The bank’s policy requires all clients in sectors producing and consuming chemicals to comply to the precautionary principle, which means that toxics can only be used in production processes when their safety is proven scientifically.