Standard Chartered announces zero carbon credit card

Friday, 23 November 2012 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Standard Chartered announces the first zero carbon credit card in the country in partnership with the Conservation Carbon Company (CCC). Subramaniam Eassuwaran, Director of CCC handed over the certificate to Sanjay Wijemanne, Head of Consumer Banking, in a ceremony held on Friday 16 November at Standard Chartered’s Head Office.

The zero carbon credit card team

Standard Chartered recently launched its Green Cover Project, an initiative to reduce paper wastage, whereby the Bank will pledge to plant a tree for every customer signing up for an eStatement. The carbon credits accumulated by this imitative and other environment focused sustainability activities of the Bank, such as the planting of 200 trees along the stretch of beach at Kosgoda by the Bank’s volunteers and the replenishing of degraded forest cover in Atale, were used to offset the credit card’s carbon footprint.

Sanjay Wijemanne, Head of Consumer Banking, speaking at the handover ceremony said: “The conservation and protection of the environment has always been a focus activity for our volunteers, and we are pleased to be able to announce that our efforts have yielded a significant prize. We look forward to our peers in the industry following our lead in offering carbon neutral or carbon zero products to their customers as well, thereby engendering positive impacts for the benefit of the environment in general.”

Standard Chartered’s groups of volunteers will continue to engage in restoring imperilled habitats by replanting lost or destroyed flora coverage under the Green Cover Project. The Bank’s sustainability agenda is focused on minimising the negative impact on the environment, and Standard Chartered customers now have the opportunity to actively participate in ensuring the conservation of our environment for future generations by engaging with the Bank’s eStatement facility as well as its zero carbon credit card..

Sanjay Wijemanne receives the certificate from Subramaniam Eassuwaran

Subramaniam Eassuwaran, Director of the Conservation Carbon Company commented: “Many organisations would resort to purchasing the carbon credits to offset their footprints, and it is encouraging to see a bank acquiring sufficient credits on the strength of its environmental contribution. We all have a contribution to make and the onus lies with all of us and not simply with the manufacturing and production sectors, service sector industries too can make a significant contribution to conserving and replenishing the environment.”

Standard Chartered is a leading international banking group. It has operated for over 150 years in some of the world’s most dynamic markets and earns more than 90 per cent of its profits in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. This geographic focus and commitment to developing deep relationships with clients and customers has driven the Bank’s growth in recent years. Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong stock exchanges as well as the Bombay and National Stock Exchanges in India.

With 1,700 offices in 70 markets, the Group offers exciting and challenging international career opportunities for nearly 87,000 staff. It is committed to building a sustainable business over the long term and is trusted worldwide for upholding high standards of corporate governance, social responsibility, environmental protection and employee diversity. Standard Chartered’s heritage and values are expressed in its brand promise, ‘Here for good’.