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Danske Bank’s
Climate Action Plan
Our Roadmap to Net Zero
January 2023
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Contents
Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending
2
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
About this report
Our Climate Action Plan covers the activities of the Danske Bank Group.
The report provides an overview of our targets, actions and initiatives in
relation to our climate efforts.
We have committed to setting science-based targets and have submitted
our targets for validation by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). The
targets may change as a consequence of the validation process.
The Climate Action Plan includes information that is subject to
uncertainties stemming from limitations in underlying methodologies
and data. In our analysis and target-setting, we have deployed estimates
based on various frameworks and methodologies as discussed
throughout the Climate Action Plan and in the appendices. As methods
and data availability is constantly evolving, updates to methodologies and
assumptions may result in different conclusions.
In alignment with net-zero recommendations, targets, actions and initiatives
in relation to our climate efforts requires forward-looking parameters and
longer-term time horizons to account for the nature of climate change. The
forward-looking statements made in this report reflect our current view of
future events and are based on expectations, projections and estimations
that involve large uncertainties and risks, including, but not limited to,
future market conditions, changes in regulation and realisation of plans and
strategic objectives. The forward-looking assessments may therefore be
subject to change and should not be viewed as reliable indicators of future
performance or as complete or accurate accounts of actual performance.
Caution must therefore be exhibited when interpreting this report.
The achievement of our set targets is dependent on the collaboration with
and the initiatives of our customers, investee companies, and international
and domestic governments.
The developments towards our sector may not be linear as development in
technologies and other fundamental circumstances may affect individual
sectors year on year.
This publication has been prepared for information purposes only, and it is
not to be relied upon as investment, legal, tax, or financial advice.
We expect data quality and coverage to increase over the coming years,
driven by increased reporting and disclosure obligations. New and improved
guidance and scientific research is also expected, and Danske Bank
reserves the right to update targets, methodologies and approaches and to
perform relevant restatements of baselines when relevant.
Get in touch
We welcome any comments, suggestions or questions you may
have regarding this report or our performance. Please send an
email to [email protected].
Follow us
You can stay up to date on the most recent developments at
danskebank.com/sustainability, and you can follow Danske Bank
on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
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Asset management
Life insurance and pension
Own operations
Looking to the future
Appendix
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
3
Contents
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Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Danske Bank Group targets
Approach to climate action
Lending – Supporting our customers’ transition
Lending targets
Shipping
Oil and gas
Power generation
Other carbon-intensive sectors (steel and cement)
Commercial real estate
Personal mortgages
Agriculture
Approach to advisory services and solutions
New technologies
Asset management – Enabling investments in the green transition
Asset management targets
Approach to climate investing
Life insurance and pension – Facilitating investments in the green transition
Life insurance and pension targets
Approach to decarbonising our portfolios
Own operations – Reaching net zero
Own operations targets
Approach to reducing our own environmental footprint
Looking to the future
Appendix
Appendix 1 – Lending
Appendix 2 – Asset management
Appendix 3 – Life insurance and pension
Appendix 4 – Own operations
Appendix 5 – Abbreviations
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Contents
Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending
4
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
We have the
responsibility
and ability
to make a
difference.
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Asset management
Life insurance and pension
Own operations
Looking to the future
Appendix
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
5
Dear reader,
Over the coming decades, climate
change will remain the greatest chal-
lenge facing our societies, posing risks to
lives and livelihoods, to business models,
financial assets and to our very way of
life on planet Earth.
Although climate change represents a
profound threat to our societies and the
global economy, the green transition
is also a commercial opportunity for
entrepreneurs and businesses that work
to provide ideas and solutions that make
this transition possible. And the green
transition provides opportunity for all of
us to reinvent our economies to make
them more resilient and sustainable.
A profound responsibility
At Danske Bank, we are committed to
playing a leading role in supporting the
green transition to a low-carbon society.
And as Denmark’s largest bank and one
of the largest financial institutions in the
Nordic countries, we have the respon-
sibility and ability to make a difference
– for our around 3.3 million customers,
and more broadly in the societies we
are a part of. We contribute by providing
specialist financial advice and by financ-
ing our customers’ transition to a more
sustainable future.
The main challenge in fighting climate
change is to transition to a low-car-
bon energy system. Today, the energy
produced from fossil fuels that keeps
our lights on, heats or cools our homes,
transports our goods and fuels their
production accounts for around 75% of
carbon emissions globally. To pivot our
societies away from fossil fuel dependen-
cy, we need to build a resilient and sus-
tainable energy system. To succeed, we
need to significantly expand the supply of
renewable energy while at the same time
making the necessary investments on
the demand side to enable the adoption
of new electric and low-carbon technolo-
gies as well as continuing to drive energy
efficiency.
Danske Bank plays a critical role by
helping households and businesses to
invest in energy efficiency and to transi-
tion towards clean energy sources. We
also support the development of a more
sustainable energy supply by working
with energy utilities and oil and gas com-
panies to finance the development and
expansion of renewable energy, reduce
emissions and speed up the transition to
a low-carbon energy system.
We fully support the transition
The challenge ahead is not merely to
work with companies that are already
green today. As a bank that works
across all areas of the economy, our role
is to engage with our customers and in-
vest in companies that have the potential
– and the commitment – to support the
transition to a low-carbon society.
At Danske Bank, we have made major
strategic commitments to leading inter-
national frameworks, thereby expressing
our commitment to transition our busi-
ness activities to net zero. In 2019, we
became a signatory of the UN Principles
for Responsible Banking, and during
2020 and 2021 we became members
of the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance,
the Net Zero Asset Manager Initiative
and the Net-Zero Banking Alliance.
These commitments require us to align
our core strategy, governance, lending
and investments with the objectives
of the UN Sustainable Development
Goals and to set ambitious intermediate
targets in line with the best available
scientific research while continuously
reporting on execution and progress
towards becoming net zero by 2050 or
sooner.
Targets will steer our path towards
net zero
To deliver on the commitments, we
have set intermediate 2030 targets for
carbon emission reductions across our
lending and investment portfolios, includ-
ing for the most high-emitting sectors
within our activities as well as for our
own operations. And to ensure that our
efforts are consistent with the goals of
the Paris Agreement, we have sent our
targets to the Science Based Targets
initiative to validate that our methodol-
ogies are based on the latest scientific
research and that our targets are in
alignment with limiting global warming
to 1.5°C.
We have worked hard to set targets for
our business and develop the tools and
the systems to measure and assess our
climate impact. This includes disclosing
our financed emissions baseline, setting
intermediate net-zero targets, outlining
our strategic actions, and enabling us
to transparently report on our progress
towards achieving the goals we have set
for ourselves, our customers and society.
Creating sustainable progress for
generations to come
At Danske Bank, we unite around our
purpose of releasing the potential in peo-
ple and businesses by using the power
of finance to create sustainable progress
today and for generations to come. As
a leading Nordic bank, we want to play
a key role in the sustainability transfor-
mation. We have a clear ambition to
lead on sustainable finance in the Nordic
countries, and to be the leading bank for
sustainable finance in Denmark.
The challenges ahead are daunting, but
in addressing these challenges we will
continue to play the role that we have
always played. For 150 years, we have
helped our customers adapt and benefit
from new times and opportunities, and
we remain committed to continuing to
do so, as we advance on the journey
towards a low-carbon society.
Carsten Egeriis
Chief Executive Officer
Danske Bank
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Contents
Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending
6
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
Our role in the green transition
Transforming the global economy to net
zero will require a revolution on the scale
of the industrial revolution and at the
same pace as the digital revolution.
This will call for investments on an
enormous scale, and the financial sector
must therefore play an instrumental role
in helping to raise the capital needed
and in helping to ensure capital is used
constructively and allocated in line with
the objectives of the 2050 net-zero
ambitions.
The International Energy Agency (IEA)
has estimated that the world needs to in-
vest between USD 4 and 5 trillion every
year between now and 2050 to reach
a net-zero economy. This corresponds
to more than USD 120 trillion over the
coming decades, or 25% more than the
current global GDP.
1
Raising capital is only part of the
challenge
Investments and capital flows on this
scale will offer historic opportunities for
growth, innovation, job creation and com-
mercial progress. But capital investment
of this magnitude also brings signifi-
cant risks of misallocation and wasted
resources.
1
2
Raising sufficient amounts of capital to
support the sustainability transformation
is therefore only part of the challenge.
It will be of equal importance to ensure
that this capital is used constructively
and allocated towards projects and ac-
tivities that are socially, environmentally
and commercially sustainable.
Striking this balance by carefully assess-
ing risks and opportunities is exactly
what banks do, which is why the finan-
cial sector must play a crucial role as a
catalyst for the green transition over the
decades to come.
A catalyst for change
For 150 years, Danske Bank has played
a key role in major transformations of
the societies we are part of, and we are
committed to acting as a catalyst for
change and to helping our customers
adjust and benefit from new opportuni-
ties by offering investment, savings and
financing opportunities.
Our portfolio covers most sectors,
including sectors with a material carbon
footprint. This means that Danske
Bank is both part of the current climate
challenge and a catalyst for the needed
transition. As a leading Nordic bank
we see it as our obligation to achieve a
net-zero portfolio through supporting our
customers in their green transitions.
At Danske Bank, we are committed to
ensuring that our financing activities
are aligned with the Paris Agreement
and with the goal of achieving a net-zero
economy by 2050. To avoid any discrep-
ancy between our commitments and our
actual achievements – between ambition
and action – we have set 2030 emis-
sion reduction targets for the four main
impact areas of our business.
Our four impact areas
1.
Lending:
the money we lend to cus-
tomers
2.
Asset management:
the invest-
ments we make on behalf of our
customers
3.
Life insurance and pension activi-
ties:
the pension assets we manage
on behalf of our beneficiaries
4.
Own operations:
the emissions we
generate through daily business
operations
There are several challenges and uncer-
tainties in relation to data and methodol-
ogies when measuring CO
2
equivalent
(CO
2
e) emissions,
2
but according to our
IEA (2021): Net Zero by 2050 - A Roadmap for the Global Energy Sector
See appendix 1, 2, 3 and 4 for methodological considerations, data sources and limitations.
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Asset management
Life insurance and pension
Own operations
Looking to the future
Appendix
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
7
Scope 1, 2 and 3 explained
The GHG Protocol Corporate Standard classifies a company’s green-
house gas (GHG) emissions into three ‘scopes’.
• Scope 1
emissions are emissions from company owned or controlled
sources and therefore known as direct emissions, e.g. from vehicles.
• Scope 2
emissions are emissions from the generation of purchased
energy and are therefore known as indirect emissions, e.g. from elec-
tricity.
• Scope 3
emissions occur in the company value chain, including both
upstream and downstream emissions, and are therefore known as in-
direct emissions (not included in scope 2), e.g. from the supply chain.
For financial institutions, the largest source of scope 3 emissions
is financed emissions, which are generated as a result of financial
services, investments and lending. These emissions fall under scope
3 category 15 in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
Source: Adopted from the Greenhouse Gas Protocol
Figure 1.1: Danske Bank impact areas and its measured CO
2
e emissions
Lending
The money we lend to
customers
Measured CO
2
emissions
18.8 million tCO
2
e
(2020)
Scope and coverage
Scope 3
92% of corporate and personal
customers portfolio
Asset management
The investments we make on
behalf of our customers
Life insurance and pension
The pension assets we manage
on behalf of our beneficiaries
Own operations
The emissions we generate
through daily operations
16.6 million tCO
2
e
(2020)
5.7 million tCO
2
e
(2020)
0.007 million tCO
2
e
(2022)
Scope 3
68% of assets under
management
Scope 3
73% of assets under
management
Scope 1, 2, and
selected scope 3
categories
>99.9%
<0.02%
current calculations, our entire carbon
footprint amounts to 41.1 million tonnes
of CO
2
e emissions across scope 1, 2
and 3 in the Group.
As can be seen from figure 1.1, the vast
majority of our carbon footprint (more
than 99.9%) comes from scope 3 cat-
egory 15 – financed emissions relating
to the emissions of our customers and
companies we invest in. Within scope 3,
we measure the most financed emis-
sions within our lending activities, which
accounts for around 18.8 million tonnes
of CO
2
e, equalling around 46% of our
carbon footprint. This is followed by our
second impact area, asset management,
where we measure around 16.6 million
tonnes of CO
2
e emissions, equalling
around 40% of our total emissions. In
our third impact area, life insurance and
pension, we measure 5.7 million tonnes
of CO
2
e emissions, equalling around
14% of our total emissions.
In comparison, our own direct emissions
are very limited, accounting for only
around 0.007 million tonnes of CO
2
e,
equivalent to around 0.02% of our total
emissions.
We will therefore be able to achieve
the most significant positive impact in
collaboration with our customers and
investee companies.
As a lender, we offer financing solutions
that allow our customers to invest in
sustainable change – whether it is a
family choosing an energy improvement
loan for a more energy-efficient home, a
business switching to an electrical vehi-
cle fleet or a large corporate taking
a green loan to finance projects that
have clearly defined environmental
benefits.
As an investor that invests on behalf of
our customers and our beneficiaries,
we use our position to influence and
encourage the companies we invest in to
progress in a more sustainable direction.
We also support the long-term develop-
ment and growth of these companies
by engaging in direct dialogue, voting at
general meetings and collaborating with
other investors.
By integrating climate considerations
into everything we do and by acting as a
catalyst for positive change, we intend to
turn challenges into opportunities – for
our customers and for Danske Bank. We
also aim to transform these opportuni-
ties into real sustainable change for the
societies that we are part of.
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Contents
Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending
8
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
Our plan to achieve net zero
Committed to reaching net zero
Danske Bank has committed to become a
net-zero bank by 2050 or sooner, and this
commitment steers our climate efforts
and the impact we want to have. We
joined the UN-supported Principles for
Responsible Investment (PRI) in 2010,
and following the adoption of the Paris
Agreement in 2015, we have joined
multiple initiatives and alliances that
have helped us develop the framework
and the tools to raise our ambitions and
ensure progress on our net-zero journey
(see non-exhaustive list of initiatives and
alliances, including net-zero alliances, in
the timeline below).
Our Climate Action Plan is anchored in
our purpose of releasing the potential
in people and businesses by using the
power of finance to create sustainable
progress today and for generations to
come. The plan also builds upon many
years of commitment and action, includ-
ing engagement with customers, industry
partners and society that has helped us
shape our course of action and set inter-
mediate net-zero targets.
Building upon years of action and commitment (non-exhaustive list)
2006
First CSR report
published
2007
Joined the UN
Global Compact
2008
First Responsi-
ble Investment
Policy
2009
Began offsetting
carbon emis-
sions from our
own operations
2010
Became a
member of the
UN-supported
Principles for
Responsible
Investment (PRI)
2015
Became an early First sector-
adopter of the
specific position
Paris Pledge for statements
Action
2016
2019
First reporting
according to
the recommen-
dations of the
Task Force on
Climate-related
Financial
Disclosures
2019
Became a
founding
signatory of the
UN Principles
for Responsible
Banking (PRB)
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Asset management
Life insurance and pension
Own operations
Looking to the future
Appendix
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
9
What is net zero?
Net zero means reducing greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions to as close to zero as possi-
ble, with any remaining emissions to be
reabsorbed in a sustainable manner, for exam-
ple by afforestations or engineered solutions.
The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)
defines corporate net zero as “Reducing scope
1, 2 and 3 emissions to zero or to a residual
level that is consistent with reaching net-zero
emissions at the global or sector level in
eligible 1.5°C-aligned pathways” and “neutral-
izing any residual emissions released into the
atmosphere thereafter”.
Source: United Nations and Science Based Targets initiative
Danske Bank Group targets will steer our path
As a financial institution, Danske Bank
interacts with the entire economy, includ-
ing multiple sectors that have individual
challenges and transition paths. Conse-
quently, setting sufficient and relevant
climate targets is a complex task. To
ensure that we are steering towards net
zero and to account for this complexity,
we have decided on a comprehensive
and broad range of climate targets.
Our target-setting has taken the follow-
ing aspects into consideration:
• the overall objectives of the Paris
Agreement – near-term (2030) and
long-term (2050)
recommendations and methodolo-
gies from leading industry associa-
tions and scientific research
Danske Bank’s overall strategic
direction and Group-wide net-zero
ambition
(WRI) and the WWF that seeks to drive
ambitious climate action in the private
sector by enabling organisations to set
science-based emissions reduction
targets.
3
The SBTi provides companies with clear-
ly defined pathways and tools to reduce
emissions in line with the goals of the
Paris Agreement. Targets are considered
science based when they align with what
the latest scientific research deems
necessary for limiting global warming to
well below 2°C above preindustrial levels
and pursuing efforts to limit warming to
1.5°C.
To validate that our targets are based
on the latest scientific research and are
aligned with the Paris Agreement, we
have submitted our targets for validation
by the Science Based Targets initiative
(SBTi). The SBTi is a partnership between
the CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclo-
sure Project), the UN Global Compact
(UN GC), World Resources Institute
SBTi methodologies
The SBTi framework proposes three different methodologies for target-
setting for financed emissions, which can be used alone or together:
1. Sectoral Decarbonisation Approach
is a method for setting physical
intensity targets using sector-specific convergence of emissions
intensity. For each sector, the CO
2
e intensity of the portfolio is
measured at a base year, from which a target path to 2050 can be
derived. Portfolio emissions intensity refers to the financed emissions
relative to a specific production output, e.g. tonnes of CO
2
e per MWh
of energy produced.
2. Temperature Rating Approach
is a method for financial institutions
to determine a portfolio’s current ‘temperature value’ based on the
public emissions reduction targets of the companies they engage
with. Financial institutions can align the portfolio’s temperature value
in a base year with a long-term temperature target.
3. Science Based Targets coverage
is a method to set targets on the
share of customers who themselves are approved by the SBTi as
being in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Source: Science Based Targets initiative
3
Science Based Targets initiative
2020
Volume targets
set for sustaina-
ble investments
and sustainable
financing
2020
Commitment
to aligning our
lending portfolio
to the climate
goals of the
Paris Agreement
2020
Became a
member of the
Partnership
for Carbon
Accounting
Financials (PCAF)
2020
Danica Pension
joined the Net-
Zero Asset Owner
Alliance
2021
Danske Bank
joined the Net
Zero Asset
Managers
Initiative and
Net-Zero Banking
Alliance
2022
2030 targets set
for reduction of
financed emis-
sions from lending
to sectors with
most impact - as
the first Nordic
bank to do so
2023
Danske Bank
committed to the
Science Based
Targets initiative
– targets pending
validation
2023
Launch of
comprehensive
Climate Action
Plan
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Contents
Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending
10
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
At Danske Bank we have set comprehensive climate targets for our four impact areas: lending, asset management, life insurance
and pension, and own operations. Please see an overview of our climate targets in figure 3.1 below.
Figure 3.1: Overview of Danske Bank’s decarbonisation targets
Objective
Supporting our customers’ Paris-aligned transitions
Danske Bank has set intermediate decarbonisation targets across core business activities and own operations
Impact
areas
Lending
Our intermediate targets
2030 sector emission intensity
reduction targets
4
Shipping
Oil and gas -
upstream
6
Oil and gas -
refineries
7
Power
generation
Steel
~50%
Asset
management
Life insurance and pension
Own operations
2030 temperature rating
reduction targets
4
Implied temperature rating
of our investment products
from 2.7°C in 2020 to 2.1°C
(scope 1 and scope 2)
Implied temperature rating
of our investment products
from 2.9°C in 2020 to 2.2°C
(scope 1, 2 and 3)
2030 temperature rating
reduction targets
4
Implied temperature rating of
our listed equities and credits
from 2.5°C in 2020 to 2.0°C
(scope 1 and scope 2)
Implied temperature rating of
our listed equities and credits
from 2.8°C in 2020 to 2.2°C
(scope 1, 2 and 3)
2030 emissions reduction
targets
5
Carbon emissions in
scope 1 and 2 from 2019
80%
Carbon emissions in scope
1, 2 and currently measured
scope 3 categories from
2019
60%
50%
25%
50%
30%
2030 carbon intensity reduction
target
4
Weighted average carbon
intensity of investment
products
50%
2025 sector emission intensity
reduction targets
5
Real estate
Energy
55%
2025 engagement target
4
Engagement with the 100
largest emitters
Transportation
Power generation
Cement
Steel
Scope 1, 2 and 3
until 2030
69%
15%
20%
35%
20%
20%
Cement
Commercial
real estate
8
Personal
mortgages
8
25%
55%
For more details, see the
lending section and
appendix 1
For more details, see the asset
management section and
appendix 2
For more details, see
the life insurance and pension
section and appendix 3
For more details, see
the own operations section and
appendix 4
Target submitted for SBTi, validation pending
Target not submitted for SBTi validation
Baseline year 2020
Baseline year 2019
6
Absolute emission reduction targets set
7
Partly absolute emission reduction targets set
8
Targets for Commercial Real Estate and Personal Mortgages are based on a weighted portfolio exposure across Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. For Commercial Real Estate Denmark the
target corresponds to 75% reduction by 2030. For Personal Mortgages Denmark the target corresponds to 75% reduction by 2030.
4
5
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Asset management
Life insurance and pension
Own operations
Looking to the future
Appendix
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
11
Motivation behind our targets
1. Lending:
For our lending portfolio, we
have set 2030 targets for the most cri-
tical sectors. We have chosen individual
sectoral decarbonisation approaches
in sectors where these are available,
as recommended by the SBTi, to most
accurately steer our impact, facilitate
engagement and measure progress.
Most of our lending targets are intensity
based, which enables us to focus on
achieving real economy efficiencies.
However, setting intensity targets may
lead to an increase in absolute financed
emissions if our total exposure grows.
We will continuously work to improve
our financed emissions coverage and set
targets for additional sectors as recogni-
sed guidelines, methodologies and data
becomes available for more sectors.
2. Asset management:
For the in-
vestments we make on behalf of our
customers in our asset management
activities, we have set SBTi-aligned
temperature rating targets and a carbon
intensity reduction target, all of which are
supported by our engagement target.
The temperature rating targets have
been established by utilising the SBTi’s
temperature rating tool, which assesses
the transition plans of the companies we
invest in. For each company, a tempera-
ture value is assigned based on the com-
pany’s climate plans, and these tempera-
ture values are aggregated as a portfolio
temperature value. This value and our
temperature rating targets will ensure
that companies in our portfolio will have
planned actions that are aligned with a
net-zero future, thereby incorporating a
forward-looking element into our target
suite. Our temperature rating targets for
2030 will lead our transition towards
net-zero alignment by 2050 or sooner
as all investee companies will need to
converge towards having 1.5°C-aligned
plans in place by 2040, leaving ten years
for execution.
The portfolio intensity reduction target
(tonnes of CO
2
e per million of turnover in
DKK for the respective companies in the
investment portfolio) assesses whether
a company’s transition is following the
needed decarbonisation trajectory. The
intensity target measures actual reducti-
ons achieved and therefore incorporates
a backward-looking element to our target
suite.
We also believe that engagement is an
effective and necessary tool to drive
progress in the real economy. Our en-
gagement targets ensure that we take
responsibility in working with investee
companies to encourage them to transiti-
on their business models aligned with a
net-zero economy.
Temperature rating targets and intensity
reduction targets can be seen as com-
plementary, combining both forward- and
backward-looking perspectives.
3. Life insurance and pension:
For our
life insurance and pension assets, we
have also set temperature-rating targets
and carbon intensity reduction targets.
As with our asset management activi-
ties mentioned above, the temperature
rating targets ensure that our portfolio is
aligned with a 1.5°C temperature trajec-
tory and that the companies we invest
in have Paris-aligned transition plans in
place.
We have in addition set intensity reduc-
tion targets for five key sectors within
Danica Pension’s portfolio, and as a
major real estate owner in Denmark
through Danica Pension, we have also
set a specific emission intensity reduc-
tion target for the real estate sector.
Setting both temperature rating targets
and intensity targets combines forward-
and backward-looking perspectives in
our target suite.
4. Own operations:
In our own operati-
ons, emissions generated through our
daily business operations, such as hea-
ting of our buildings and business-related
travel, are covered.
We have set an 80% reduction target by
2030 covering scopes 1 and 2 where
data quality is higher than in scope 3 and
we have more control over the emissi-
ons.
In addition, we have set a 60% reduction
target for all of our scope 1, scope 2 and
currently measured scope 3 categories
in order to capture as broad a scope as
possible. We continue to work on increa-
sing our coverage by obtaining data for
additional scope 3 categories.
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Contents
Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending
12
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
Approach to climate action
To ensure efficient execution and trans-
parency within our climate efforts, we
have implemented a governance struc-
ture consisting of five elements:
1. Positions
Policies and climate-related
position statements
Our policies govern and guide our
approach to and principles for conduct-
ing our business in a sustainable and
responsible manner, aligned with our
climate targets. We use our policies and
positions statements in our daily work,
and they form the foundation for a con-
structive and forward-looking dialogue
with our customers and stakeholders.
Our Sustainable Finance Policy and posi-
tion statements on climate change, fossil
fuels, forestry, agriculture, and mining
and metals are publicly available.
9
2. Organisation
Roles and responsibilities
We have set out clear roles and respon-
sibilities for approving, executing, and
monitoring progress on our strategic
direction, including our path towards net
zero and our climate-related policies. Cli-
mate-related issues are anchored at the
level of the Board of Directors (BoD) and
the Executive Leadership Team (ELT).
3. Competences
Training of employees and leadership
in climate-related matters
Building and nurturing competences
within the sustainability area is key
and needs to involve all layers of the
organisation. To embed a culture of
responsible banking and to enable our
colleagues to engage with our custom-
ers on the climate agenda, all employees
receive mandatory annual training within
sustainability, risk and compliance. This
is supplemented with specialised sus-
tainability training for specific business
areas.
4. Processes
Managing climate-related risk
and opportunities
Sustainability issues such as climate
change create new opportunities for our
business and for our customers. At the
same time, we are subject to climate-re-
lated risks from our own operations and
from the activities of our customers and
the companies in which we invest on
behalf of our customers. We take a risk-
based approach in prioritising risk man-
agement efforts for sectors that are likely
to be exposed to transition and physical
risks, and we seek to leverage com-
mercial opportunities for our business
and for our customers by developing
sustainability-related products, advisory
services and partnership offerings.
5. Collaboration
Climate partnerships
Because the net-zero transition is a
collaborative effort across countries, civil
societies, industries and businesses,
ensuring the best possible conditions
for collaborating, sharing knowledge and
best-practices is key – as is influencing
and contributing to the development
of relevant standards. Since 2007, we
have joined and supported a range of in-
ternational sector- and industry-specific
initiatives, such as net-zero alliances, the
Task Force on Climate-related Financial
Disclosures and the Partnership for
Carbon Accounting Financials.
Approach to climate action
1. Positions
Strategic
ambition
Value realisation
towards net zero
5. Collaboration
2. Organisation
4. Processes
3. Competences
For more information on our governance structure and execution, please see our
sustainability website, our annual sustainability report and our TCFD reporting.
9
https://danskebank.com/sustainability/publications-and-policies
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Asset management
Life insurance and pension
Own operations
Looking to the future
Appendix
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
13
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Contents
Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending
14
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
Lending
– Supporting our customers’ transition
Financing the green transition
At Danske Bank, we want to be a leading
financial partner when it comes to
helping our customers succeed in their
green transition. The net-zero transition
requires major amounts of financing for
companies to invest in new technolo-
gies and solutions, transform business
operations and achieve net-zero supply
chains.
Danske Bank has a broad and diverse
exposure across our markets. Out of
a credit exposure of around DKK 2.73
trillion,
10
personal mortgages make up
31%, corporate customers
11
around
33%, and commercial real estate 12%
(see figure 4.1).
While we do engage with heavy-emitting
sectors, these represent a very small
share of our loan portfolio. In total,
shipping, oil and gas, power generation,
cement, and steel constitute only around
3% of our portfolio.
Figure 4.1: Danske Bank loan exposure distribution
Personal Customers
Corporates (LC&I and BC)
Commercial real estate 12%
Public and
financial institutions 18%
Personal mortgages 31%
Personal other 6%
Corporates – all other 33%
In order to assess materiality from a
climate perspective, financed emissions
are a helpful tool to measure where we
as a financial institution can have the
largest impact. This also helps stake-
holders make high-level comparisons of
financed emissions between different
financial institutions.
Although our exposure to heavy-emit-
ting sectors is limited, they represent
the vast majority of our total financed
emissions. Shipping is the most material
sector, being responsible for 42% of our
financed emissions, followed by oil and
gas accounting for 15% (see table 4.1).
In contrast, personal mortgages make
up 31% of our total loan portfolio but are
only responsible for 5% of our financed
emissions. In total, we estimate that the
financed emissions from our carbon-
mapped corporate and private lending
Exposure coverage – financed emissions vs emission targets
Our financed emissions as of year-end 2020 are calculated according
to the PCAF methodology, which includes only on-balance exposure.
Within our on-balance exposure, we are currently focusing on our
corporate and private lending portfolios. Financed emissions are
measured for about DKK 1.46 trillion of the on-balance exposure,
equivalent to 92% of our total corporate and personal customers
portfolio. Compared with our disclosures in our annual accounts, we
use on-balance credit exposure to align as much as possible with the
PCAF standard. See appendix 1 for our exclusions details.
Our sector targets are set for both on- and off-balance exposures,
thereby departing from the PACF reporting standard. We include on-
and off-balance exposures to better reflect the commitments made
towards our customers and can therefore also take into account the
risk associated with emission-intensive customers who use products
such as revolving credit facilities or lines of credit.
All numbers are based on our year-end 2020 portfolio as this report sets our 2020 baseline. See our Annual Report 2021 p. 161 for a definition of credit exposure. Total loans account for loans and
credits and the DKK 2.73 trillion deviates from the DKK 1.46 trillion carbon-mapped exposure (see table 4.1) which only accounts for the on-balance exposure according to the PCAF methodology.
11
Corporate customers include Large Corporates and Institutions (LC&I) and Business Customers (BC)
10
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Asset management
Life insurance and pension
Own operations
Looking to the future
Appendix
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
15
portfolio account for around 18.8 million
tonnes of CO
2
equivalent (CO
2
e) per year,
corresponding to an intensity of approx-
imately 13 tonnes of financed CO
2
e per
million on-balance DKK per year.
12
The sector distribution of our financed
emissions shows where we can have the
biggest impact by supporting our cus-
tomers’ transitions. By engaging in our
high-emitting sectors, we can contribute
to driving change within global supply
chains, and we can make a positive
difference with a reach that extends
significantly further than just Denmark
and the Nordic region.
Table 4.1: Carbon-mapped portfolio overview, year-end 2020 data
Of which
scope 3
financed
emission
(ktCO
2
e)
Business
Corporates
Segment
Shipping
Oil and gas
Upstream
Refineries
Other
Utilities and
infrastructure
Power generation
Other
14
Agriculture
Construction and
building materials
Cement
Other
Commercial real
estate
15
Metals and mining
Steel
Other
Other corporates
16
Total - Corporates
On-balance
exposure
(DKK bn)
18.3
6.4
3.2
0.4
2.8
36.5
13.9
22.7
59.2
19.7
0.4
19.3
259.9
3.4
0.5
2.9
220.8
624
833
1,457
Emission
scopes
included
Scope 1+2
Scope 1+2
Scope 1+2+3
Scope 1+2+3
Scope 1+2
Scope 1+2
Scope 1+2
Scope 1+2
Scope 1+2
Scope 1+2
Scope 1+2
Scope 1+2
Scope 1+2
Scope 1+2
Scope 1+2
Scope 1+2
Scope 1+2
Financed
emission
(ktCO
2
e)
7,878
2,834
1,525
837
471
2,647
949
1,698
2,145
402
219
184
236
145
41
103
1,506
17,792
Share of
financed
emission
42%
Intensity
(tCO
2
e/
DKK m)
431
440
473
2,077
167
72
68
75
36
20
585
10
1
43
89
35
7
29
1
13
Scope 1&2
data quality
score
1.9
2.5
1
13
1.1
13
4.3
3.4
2.5
4.0
4.0
4.0
1.0
4.0
4.4
3.6
1.0
4.0
3.8
4.0
4.2
4.1
2,303
1,493
811
15%
8%
4%
3%
14%
5%
9%
11%
2%
1%
1%
1%
1%
0%
1%
8%
2,303
95%
5%
Personal
Customers
Personal
mortgages
15
Total
Scope 1+2
1,034
18,826
2,303
100%
What to consider when using financed emissions as a measure
Changes in financed emissions can occur due to several factors:
• changes in actual real-world emissions from a company or collateral
• changes in exposure or company/collateral value, e.g. changes
related to the attribution factor
• changes in underlying data sources or estimation methodology
When making a comparison of financed emissions from two different
reporting periods, all three factors of change should be kept in mind.
This is particularly relevant in sectors where a relatively small number
12
13
of customers account for the highest concentration of emissions, where
on-balance exposure can vary significantly.
Whereas our approach makes use of several methodologies, our
financed emission calculation is largely based on the Principles for
Carbon Accounting Financials standard (PCAF).
The financed emissions presented in this chapter are estimated using
on-balance exposure only.
See appendix 1 for a description of coverage
The scope 3 data quality score for oil and gas upstream and oil and gas refineries is equivalent to 1.1 for each. Due to limited data availability and high uncertainties in estimation methods for
scope 3, scope 3 emissions are currently only included for the oil and gas upstream and refineries segments, which provide sufficiently good data quality
14
Other includes for example district heating, water treatment and electricity transmission, -distribution and -trading
15
Only includes property related exposure
16
Include amongst others consumers goods, pulp and paper (chemicals), and offshore
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Contents
Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending and Financing
Lending
16
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
Lending targets
We have updated and expanded our climate targets for our loan portfolio by setting targets for high-emitting sectors, based on
analysis of our loan exposure, our total financed emissions, customer analysis, and the quality of GHG emission data.
Our sector scope is aligned with the list of priority sectors included in the SBTi, the Net-Zero Banking Alliance and the Guidelines
for Climate Target Setting for Banks developed by the UNEP FI, see a summarised overview in table 4.2 below:
Table 4.2: Overview of our lending targets
Emission
scopes
included
Scope 1
17
2020
target
baseline
18
3.8%
2030
Target
0%
2030 target
%-reduction
~50%
Share of
Share of
financed
measured
emissions loan portfolio
35%
<1%
Target-
setting
method
SDA
19
/
Poseidon
Principles
Sector
Shipping
Metric
Alignment
delta as in
Poseidon
Principles
Financed
emissions
million
tCO
2
e
Financed
emissions
thousand
tCO
2
e
gCO
2
e/MJ
Oil and gas
(upstream)
Scope
1+2+3
3.3
1.6
50%
SDA
19
absolute
Oil and gas
(downstream
refining)
Scope 1+2
73.1
54.8
25%
13%
<1%
Sectoral
decar-
bonisation,
projection
Sectoral
decar-
bonisation,
projection
Oil and gas
(downstream
refining)
Scope 3
71
53.3
25%
Power
generation
Steel
Cement
Commercial
real estate
– Nordic
portfolio
20
Personal
mortgages –
Nordic
portfolio
kgCO
2
/
MWh
tCO
2
/t
tCO
2
/t
kgCO
2
/m
2
Scope 1
72
36
50%
5%
1%
SDA
19
Scope 1+2
Scope 1+2
Scope 1+2
1.17
0.64
13.5
0.82
0.48
6.0
30%
25%
55%
<1%
1%
1%
<1%
<1%
18%
SDA
19
SDA
19
SDA
19
kgCO
2
/m
2
Scope 1+2
14.3
6.4
55%
5%
57%
SDA
19
Each specific sector target(s) and methodology is detailed in the following sections. Within utilities, we have focused on power
generation, not only because it is one of the most important levers in the transition and has relevance for other sectors such as
commercial real estate and personal mortgages but also because it is a sector where we have good data quality. We have also in-
cluded a section on agriculture – even though we have not yet set a target due to immature technologies, governmental plans and
data quality, it is of critical importance that we address this sector also.
The sections on the specific sectors will be followed by a section explaining how we will support target realisation through our
advisory services and product offerings.
Vessels’ fuel usage
Sectoral Decarbonisation Approach
19
The target baselines and targets are calculated on basis of both on and off balance credit exposure
20
Residential and non-residential
17
18
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Asset management
Life insurance and pension
Own operations
Looking to the future
Appendix
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
17
Target metrics
For most of our sector targets, we have set a physical intensity metric
(emissions per economic output, e.g. kgCO
2
/MWh) instead of an
absolute emission metric. This allows us to take into account the
different decarbonisation paces of different industries and helps us
to understand and contextualise the reduction causes in an industry.
For example, are the emission reductions achieved due to a decrease
in production as happened during the COVID-19 pandemic or are
the emission reductions achieved by our customers due to efficiency
gains in the production of, for example, power, cement and steel?
Moreover, it encourages Danske Bank to achieve emission reduction
through customer engagement and support in their decarbonisation
journeys rather than achieving absolute emission reductions through
divestment.
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Contents
Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending and Financing
Lending
18
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
Shipping
Table 4.3: Our target for the shipping sector
Emission
scopes
included
Scope 1
17
2020
target
baseline
3.8%
2030
Target
0%
2030 target
%-reduction
~50%
Share of
financed
emissions
35%
Share of
measured
loan portfolio
<1%
Target-
setting
method
SDA /
Poseidon
Principles
Sector
Shipping
Metric
Alignment
delta
With a DKK 18.3 billion on-balance
exposure and corresponding 7.9 million
tonnes of financed CO
2
e emissions in
2020, shipping is the most material
sector in Danske Bank’s decarbonisation
trajectory.
Shipping is by far the most emission-
efficient way of transporting goods over
long distances. However, shipping is a
hard-to-abate sector due to the lack of
scalable solutions for long freight routes.
Overall, shipping accounts for 2.9% of
global GHG emissions and emissions are
projected to increase by 50% by 2050
under a business-as-usual scenario due
to a large increase in demand.
21
More-
over, the vast majority of the emissions
in the shipping sector originate from
international shipping, which is not part
of the Nationally Determined Contribu-
tions (NDCs) under the Paris Agree-
ment. Instead, the International Maritime
Organization (IMO) is responsible for
overseeing the decarbonisation of the
sector. In 2018, the IMO adopted an
initial strategy to reduce GHG emissions
from international shipping by at least
50% by 2050 in relation to 2008 levels.
In recognition of these efforts, Danske
Bank is a member of the global Getting
to Zero Coalition and, along with 29
other signatories, is a founding member
of the Poseidon Principles (PP) – an
initiative developed by financial institu-
tions seeking to assess and disclose
the climate alignment of their shipping
finance portfolios with the IMO’s decar-
bonisation ambition. In 2020, over 80%
of Danske Bank’s financed emissions
from shipping were attributed to vessels
engaged in international trade and
therefore were covered by the Poseidon
Principles framework.
21
22
Although the Poseidon Principles started
as a reporting initiative, Danske Bank
has used the framework to develop and
set a formal target for our shipping port-
folio as of February 2022. During 2022,
the Poseidon Principles organisation an-
nounced intentions to raise its ambition
and adopt a second reporting emission
reduction trajectory aligned with a maxi-
mum temperature rise of 1.5°C. Danske
Bank supports this ambition, and we
have therefore reviewed our already-set
sector target for the shipping sector.
The Poseidon Principles discloses the
difference between a shipping portfolio
and the needed decarbonisation trajec-
tory. Specifically, it measures each
vessel’s emission intensity, measured as
Annual Efficiency Ratio (AER),
22
which is
compared against the target ratio based
on the decarbonisation trajectory. This
results in the so-called alignment delta,
which is expressed as a percentage.
The higher the delta, the further away
the vessel or the portfolio is from a
net-zero pathway.
We estimate that in 2020 our alignment
delta for the whole shipping portfolio
against a 1.5°C decarbonisation trajecto-
ry was 3.8% (see table 4.3). We commit
to being fully aligned with the 1.5°C
trajectory by 2030, which translates into
an alignment delta of 0% or lower. The
targeted AER reduction equates to an
estimated emission intensity reduction
of around 50% by 2030 from a 2020
baseline year (see figure 4.2).
The SBTi does not currently have an
approved methodology for shipping that
is directly applicable to financial institu-
tions. Poseidon Principles is also yet to
adopt a 1.5°C trajectory, but because
its methodology is considered to be the
most advanced methodology for financial
institutions currently available, we have
set our targets in accordance with this
methodology.
Figure 4.2: Decarbonisation pathway - shipping
IMO Fourth GHG Study (2020)
The unit of measurement for emission intensity is called the Annual Efficiency Ratio (AER), a carbon intensity metric calculated as gCO
2
/dwt nm, gCO
2
/GT nm, gCO
2
/TEU nm or gCO
2
/cbm nm,
depending on the ship type
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Asset management
Life insurance and pension
Own operations
Looking to the future
Appendix
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
19
In addition, we promote industry collabo-
ration to advance the decarbonisation of
the shipping sector. Together with indus-
try peers, we were part of developing a
new set of guidelines for transition-linked
financing in shipping, which was launched
in February 2022. Transition-linked
financing aims to improve the borrower’s
environmental profile through assess-
ment of selected indicators on decarboni-
sation over the term of a loan or a bond.
Furthermore, Danske Bank supports
the Responsible Ship Recycling Stand-
ards, which is a standard in all our loan
agreements.
Our shipping target has been submitted
for validation with the Science Based
Targets initiative.
Please see appendix 1 for an overview
of data sources, methodology, target-
setting and scenarios.
A sector embracing decarbonisation
The shipping sector is in the midst
of a regulatory transformation to
promote greater fuel efficiency and
decarbonisation. Policy makers,
shipping companies and the financial
industry are all pushing for greater
and faster transition in the sector.
From 1 January 2023, a new set of
IMO regulations came into force ma-
king it now mandatory for vessels to
calculate and report the EEXI and CCI.
Energy Efficiency Existing Ship
Index (EEXI): assesses the energy
performance of existing ships
based on energy consumption
data and other key metrics such
as speed, power, and engine size.
Vessels that receive a low EEXI
rating may be subject to penalties
from the IMO.
Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII):
ranks and monitors the efficiency
of individual ships. This ranking
will become more strict each year,
thereby requiring vessels to con-
tinuously improve their emission
intensity.
aims to optimise the energy efficiency
of each vessel and essentially help in
tracking their CII.
Besides these short term measures,
in 2023 the IMO’s Initial strategy on
the reduction of GHG emissions from
shipping is also being revised. The new
strategy is set to be agreed in July
2023, and there is a high expectation
from market stakeholders that the
IMO might agree to more ambitious
targets in line with net-zero pathway.
Apart from immediate IMO regulatory
developments, regional and national
regulatory developments are also
taking place. As part of the Fit for
55 package, the European Union is
considering a set of directives and
policies looking to push decarbonisa-
tion in shipping. Shipping is likely to
become part of the existing Emissions
Trading System (EU ETS) in 2024,
and the new Fuel EU Maritime Regula-
tion might enter into force in 2025
pushing vessels to use low carbon
fuels.Also of note is the Green Ship-
ping Challenge, launched by Norway
and the US during COP27, which is an
initiative that will push for greater
decarbonisation actions in UN mem-
ber states.
Shipping companies are likewise cal-
ling for more action to transition in the
sector. The Getting to Zero Coalition is
an alliance of more than 200 organi-
sations committed to getting commer-
cially viable deep-sea zero-emission
vessels powered by zero-emission
fuels into operation by 2030. coZEV
is a network of cargo owners pursuing
zero-emission vessels.
Banks that are signatories of the
Poseidon Principles (PP) recognise
that the sector can only transition at
the speed and scale needed with col-
laboration of all market stakeholders.
In 2023, the PP aims to adopt a
reduction trajectory aligned with a
maximum temperature rise of 1.5°C.
The trajectory will also be evaluated
following the expected adoption of the
IMO’s revised GHG Strategy at MEPC
80 in July 2023.
In our lending target, we aim to be
fully aligned with the PP and take into
consideration all the transformation
happening in the industry at present. If
the PP decides on another 1.5°C
trajectory than the one now indicated,
Danske Bank will revise its target and
seek a new validation for this from the
SBTi.
It also became mandatory for ships
to have an enhanced Ship Energy Effi-
ciency Management Plan. SEEMP III
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Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending
20
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
Oil and gas
Table 4.4: Our targets for the oil and gas sector
Emission
scopes
included
Scope 1+2+3
2020
target
baseline
3.3
23
2030
Target
1.6
2030 target
%-reduction
50%
Share of
financed
emissions
Share of
measured
loan portfolio
Target-
setting
method
SDA, absolute
Sector
Oil and gas
(upstream)
Oil and gas
(Downstream
refining)
Oil and gas
(Downstream
refining)
Metric
Financed
emissions
million tCO
2
e
Financed
emissions
thousand
tCO
2
e
gCO
2
e/MJ
Scope 1+2
73.1
54.8
25%
13%
<1%
Sectoral dec-
arbonisation,
projection
Sectoral dec-
arbonisation,
projection
Scope 3
71
53.3
25%
The oil and gas sector consists of up-
stream (exploration and production) and
downstream (refining and distribution
of oil products). The IEA and other
agencies have made it clear that oil and
gas need to be gradually phased out of
the global energy system to meet the
commitments of the Paris Agreement.
During the phase out, oil and gas will
continue to play a role in the global
energy mix.
At Danske Bank, we want to support
the transition of the oil and gas sector
but also want to limit providing capital to
companies and activities that lock-in in-
creased fossil fuel production. We have
therefore been reducing our exposure
to fossil-heavy industries, and in 2020
our exposure to upstream oil and gas
production was down to less than 0.2%
of our on-balance exposure, equivalent to
DKK 3.2 billion. Even with a limited expo-
sure in our lending book, the oil and gas
exploration and production (E&P) sector
is highly relevant in terms of our financed
emissions, constituting 1.5 million tCO
2
e
(scope 1, 2 and 3).
Our financing exposure for the upstream
segment is largely to companies that
are either operating in the North Sea,
predominantly the Norwegian and
Danish Continental Shelves, or to oil and
gas companies owned by Nordic entities.
We do not currently have any long-term
lending to companies that have uncon-
ventional oil or gas production or produc-
tion in frontier areas. Furthermore, we
provide financing to Nordic refiners and
23
distributors, many of whom are actively
transitioning to biofuels.
Oil and gas production is an energy-
intensive activity with the potential of
significant GHG emissions in the produc-
tion phase (scope 1 and 2). However, the
majority of emissions occur at the end
use stage of oil and gas products, i.e.
scope 3 emissions. In February 2022,
we set a target to reduce our credit
exposure to oil and gas exploration and
production business (E&P) by 50% by
2030 against a 2020 baseline. We
chose an exposure target instead of an
activity-based target as there is current-
ly no clear standard for measuring the
transition of E&P companies.
We continue to assess that the 50%
reduction by 2030 reflects the decline in
investment needs of the Nordic oil and
gas production companies as defined in
key net-zero scenarios. We have there-
fore maintained the ambition level but
have amended it to reflect a reduction in
absolute emissions.
To further clarify our policies, we have
updated our position statement on fossil
fuels to make it clear that we do not offer
financial services (long term lending,
guarantees, primary debt and equity
capital markets activities) to oil and
gas E&P companies that do not set a
credible transition plan in line with the
Paris Agreement. In line with the IEA’s
Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario,
we will not offer new long-term financing
or refinancing to E&P companies that
intend to expand supply of oil and gas
beyond what was approved for develop-
ment by 31 December 2021. We could
still support any E&P company in their
transition provided that the financing
is for ring-fenced renewable energy or
carbon capture, utilisation and storage
(CCUS) activity.
24
To bolster our targets, we have now also
included targets for downstream refining
following projections of decarbonisation
in the Nordic countries. We have set two
targets, where the first focuses on re-
ducing our absolute financed emissions
in scope 1 and 2 by 25% by 2030, and
the second focuses on reducing the
emission intensity by 25% in scope 3
emissions.
All our oil and gas targets have been
submitted for validation by the Science
Based Targets initiative.
Please see appendix 1 for an overview
of data sources, methodology, target-
setting and scenarios.
The baseline for oil and gas (E&P and refining) is calculated on the basis of both on- and off-balance credit exposure, why the baseline of 3.3 mtCO
2
e deviates from the PCAF measured on-balance
financed emission of 1.5 mtCO
2
e
24
For more information, please see our fossil fuel position statement: https://danskebank.com/sustainability/publications-and-policies
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Asset management
Life insurance and pension
Own operations
Looking to the future
Appendix
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
21
Power generation
Table 4.5: Our target for the power generation sector
Emission
scopes
included
Scope 1
2020
target
baseline
72
2030
Target
36
2030 target
%-reduction
50%
Share of
financed
emissions
5%
Share of
measured
loan portfolio
<1%
Target-
setting
method
SDA
Sector
Power
generation
Metric
kg
CO
2
/MWh
Aligned with the SBTi list of priority
sectors, the Net-Zero Banking Alliance
and the UNEP FI Guidelines for Climate
Target Setting for Banks, we have focu-
sed our efforts on power generation in
the target-setting process. Globally,
power generation is responsible for
approximately 25% of all GHG emissi-
ons
25
and is therefore one of the most
important sectors for enabling the world
to reach net zero. The Nordic region
is characterised by a high degree of
low-carbon electricity supply and a high
coverage of district heating networks.
In relation to other world economies,
Nordic economies have generally pro-
gressed further with the decarbonisation
journey of the power generation sector.
Over the past decade, emissions have
already fallen by one-third.
By 2020, our power generation portfolio
amounted to DKK 13.9 billion on-balan-
ce exposure and corresponding 0.95 mil-
lion tonnes of financed CO
2
e emissions.
We remain fully committed to supporting
the continued decarbonisation journey
within the power generation sector and
to reducing the emission intensity of the
sector in our portfolio, in close collabo-
ration with our customers. Moreover,
emission reductions in other sectors
also require a shift to renewably sourced
electricity, which increases the need to
support the decarbonisation path of our
power generation customers. Therefore,
we have decided to increase our ambiti-
on and raise our reduction target of CO
2
intensity per unit of energy produced
from 30%, set in February 2022, to
50% by 2030 from a 2020 baseline
(scope 1).
By executing on this target, we will in
2030 remain well below the needed
decarbonisation trajectory indicated by
25
26
the SBTi, with an emission intensity of
36 kgCO
2
/MWh (see figure 4.3).
This is a very low emission intensity,
which reflects the fact that Danske
Bank’s exposure to the sector is now
almost exclusively to power production
in the Nordic countries. The customers
forming the power production portfolio
for which our target is set include those
companies that have power or heat
production as their main area of opera-
tions. All of our customers in the power
generation portfolio have ambitious
2030 targets.
Power and heat production by industri-
al companies and grid operators are
excluded from the target and baseline
calculation, in accordance with the
SBTi’s sectoral decarbonisation appro-
ach sector definition.
26
Our target for the power generation sec-
tor has been submitted for validation by
the Science Based Targets initiative.
Furthermore, Danske Bank follows
general trends, challenges and oppor-
tunities related to the energy transition,
including the use of natural resources
such as biomass, for energy applications
to achieve carbon neutrality. It will be
crucial in relation to our targets that we
continuously assess changes to what
constitutes a renewable energy mix and
how our customers’ transitioning activiti-
es are progressing.
Please see appendix 1 for an overview
of data sources, methodology, target-
setting and scenarios and further details
about energy mix limitations.
Figure 4.3: Decarbonisation pathway - power generation
kgCO
2
/MWh
500
400
300
200
72
94
36
2020
SBTi 1.5°C scope 1
2021
2022
2025
2030
100
0
Portfolio average scope 1
Source: How high-emitting sectors are embracing climate science to build a low-carbon future - Science Based Targets initiative
Industrial companies are covered by their own sector targets, and grid companies are excluded as they do not generate but merely distribute electricity
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Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending
22
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
Other carbon-intensive sectors (steel and cement)
Table 4.6: Our targets for the steel and cement sectors
Emission
scopes
included
Scope 1+2
Scope 1+2
2020
target
baseline
1.17
0.64
2030
Target
0.82
0.48
2030 target
%-reduction
30%
25%
Share of
financed
emissions
<1%
1%
Share of
measured
loan portfolio
<1%
<1%
Target-
setting
method
SDA
SDA
Sector
Steel
Cement
Metric
t
CO
2
/t
t
CO
2
/t
As part of setting targets for the
high-emitting sectors, we have also
set targets for the steel sector and the
cement sector, both of which are fossil-
intensive sectors. Our credit exposures
to these sectors are not significant, in
combination accounting for less than 1%
of our on-balance credit exposure, but
the transition of these sectors is
important for the transition of our
society.
The steel and cement sectors both serve
critical purposes in our society, providing
materials for buildings, bridges and cars
etc., and both are so-called hard-to-abate
sectors. Low-carbon alternatives are
limited, expensive and will typically need
complete overhauls of existing plants
and improved technological develop-
ment. In particular, hydrogen-based steel
production and carbon capture storage
will need to be further matured and sca-
led up before these solutions are ready
for full-scale commercial roll-out.
Steel
With an average carbon intensity of
1.17 tCO
2
/t in 2020, our customers in
the steel sector are among the leading
companies in relation to carbon emissi-
ons, having a lower emission intensity
than the international average of 1.6
tCO
2
/t in 2020 (see figure 4.4).
To support our customers on the needed
trajectory, our target has been set to
reduce emission intensity by 30% from
1.17 tCO
2
/t in 2020 to 0.82 tCO
2
/t in
2030 (measured as tonne of CO
2
per
tonne of steel), which will keep us well
below the 1.5°C trajectory set by the
Transition Pathway Initiative (TPI) in
2030 (see figure 4.4).
Figure 4.4: Decarbonisation pathway - steel
tCO
2
/t
2.0
1.5
1.17
1.0
0.96
0.82
2022
2025
2030
0.5
0.0
2020
2021
TPI - 1.5°C world scope 1+2
Portfolio average scope 1+2
Cement
Cement is one of the most challenging
sectors to decarbonise given the existing
technological and economic maturity of
technological solutions.
We have a limited exposure to the
cement sector, accounting for less than
0.03% of our on-balance loan credit
exposure, and our portfolio currently has
an emission intensity on par with the glo-
bal average. All of our current customers
in the cement sector have set ambitious
emission reduction targets that have
been validated by the Science Based
Targets initiative, and they have com-
mitted to achieving net-zero emissions
by 2050 through their adoption of the
Business Ambition for 1.5°C.
In order to support our customers’ de-
carbonisation in the cement sector, we
have set an emission intensity reduction
target of 25% (measured as tonne CO
2
per tonne cement) by 2030. The target
has been set by applying our current
intensity for the portfolio to the SBTi
1.5°C trajectory tool, resulting in a target
intensity of 0.48 tonnes of CO
2
per tonne
of cement by 2030.
Targets for both the steel and the ce-
ment sectors have been submitted for
validation by the Science Based Targets
initiative.
Please see appendix 1 for an overview
of data sources, methodology, target-set-
ting and scenarios.
Figure 4.5: Decarbonisation pathway - cement
tCO
2
/t
0.8
0.64
0.63
0.48
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
2020
2021
2022
2025
2030
SBTi 1.5°C scope 1+2
Portfolio average scope 1+2
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Asset management
Life insurance and pension
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Looking to the future
Appendix
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
23
Commercial real estate
Table 4.7: Our target for commercial real estate
Emission
scopes
included
Scope 1+2
2020
target
baseline
13.5
2030
Target
6.0
2030 target
%-reduction
55%
Share of
financed
emissions
1%
Share of
measured
loan portfolio
18%
Target-
setting
method
SDA
Sector
Commercial
Real Estate –
Nordic
portfolio
27
Metric
kgCO
2
/m
2
Our property-related commercial real
estate on-balance exposure amounted to
DKK 260 billion as of year-end 2020, of
which DKK 133 billion (51%) is related
to properties in Denmark and DKK 121
billion (46%) to properties in the other
Nordic countries.
28
Commercial real
estate is the second-largest sector in
our loan portfolio, but despite its sizeable
share of our measured on-balance loan
exposure (18%), financed emissions are
quite small in comparison with the fossil-
intensive sectors.
We estimate that our financed emissi-
ons from commercial real estate amount
to around 0.24 million tonnes of CO
2
e
per year (scope 1 and 2), equivalent to
about 1% of our total financed emissi-
ons. Emissions for our Danish properties
are calculated using energy performance
certificates (EPCs), which express the
property’s expected energy usage for
heating, and emission factors for the
corresponding primary heating source.
Emissions for other countries are calcu-
lated by extrapolation. Figure 4.6 shows
the distribution of EPC labels on the na-
tional stock of commercial real estate in
Denmark compared with the distribution
of the part covered with an actual EPC
label in Danske Bank’s portfolio. This
illustrates that our portfolio’s EPCs are
on par with the national stock.
We have set a target for our Nordic
commercial real estate activities of a
55% reduction in the emission inten-
sity by 2030 from a baseline of 2020,
covering residential and non-residential
purposes. The target is Nordic-based on
a weighted portfolio exposures across
Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland.
In Denmark, we expect reductions of
around 75% in line with the governmen-
27
28
Figure 4.6: EPC distribution commercial real estate
%
40
30
20
10
A2020
A2015
A2010
Denmark
B
C
D
E
F
G
0
Danske Bank
tal plan for emission reductions of the
utility sector and infrastructure.
Our commercial real estate portfolio has
an emission intensity that is already
below the 2030 target for the global
average emission intensity trajectory
from the IEA for the below-2°C scenario.
This is due to the relative advanced state
of transition for the Nordic real estate
sector in relation to the global sector.
Our current average emissions intensity
in our commercial real estate portfolio
is 13.5 kgCO
2
/m
2
, and our target of a
55% reduction will lead to an intensity
of 6 kgCO
2
/m
2
, which is below both of
the SBTi 1.5°C trajectories for residen-
tial and non-residential commercial real
estate (see figure 4.7).
Our reduction targets are dependent on,
and to a large extent driven by, devel-
opments in policy and transition in the
utilities sector. We expect continued
conversion of fossil-fuel heating sour-
ces into electricity-powered heating or
district heating, leading to emission re-
ductions in properties transitioning away
from fossil fuel-based heating.
Our Nordic commercial real estate target
has been submitted for validation by the
Science Based Targets initiative.
Please see appendix 1 for an overview
of data sources, methodology, target-set-
ting and scenarios. and further details
about energy mix limitations.
Figure 4.7: Decarbonisation pathway - commercial real estate
13.5
kgCO
2
/m
2
15
10
6.0/-55%
5
0
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
SBTi 1.5˚C trajectory (Residential DB est. baseline)
SBTi 1.5˚C trajectory (Non-residential DB est. baseline)
2027 2028
DB CRE
2029
2030
Residential and non-residential
The remaining part of our commercial real estate exposure is related to other activities, e.g. Northern Bank
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Contents
Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending
24
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
Personal mortgages
Table 4.8: Our targets for the personal mortgages sector
Emission
scopes
included
Scope 1+2
2020
target
baseline
14.3
2030
Target
6.4
2030 target
%-reduction
55%
Share of
financed
emissions
5%
Share of
measured
loan portfolio
57%
Target-
setting
method
SDA
Sector
Personal
mortgages –
Nordic portfolio
Metric
kg
CO
2
/m
2
The on-balance exposure of our portfolio
of loans secured by private properties
in scope for the accounting of financed
emissions amounts to DKK 833 billion
as of end 2020, of which DKK 498 billion
(60%) is related to properties in Denmark
and DKK 309 billion (37%) is related to
properties in the other Nordic countries.
29
This makes personal mortgages the sing-
le-largest sector in our total loan portfolio.
We estimate that our financed emissi-
ons from personal mortgages amount to
around 1 million tonnes CO
2
e per year
(scope 1 and 2), equivalent to about 5%
of our total financed emissions. Emis-
sions for our Danish and Norwegian
personal mortgages are calculated using
energy performance certificates (EPCs),
which express the property’s expected
energy usage for heating, and emission
factors for the corresponding primary he-
ating source. Emissions for other countri-
es are calculated based on extrapolation
and relevant national metrics. Figure 4.8
shows that our Danske Bank distribution
of EPC labels is very much similar to
the national stock of private properties
in Denmark, which is well in line with us
having large market shares and being a
mirror of Danish society.
We have set a target for our portfolio of
personal mortgages of a 55% reduction
in the emission intensity in 2030 from a
baseline of 2020. The target covers our
entire Nordic portfolio based on a weigh-
ted portfolio exposure across Denmark,
Sweden, Norway and Finland. For Den-
mark specifically, our emission reduction
expectations are 75% by 2030, in line
with the Danish government’s plans
for emissions reduction in utilities and
infrastructure.
As can be seen from figure 4.9, a reduc-
tion in the emission intensity of 55% will
29
Figure 4.8: EPC distribution private single-family homes
%
40
30
20
10
A2020
A2015
A2010
Denmark
B
C
D
E
F
G
0
Danske Bank
take us from an estimated baseline of
14.3 kgCO
2
/m
2
in 2020 to an intensi-
ty of 6.4 kgCO
2
/m
2
in 2030, which is
well below a 1.5°C trajectory using the
Science Based Targets initiative tool for
residential buildings.
Reaching our ambitious emission
intensity reduction target for personal
mortgages will be highly dependent on
the reduced use of fossil fuels for property
heating and electricity. Consequently, our
reduction targets are dependent on, and
to a large extent driven by, developments
in policy and transition in the utilities se-
ctor. In Denmark, we support the Danish
government’s planned reductions of fossil
fuels in power and heat production and
the continued conversion of fossil-fuel
heating sources into electricity-powered
heating or district heating, leading to
emission reductions in properties transiti-
oning away from fossil fuel-based heating.
Our Nordic target for personal mortga-
ges has been submitted for validation by
the Science Based Targets initiative.
Please see appendix 1 for an overview
of data sources, methodology, target-
setting and scenarios and further details
about energy mix limitations.
Figure 4.9: Decarbonisation pathway - personal mortgages
kgCO
2
/m
2
16
14
12
10
8
6
6.4/-55%
4
2
0
2028 2029 2030
14.3
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
SBTi 1.5°C trajectory (DB estimated baseline)
DB personal mortgage
The remaining part of our personal mortgages exposure is related to other activities, e.g. Northern Bank
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Asset management
Life insurance and pension
Own operations
Looking to the future
Appendix
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
25
Agriculture (Denmark)
Agriculture is essential for food pro-
duction across the world. A stable and
sustainable agricultural production is
vital to ensure a sufficient food supply for
a growing global population.
One of the key challenges for the in-
dustry is its impact on the climate. As
much as 25% of global GHG emissions
can be attributed to agriculture,
30
with
percentages ranging from 14% in Swe-
den
31
to 25% in Denmark
32
and 27% in
Northern Ireland
33
. Agriculture also con-
tributes to the land use, land-use change
and forestry (LULUCF) sector activities,
which represent a significant part of the
EU’s 2030 climate goals and which will
form the basis for national climate plans
and regulations.
As of year-end 2020, Danske Bank’s
agriculture portfolio stood at around DKK
59 billion in on-balance exposure and
was primarily concentrated in Denmark.
It is estimated that our agriculture
customers emit in total approximately
5 million tonnes of CO
2
(see contributi-
on distribution by source and purpose
in figure 4.10). The carbon footprint of
our customers is the sum of all farming
activities reported for a given business in
2020.
34
We focus on total carbon emis-
sions rather than financed emissions
alone to better understand our custo-
mers’ transition status. Certain farming
activities (and thus their emissions) are
difficult to link to the specific financial
products that we offer to our customers.
It is therefore important to consider all
of the farming operations of a given
company as whole.
Our actions and expectations for this se-
ctor are aligned with climate targets and
policies put forward in Danish and EU
climate actions plans and with leading
research on lowering emissions from
agriculture.
In October 2021, the Danish govern-
ment agreed that Denmark’s agricultural
and forestry sector should reduce GHG
30
31
emissions by 55-65% by 2030 against
a 1990 baseline.
35
The Danish govern-
ment has set aside more than DKK 27
billion to enable the transition, with the
majority being earmarked for incentives
for adapting to less carbon-intensive
systems of production.
While some high-emitting sectors are
dominated by large companies already
working with sustainability, the agricul-
ture sector consists of many smaller
operations with limited designated sus-
tainability resources. We are financing
and engaging with our customers on
demonstrated technologies and new
processes that are ready to be deployed,
which will result in emission reductions.
Our expectations and support to reduce
emissions from our agriculture port-
folio will follow the rate to achieve the
Danish government’s policy objective of
reducing GHG emissions in the Danish
agricultural and forestry sector by 55-
65% by 2030. However we are not
ready to use this or set specific targets
for Agriculture due to numerous new
technologies and pending roadmap for
Denmark.
For more information on our work with
agricultural customers, please see our
position statement on agriculture.
36
Please see appendix 1 for an overview of
data sources and methodology.
Figure 4.10: Carbon emission-related sources in the Danish agriculture portfolio
(scope 1 and 2)
Million tCO
2
e
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0
Other
agricultural
activities
Growing
of crops
Mixed
farming
Raising
of cattle
Rasing of pigs
and piglets
Seed and
feeding
Crop- and field-related sources
Animal-related sources
Climate Watch, the World Resources institute (2020)
Sweden’s National Inventory Report (2021)
32
Denmark’s National Inventory Report (2021)
33
Northern Ireland Greenhouse gas inventory (2020)
34
It is not limited to farming activities directly or indirectly funded by the bank. The carbon footprint includes both primary agricultural activities and LULUCF activities (excl. forestry).
35
The Danish Ministry of Finance, ‘Aftale om grøn omstilling af dansk landbrug’ (2021)
36
https://danskebank.com/sustainability/publications-and-policies
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Contents
Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending
26
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
Approach to advisory services and solutions
Our approach
To achieve our targets, we collaborate
closely with our customers and actively
provide financial advice and solutions.
The transition to a low-carbon economy
requires significant new investments in
low-carbon production facilities, infra-
structure and transportation as well as
energy-efficiency improvements. At the
same time, it requires limiting invest-
ments in technologies that lock our
societies into high-carbon economies.
These investment decisions are made
by companies, private individuals and
the public sector, namely our customers.
At Danske Bank, we can influence our
customers’ investment decisions by ma-
naging access to capital and the cost of
capital and by providing customers with
sound financial advice.
Assessment of transition plans for
large corporate customers
We want to support our customers
in their own transitions to becoming
net-zero businesses by facilitating
access to capital intended for activities
that support the net-zero transition and
by limiting access to capital for activities
that contribute a high-carbon economy.
To enable us to do this, we have devel-
oped a range of advisory services and
products to help our customers financing
their own net-zero transitions, for examp-
le green loans, green and sustainable
bonds, and sustainability-linked loans.
In order to identify customer needs and
assist us in planning our customer
engagement approach, we in 2022
developed a new methodology to assess
our corporate customers’ transition
plans. The assessments cover the cust-
omers’ current performance and their
short-, medium-, and long-term ambiti-
ons and plans to meet their decarbonisa-
tion strategies and targets. The asses-
sment also evaluates the customer’s
risk of being unable to execute on their
strategies due to external factors, such
as technology and government support,
thereby affecting their ability to succeed
with their transitions.
The outcome includes a transition plan
assessment score in one of four catego-
ries: transitioned, transitioning, start of
transition, and lagging transition. These
scores are then used to inform our enga-
gements with our customers.
In 2022, our initial assessment of custo-
mers subject to high transition risk in the
shipping, oil and gas, and utilities sectors
showed that the exposure to the lagging
transition category is limited.
From 2023, we will continue to carry
out transition plan assessments for
relevant corporate customers in high-risk
portfolios as part of the regular credit
application and renewal processes.
Access to capital for a green economy
As part of our aim to help our customers
access capital for activities that support
the green transition, we facilitate green
loans and bonds, which are used to
raise capital for specific sustainable
projects and activities with environmen-
tal objectives. Green loans and bonds
are important tools for creating trans-
parency of the green credentials of the
activity that is being funded. In the case
of green loans, this transparency allows
us to better allocate capital and moni-
tor the environmental benefits of the
activities being financed. In November
2022 we published our updated Green
Finance Framework, which outlines
the eligibility criteria for green loans. In
the case of green bonds arranged for
our customers, the same transparency
allows our customers better access to
capital from institutional investors with
dedicated green investment mandates.
We have set a target of facilitating DKK
300 billion in sustainable financing by
2023.
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27
Figure 4.11: Examples of solutions provided to support sustainable progress
Green loans and energy improvement loans
Danske Bank and Realkredit Danmark’s green loans
are aligned with our framework for green finance and
are therefore earmarked for specific green projects.
In 2022, Danske Bank introduced attractive energy
improvement loans for homeowners in Denmark, for
example to finance replacing gas or oil heating.
Green fleet
Through Asset Finance, we offer our GreenFleet70
concept, which helps businesses in Denmark and
Sweden reduce their road transportation emissions.
The concept includes an extensive selection of electric
vehicle models and a number of tools. In 2022, we in-
cluded a tool to report on the fleet’s carbon emissions.
Sustainability-linked loans
Danske Bank’s sustainability-linked loans link the
financing costs of the loan to the corporate customer’s
sustainability performance. For example, in 2022 we
structured the sustainability link for a EUR 500 million
credit facility between the global bioscience company
Chr. Hansen and an international group of banks. Chr.
Hansen’s financing costs are now linked to the com-
pany’s ability to reach its Paris aligned climate targets,
circular management of bio waste and share of revenue
contributing to three selected SDGs.
Sustainable bonds arranged for customers
Sustainable bonds are green bonds, social bonds,
sustainability bonds, and sustainability-linked bonds.
Sustainability-linked bonds are used to finance the
sustainability strategy of the issuer, and the other bond
types are use-of-proceed bonds that exclusively finance
projects that have a positive environmental and/or
social impact. For example, Danske Bank in 2022
supported the EU in issuing a EUR 6 billion green bond
for investments in a greener and more resilient Europe
as part of the NextGenerationEU funding programme.
At Danske Bank, we restrict access
to capital intended for activities that
hinder the transition to a low-carbon
economy. Our specific restrictions are
defined in our position statements and
they set clear expectations for, among
other things, the worldwide phase-out of
coal-fired energy production from our len-
ding portfolios by 2030. Also defined are
our restrictions on financing for oil and
gas companies that continue to expand
production into new fields, which is just
one example of how our restrictions
support the journey towards net zero.
37
Although some of our financing can be
earmarked for green or sustainable
activities, a significant part of financing
for our large corporate customers is
used to finance the companies’ overall
activities and is not project-specific.
We have therefore set clear indicators
37
and transition objectives for the most
carbon-intensive sectors, and access to
financing from us is guided by adherence
to these objectives. We want to support
our customers in transitioning to net zero
– particularly customers operating in
carbon-intensive sectors – by providing
them with financing. We want to support
our customers in transitioning – especial-
ly those in carbon-intensive sectors – by
providing them with financing, provided
that we understand their transition
pathway and that it is consistent with the
science-based decarbonisation targets
we have set.
Advisory services
Corporate Customers
We want to be a trusted financial adviser
to our customers, also when it comes
to the green transition. Advisory con-
cepts vary across customer segments
depending on the maturity level and
transition needs of our customers. Our
large corporate customers are generally
well aware of the need to transition and
of the investments that are required to
succeed. For this customer segment,
our financial advisory services revolve
mostly around whether the company’s
business strategy and the transparency
of their plans is sufficient to meet the
financial market’s requirements to
access capital, both from us as a bank
but also from capital markets. Our
approach to our advisory services can
be described with the Sustainable
Finance Wheel illustrated on the next
page, which we use in our dialogues with
our large corporate customers.
For more information on our position statements visit:
https://danskebank.com/sustainability/publications-and-policies
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Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending
28
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
Figure 4.12: Danske Bank’s sustainable finance corporate advisory offering
Extensive analysis and advisory services across areas of Sustainable Finance – market analysis, product execution, ESG profile refining
Climate transition analysis
Support in strategic transitioning
• Transition analysis
• Capital allocation
• Credible transition strategy
• Transition financing
Market and regulation overview
Understand the evolving sustainable
finance market
• Taxonomy
• Impacts on access & cost of capital
• Sustainable capital flows
• CSRD
ESG profile enhancement
Enhance your sustainability profile
• Material areas
• Reporting formats
• Investor expectations
• Business strategy
Danske Bank’s
Sustainable
Finance Wheel
Sustainable debt product consulting
Choose the right products
• Green & Social
• Sustainability linked
• Holistic Strategy
• Greenium
ESG risk assessment
Tailored ESG risk assessment
• ESG risk scoring
• Materiality
• Peer comparison
• Where to improve?
ESG rating advisory
Understand and improve ESG ratings
• Importance of ESG ratings?
• Peer comparison
• Which rating to select?
• Gap analysis
Sustainable debt execution
Succeed in execution
• Selecting KPIs
• Communication
• Writing a framework
• Process flow
For mid-sized and small business
customers, our advisory services typical-
ly also include inspiration and guidance
on how to transition and the investments
required. Because many such busines-
ses often have limited dedicated sustai-
nability resources, we offer sparring on
specific actions and initiatives that may
support the customers’ green transition
and most importantly provide financial
advice on how to best finance the
required investments.
Personal customers
We want to make the sustainable choice
easy for our personal customers by
encouraging sustainable behaviour and
change. Our offerings therefore aim to
provide our customers with knowledge,
tools and convenience to enable and
support their green transitions.
Partnerships have and will play a vital
role in our climate and energy offerings
for our personal customers. We colla-
borate with partners that enhance our
climate impact and support sustainabi-
lity goals. Through our chosen partners,
we can offer our customers value-adding
services that help remove barriers they
may face in succeeding with their transi-
tion towards net zero.
One such example is encouraging green
retrofits, where we collaborate with
energy and climate partners to help our
personal customers determine the most
beneficial energy improvement invest-
ments for their homes.
As a financial institution, Danske Bank
plays an important role in offering
financing options for personal customers
looking to make sustainability-related
transitions in the two main areas of hou-
sing and personal mobility (vehicles and
related infrastructure).
Financing for personal customers
Energy improvement loans:
In-
creased climate awareness and
soaring energy prices are fuelling a
growing demand for energy-
efficiency home improvements
among our customers. We help
homeowners to increase the
energy-efficiency of their homes by
offering attractive loans specifically
for this purpose. However, financing
through traditional home mortgages
and loans is also a relevant option
for many customers. Key to this is
our ability to provide our customers
with qualified advice about solutions
that match their personal needs and
preferences.
Green home loans:
To support our
customers in financing energy-effi-
cient homes, we offer green home
loans with an attractive processing
fee. We are able to provide these
loans because we secure the loan
against homes that have a valid
energy performance certificate (EPC)
rating of A or B, dependent on the
year of construction.
Electric and plug-in hybrid car loans:
Our customers are becoming more
climate-conscious, and many are
looking to replace their petrol or
diesel car with an electric or plug-in
hybrid car. We offer an attractive
interest rate on electric and plug-in
hybrid car loans.
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29
Example of advisory services within agriculture
We support our agriculture customers in managing their
transition to a low carbon economy through our advisory
services. We help our agriculture customers understand
their carbon footprint and how they can manage the
climate risk affecting their business, amongst others, by
financing green practices such as machinery and equip-
ment that support the shift towards net zero.
Due to the predominance of smallholders in our portfolio,
we have developed a tailored approach for assessing and
monitoring individual customer transition. This allows us to
focus on action-oriented improvements, including but not li-
mited to: [1] introduction of livestock manure management
practices to reduce methane and nitrous oxide emissions,
[2] optimisation of animal feed for lower environmental im-
pact, [3] promotion of carbon sequestration and soil quality
via sustainable land management practices, [4] preserva-
tion of nature and biodiversity via peatland restoration and
land conservation initiatives.
In addition, we work closely with our customers in the
agricultural industry to understand their individual needs
and challenges. We take a material approach and start
with larger customers with higher emissions, and expect
them to take the following actions, amongst others, where
appropriate:
monitor scope 1and 2 (and preferably 3) emissions
commitments and targets to reduce emissions
identify the required investments and adjustments to
their business model and engage with the bank on the
required financing
New technologies
Financing large-scale commercialisation
of break-through climate technologies
The transition to net zero also requires
investments in technologies that are still
developing or that are not yet commer-
cially viable. Many of these projects and
activities are not currently at a stage
where traditional bank financing would
be warranted. A way to mitigate these
risks is through cooperation between the
public and the private sector.
An example of such a cooperation is
Danske Bank’s financing for the Finnish
food technology company Solar Foods,
which has a mission to revolutionise
global food production with a protein
manufactured without using arable land,
photosynthetic plants or animals. The
financing for the first production facility
is being provided by Danske Bank with a
guarantee from Finnvera, and Denmark’s
Export Credit Agency (EKF) which are
both specialised financing companies
owned by the States of Finland and
Denmark.
The transition will, however, also require
massive investments in capital-intensive
technologies such as carbon capture,
utilisation and storage (CCUS) and
Power-to-X, supported by substantial
new renewable electricity generation.
Currently, a large number of such
projects are being developed and tested
on a small scale in the Nordic countries
and across the rest of Europe.
The large-scale investments and com-
mercialisation needed to utilise these
technologies will benefit from clear, long-
term, national and EU policies as well as
from initial public sector support to redu-
ce the risk in such projects. This calls for
an opportunity to explore alternatives to
the traditional financing models of banks,
for example in collaboration with public
funds and/or other sources.
With our lending activities, we take a
responsibility in reducing CO
2
e emissions
in the societies that we are part of
– thereby facilitating our customers’
sustainable transitions towards net zero
and contributing further to the necessary
green transition. We will continue our
work of setting 2030 targets for more
sectors and we will strengthen our advi-
sory services and solutions to continue
being a trusted financial adviser on the
green agenda for our customers.
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Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending
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Asset Management –
Enabling investments in the green transition
A significant part of our business con-
cerns investing capital on behalf of our
customers. Our customers expect us to
invest and manage their assets respon-
sibly, and responsible investment is an
integral part of our ambition to grow and
protect our customers’ assets. Incorpo-
rating sustainability and climate consid-
erations into our investment processes,
products and advisory services has been
a key aspect in meeting our customers’
requirements over the past years: we
have built strong processes for including
companies based on the right analysis,
we engage with companies on issues
such as climate-related matters, and
we are prepared to exclude companies
whenever we deem it necessary from a
sustainability perspective.
Alongside our responsibility to protect
our investments from the risks asso-
ciated with climate change, we also have
an obligation to use the opportunity to
engage and influence the companies we
invest in. As an asset manager, Danske
Bank encourages companies to progress
with their own net-zero transitions, and
we support our customers in adjusting
their portfolios to their needs. Ultimately,
we believe our most effective way of
making a positive impact on the climate
is to stay invested and foster change
through active ownership.
Our total assets under management
(AuM) amounted to DKK 860 billion as
of year-end 2020 (baseline year). Our
measured financed emissions amounted
to 16.6 million tonnes CO
2
e, covering
around 68% of our total AuM with good
data coverage for listed equities and
corporate credits, while sovereign debt
and the majority of unlisted equities
remains to be a data challenge.
38
As can be seen from figure 5.1, the
materials, utilities, energy, and indus-
trials sectors are the main contributing
sectors, collectively accounting for
81% of our measured financed emis-
sions.
Figure 5.1: Sector contributions to financed emissions by year-end 2020
Consumer discretionary 2%
Utilities 19%
Other 12%
Consumer staples 3%
Energy 16%
Industrials 14%
Financials 1%
Materials 32%
38
See appendix 2 for description of data, methodology and coverage
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Asset Management Targets
Danske Bank Asset Management joined
the global Net Zero Asset Managers
Initiative in March 2021, committing to
reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 or
sooner across all assets under manage-
ment, in line with the Paris Agreement.
To support this commitment, we last
year set a concrete emission intensity
reduction target for our investment prod-
ucts (investment funds, managed ac-
counts and pooled investment vehicles).
This year, we have also set temperature
rating targets for listed equities and
credits within our investment products
to further guide our efforts and enhance
transparency on our progress. We have
started with these products with the ex-
plicit aim of increasing the proportion of
AuM covered, until 100% of our assets
are included.
Our targets related to our asset manage-
ment activities are summarised in table
5.1 below:
Table 5.1 Overview of our asset management targets
Coverage
Listed equities
and credits
within our
investment
products
39
Listed equities
and credits
within our
investment
products
39
Investment
products
39
Target
Align portfolio
temperature score by
invested value from
2.7°C to 2.1°C
Metric
°C
Emission
boundary
Scope 1+2
Baseline year
2020
Target year
2030
Target setting method
Temperature rating
methodology
Align portfolio
temperature score by
invested value from
2.9°C to 2.2°C
°C
Scope 1+2+3
2020
2030
Temperature rating
methodology
50% reduction of the
weighted average
carbon intensity
Weighted average
carbon intensity
(tCO
2
e / DKK m
revenue)
Scope 1+2
2020
2030
Net Zero Investment
Framework and UN
Net-Zero Asset Owner
Alliance Target Setting
Protocol
Net Zero Investment
Framework and UN
Net-Zero Asset Owner
Alliance Target Setting
Protocol
Investment
products
39
Engagement with the
100 largest emitters
Engage with all 100
companies
N/A
2020
2025
Firstly, we have set temperature rating
targets. Our SBTi-based temperature
rating targets are set for our listed
equities and credits within our invest-
ment products, covering 37% of our
total AuM, and will help identify compa-
nies that have Paris-aligned transition
plans in place by providing a single
number to assess companies’ transi-
tion plans. The approach is a method to
determine a portfolio’s current ‘temper-
ature value’ based on the emissions
reduction
targets of the invested companies.
The set 2030 temperature rating
targets 2.1°C (scope 1 and 2) and 2.2°C
(scope1, 2 and 3) will lead our transi-
tion from our baseline in 2020 towards
1.5°C by 2040 (see figure 5.2), leaving
a decade for the invested companies
to execute on their plans and achieve net
zero by 2050 or sooner.
Secondly, as part of our commitment to
the Net Zero Asset Managers Initia-
tive, we in 2021 set a carbon weighted
Figure 5.2: Temperature rating - Asset management portfolio
Scope 1&2
Scope 1 3
°C
3.0
2.2
2.1
1.50
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
2020
2025
2030
2035
2040
0.0
39
Funds, managed accounts, pooled investment vehicles
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Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending
32
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
average intensity target (tonnes of CO
2
e
per million turnover in DKK within the
respective investee companies) for our
investment products, covering 54% of
our total AuM, in order to continuously
be able to assess whether our transition
is progressing according to plan.
40
The
weighted average carbon intensity of
our investment portfolio was around 14
tonnes of CO
2
e per million of turnover in
DKK as of year-end 2020.
41
Thirdly, in relation to our net-zero
commitments, we have also set an
engagement target through which we
commit to engaging with the 100 largest
emitters in our investment portfolios by
2025. Our engagement roadmap steers
our approach and builds on many years
of previous engagement and includes
aspects relating to, for example, net-zero
alignment criteria, time-bound com-
pany-level objectives, and escalation
processes.
How do we assess our investee
companies?
We focus on the following in our as-
sessments of alignment in line with the
Net Zero Investment Framework (NZIF).
1. Ambition
2. Targets
3. Emission performance
4. Disclosure
5. Decarbonisation strategy
6. Capital asset alignment
7. Climate policy engagement
8. Climate governance
9. Just transition
10. Climate risks and accounts
Approach to climate investing
As a responsible investment manager,
we are mindful of how climate-related
factors impact investment performance
(financial materiality) and how our
investments may have positive and/or
negative impacts on the climate (impact
materiality). We refer to this as double
materiality considerations. We believe
that attentiveness to climate dimensions
when investing is a cornerstone of our
fiduciary duty to create value for custom-
ers and to create a responsible invest-
ment product offering that supports the
transition to a more sustainable society.
For a climate factor to be considered
financially material, it needs to have the
potential to translate into investment
performance and have a negative (or
positive) impact on either the revenue,
expenses, value of assets, value of
liabilities or the cost of capital for the
company. By analysing climate factors in
conjunction with other financial factors,
it is possible to gain greater insights into
the investments and thereby identify
climate risks and climate investment
opportunities. We believe that climate
risk exposures should be well managed
and influence decisions on whether to
either increase, maintain or decrease
weightings. Climate risks also steer our
active ownership activities and can lead
to full divestments.
We analyse and assess the negative
and positive impacts of our investments
to address these aspects in accordance
40
41
with the needs of our customers. As
one of the largest asset managers in the
Nordic region, we have both the ability
and the determination to be part of find-
ing solutions to the climate challenges
our planet and societies are facing.
and these considerations influence our
investment decisions. As a minimum
standard, PAIs are managed through ex-
clusions and active ownership activities.
However, this may be supplemented by
inclusion criteria that further addresses
specific climate-related PAIs.
Principal adverse impacts
We also identify positive
Carbon emissions, car-
climate impacts
bon footprint,
from investments
fossil fuel expo-
by screening
sure, and
How investments
issuers and
greenhouse
impact climate
companies for
gas intensity
best-in-class
are examples
operations
of so-called
and positive
principal
contributions
adverse im-
Investment
Climate
to climate
pacts (PAIs)
objectives
related to cli-
as part of
mate that are
How climate-related
our sustaina-
considered in
factors impact
ble investment
our investment
investment
assessment, or
processes. We
through the promoting
prioritise the manage-
of sound environmental
ment of these impacts
stewardship through certain
at a Group level in accordance
investment products
42
as integrated in
with our position statements and other
sustainability-related policies, strategies
investment strategies and portfolios for
and commitments.
a variety of our investment products.
The PAIs are identified through our
screening of environmental and social
impact materiality. From an investment
product perspective, the management
and prioritisation of PAIs related to
climate are defined by the given strate-
gy and investment portfolios/activities
EU’s climate benchmarks
We also have index products that track
either of the two EU climate benchmarks
– the Climate Transition Benchmark or
the Paris-Aligned Benchmark – enabling
our investors to invest in companies
engaging in the climate transition.
We have chosen to adopt the IPCC SR1.5 P2 pathway as the underlying scientific framework, supported with IEA’s Net Zero by 2050 pathway
The weighted carbon intensity is measured based on the portfolio where carbon data is available, see appendix 2 for details on data and methodology
42
As defined in the SFDR Annex in the prospectus for each of these funds.
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What are the EU’s climate benchmarks?
The two benchmarks provide a robust and consistent framework for investors to incorporate specific objectives related to greenhouse
gas emission reductions and the transition to a low-carbon economy through the selection and weighting of underlying investments.
The benchmarks are based on the Paris Agreement target of limiting global warming to well below 2°C and ideally 1.5°C by the end of the
century, and the goal is to help further mobilise and move investor capital towards activities that contribute to fighting climate change.
Table 5.2: Overview of EU climate benchmarks
EU Climate Transition Benchmark
Minimum carbon intensity reduction compared
against investable universe
Year-on-year self-decarbonisation of the
benchmark
Exposure constraints
30%
EU Paris-Aligned Benchmark
50%
At least 7% on average per annum: in line with or beyond the decarbonisation trajectory from the
UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 1.5°C scenario
Minimum exposure to sectors highly exposed to climate change issues is at least equal to equity
market benchmark value
Investment products may in that respect,
for instance, apply inclusion to invest fully
or partially in sustainable investments
or in investments aligned with the EU
Taxonomy’s criteria for environmentally
sustainable economic activities. We man-
age investment products with different
levels of sustainability ambitions, enabling
our customers to select the products best
designed to cater for their sustainability
preferences. For further information on
how we incorporate adverse impacts
and positive impact considerations into
responsible investment products, see
pre-contractual documentation and re-
porting for these investment products.
It is important to differentiate between
achieving net zero in the real world
versus in an investment product. In order
to reach the climate goals in the Paris
Agreement, real-world decarbonisation
is needed. An investment portfolio can
be decarbonised by reducing or eliminat-
ing exposure to companies in carbon-
intensive sectors such as aviation,
cement, steel and utilities; however, it is
not certain that such an approach will
yield impacts in the real world. As also
discussed in the section on lending,
companies in high-emitting sectors need
financing and also investor capital to
be able to innovate, decarbonise and
transition.
Therefore, it is important that we as in-
vestors consider all tools available when
working towards net zero. Investors can
shape tomorrow’s companies by taking
a forward-looking view and choosing to
invest into companies that are on an
ambitious and credible transitional path-
way. Such companies can have a high
CO
2
e emissions legacy profile, but as
investors, we are owners of companies
and can together with other investors
influence the companies and encourage
them to embark on a net-zero transition
pathway. Alternatively, if companies are
unwilling to transition, we can divest and
reduce their funding options.
We believe that it is important to
consider inclusion, active ownership and
exclusion when optimising real-world
climate impacts, taking into account our
fiduciary duty.
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Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending
34
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
T5
T4
T3
T2
T1
C1
B1
B2
B3
Inclusion
We work with a) financially material climate
issues and consider them as factors in the
investment process along with financial
factors and b) climate perspectives from an
impact materiality perspective.
Active ownership
We engage with selected companies –
either directly or in collaboration with other
investors and stakeholders – and seek to
influence them to manage their climate
issues and reduce their contribution to
climate change. We voice our opinion at
general meetings.
Exclusion
We exclude certain companies that
are involved in activities, practices or
products that materially contribute to
climate change.
For each of the three areas outlined above, we have launched a number of initiatives aimed at bringing our assets in line with a 1.5°C
scenario over time.
Inclusion
Assessing how companies manage
climate issues and participate in the
green transition is a key consideration
when we invest our customers’ assets.
In this way, we can better invest our
customers’ assets in companies that are
proactively addressing climate issues,
thereby reducing the customers’ contri-
butions to climate change and embracing
green growth opportunities.
Climate risk considerations are included
in the selection of investments in the
same way as other risk considerations.
Appreciating that investments have
different characteristics and are affected
differently by sustainability factors, the
investment team tailors the inclusion of
sustainability factors potentially leading to
sustainability risks to the specific invest-
ment strategy and asset class. Over time
we will further formalise Inclusion criteria
related to net zero on individual products
considering our fiduciary duty.
where companies might not transform,
we exercise active ownership through
three channels.
1. Individual engagement
We engage on a regular basis with
investee companies about material
climate-related matters to seek impro-
vements in performance and processes.
The aim is to enhance and protect the
value of our customers’ investments
while also creating a positive impact on
society. Reasons for engaging in climate-
related dialogue can for example be to:
inform about voting decisions and
guidelines related to climate
clarify publicly disclosed climate
information from companies
conduct climate research
identify and assess the quality of
available climate data
understand performance and identify
potential vulnerabilities related to
climate issues
develop insights into climate-related
risks and opportunities
identify potential climate-driven
regulatory developments and impacts
Climate Change (IIGCC)
Montréal Carbon Pledge
Partnership for Carbon Accounting
Financials (PCAF)
CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure
project)
Read more about our
collaborative
engagement here.
3. Voting
Voting at annual general meetings is a
way of influencing and supporting com-
panies to escalate their activities related
to climate matters, thereby improving
their long-term value creation. We vote
on numerous proposals related to
climate issues, and we coordinate our
voting activities with our engagement
activities to maximise our ability to in-
fluence and support companies’ climate
strategies.
Our voting guidelines outline our general
approach to climate accountability and
particularly focus on emissions. Our
guidelines include:
Carbon emissions: Set and publish
targets for greenhouse gas emis-
sions aligned with the goals of the
Paris Agreement and be transparent
in communicating efforts to mitigate
and combat climate change.
Carbon footprint: Companies should
have a clear reporting framework for
their climate change contribution and
greenhouse gas emissions, including
future targets, carbon intensity and
an estimation of the company’s
carbon footprint.
Active ownership
By actively engaging with companies, not
only do we gain better insight but we can
also influence and support them in cur-
bing their contribution to climate change
and encourage them to participate in the
transition to a net-zero economy. We be-
lieve that by leveraging active ownership
activities, our investments will be able
to better address climate-related issues
and subsequently contribute to a positive
societal development. In situations
2. Collaborative engagement
We are members of numerous investor
initiatives and alliances, through which
we together with other investors seek to
influence companies to take action on
climate issues, curb carbon emissions
and contribute to green transformations.
We are members of:
Climate Action 100+
Institutional Investors Group on
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Life insurance and pension
Own operations
Looking to the future
Appendix
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
35
Our engagement with ExxonMobil led to exclusion
Background
Due to lack of progress within its contribution to the sustainable transition of
society, Danske Bank decided in 2021 to exclude ExxonMobil from our invest-
ment universe. The reason was lack of progress in the company’s contribution
to the sustainability area, specifically including questionable lobbying methods
that according to our analysis a) lacked substantially in terms of transparency
while also b) working against the green transformation of society.
Decision
We would have preferred to be active owners and try to influence the compa-
ny into a more sustainable transition. In the months leading up to the decision,
our efforts to establish a constructive dialogue around the specific issues
with ExxonMobil proved unsuccessful, and as a consequence we decided to
exclude.
XX
XXX
Energy consumption: Energy con-
sumption and energy intensity should
be reported, including the breakdown
of energy consumption by type of
renewable or non-renewable source
of energy. Companies should have
an emissions reduction target, in line
with Paris Agreement targets, as well
as information about multi-year green-
house gas emissions development.
Stranded carbon assets: Com-
panies with large investments
in carbon-based energy sources
should have a clear risk assessment
framework in reference to the Paris
Agreement targets.
Exclusions
We exclude certain companies to reduce
investments in activities resulting in sig-
nificant negative impact on the climate,
including investments in companies
where thermal coal, tar sands and pe-
at-fired power-generation is a significant
part of the business model. We strive
to impose similar commitments on our
external managers.
Apart from revenue-driven climate-
related exclusions, we also exclude com-
panies from a climate perspective based
on our Enhanced Sustainability Standards
analysis. Currently, more than 40 com-
panies are restricted within the sub-
category Climate Change Contribution.
For certain products, the climate-related
exclusions are expanded to also cover
fossil fuels with a revenue threshold of
5%. Over time, we will develop additional
exclusion categories to further accom-
modate the decarbonisation agenda
towards our strategic aim of achieving
net zero by 2050 or sooner.
For more information on exclusion defini-
tions, activities, criteria, scope and thres-
holds employed by Danske Bank Asset
Management, please see our
exclusion
instruction.
We have started on our journey towards
net zero by 2050 or sooner and must act
firmly and prudentially to achieve what
our customers ask from us: support for
the green transition whilst delivering
strong investment performance. We
will continue to enhance our investment
processes to ensure that we actively
contribute to society and the green tran-
sition in cooperation with our customers
and the companies we invest in.
You can see how and where we vote
at annual general meetings (AGMs)
through our
Voting Guidelines
and intera-
ctive
Proxy Voting Dashboard.
Table 5.3: Climate-related investment restrictions applying to all fund investments
Type
Tar sands
Activity
Surface mining
In-situ recovery
Thermal coal
Surface mining/‘opencast mining’
Underground mining/’deep mining’
Power generation
Peat-fired power generation
Enhanced Sustainability Standards
Power generation
Climate change contribution
Criteria/Threshold
5% revenue
5% revenue
5% revenue
5% revenue
5% revenue
5% revenue
n/a
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Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending
36
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
Life insurance and pension
– Facilitating investments in the
green transition
Contributing to society’s green transition
while simultaneously delivering attractive
returns for our customers is at the core of
our life insurance and pension activities
through Danica Pension, which is a wholly
owned subsidiary of Danske Bank.
Our ambition is to contribute to the
transition to a carbon-neutral society and
invest in line with the Paris Agreement’s
goal of limiting global temperature rise to
a maximum of 1.5°C.
For companies, the green transition
brings with it a number of climate-related
risks and opportunities that may affect
our customers’ investments. Conse-
quently, the climate agenda plays a
central role when we invest our cus-
tomers’ pension savings with the aim of
creating the best possible returns. By
analysing, assessing and managing the
climate-related risks and opportunities
of our investments, we can protect the
value of our customers’ investments and
ensure that investments contribute to
the green transition.
Our total assets under management
(AuM) in our Danica Pension portfoli-
os amounted to DKK 454 billion as of
year-end 2020. The measured financed
emissions amounted to 5.7 million
tCO
2
e, covering around 73% of our
total AuM, with good data coverage for
listed equities and corporate credits,
while sovereign debt and the majority of
unlisted equities remains to be a data
challenge.
43
As can be seen from the figure 6.1,
the sectors that contribute most to our
financed emissions are the materials,
industrials, utilities, and energy sectors,
collectively accounting for 74% of our
financed emissions.
The weighted average carbon intensity
of Danica Pension’s investment within
the above-mentioned coverage was 9.8
tonnes of CO
2
e per million of turnover
DKK within the respective investee
companies as of year-end 2020.
Figure 6.1: Sector contributions to financed emission by year-end 2020
Consumer discretionary 4%
Utilities 16%
Consumer staples 3%
Energy 12%
Healthcare 1%
Industrials 18%
Other 17%
Materials 28%
Information technology 2%
43
See appendix 3 for description of data, methodology and coverage
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Asset management
Life insurance and pension
Own operations
Looking to the future
Appendix
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
37
Life insurance and pension
targets
Through our membership of the UN-
convened global investor initiative
Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance, Danica
Pension has committed to achieving a
net-zero investment portfolio by 2050
or sooner in line with the Paris Agree-
ment and to limiting global temperature
increase to a maximum of 1.5°C.
We have set a number of climate targets
to support this commitment, in align-
ment with guidelines from the Science
Based Targets initiative and the Net-Zero
Asset Owner Alliance.
Our targets related to our life insurance
and pension activities are summarised in
table 6.1 below.
Table 6.1: Overview of life insurance and pension targets
Coverage
Listed equities
and credits
Target
Align portfolio
temperature score by
invested value from
2.5°C to 2.0°C
Align portfolio
temperature score by
invested value from
2.8°C to 2.2°C
Reduce carbon
emission intensity in
real estate portfolio by
69%
Reduce carbon
emission intensity in
our investments in the
energy sector by 15%
Reduce carbon
emission intensity in
our investments in the
transportation sector
by 20%
Reduce carbon
emission intensity in
our investments in the
utilities sector by 35%
Reduce carbon
emission intensity in
our investments in the
cement sector by 20%
Reduce carbon
emission intensity from
our investments in the
steel sector by 20%
Metric
°C
Emission
boundary
Scope 1+2
Baseline year
2020
Target year
2030
Target-setting method
Temperature Rating
Methodology
Listed equities
and credits
°C
Scope 1+2+3
2020
2030
Temperature Rating
Methodology
Real estate
portfolio
CO
2
e/m
2
Scope 1+2+3
2019
2030
Portfolio target
Energy
gCO
2
e/MJ
Scope 1+2+3
2019
2025
Sector target
Transportation
Shipping:
gCO
2
e/tKM
Automotive:
gCO
2
e/km
Aviation:
gCO
2
e/RTK
tCO
2
e/MWh
Shipping/
Aviation:
Scope 1
Automotive:
Scope 3
Scope 1
2019
2025
Sector target
Utilities
2019
2025
Sector target
Cement
tCO
2
e/tCement
Scope 1
2019
2025
Sector target
Steel
tCO
2
e/tCrude Steel
Scope 1+2
2019
2025
Sector target
Firstly, we have set temperature rating
targets to ensure that investee compa-
nies have Paris-aligned transition plans
in place. The temperature rating targets
for 2030 will guide our transition from
our baseline in 2020 to 1.5°C by 2040,
leaving 10 years for execution, within our
investments in equities and corporate
credits covering around 32% of our total
AuM.
Secondly, as a major real estate owner,
we find it important to also have a spe-
cific emission intensity reduction target
for our real estate portfolio, which we
have set to 69%, based on a 1.5°C
trajectory model from CRREM (Carbon
Risk Real Estate Monitor).
Thirdly, we have set a number of emis-
sion intensity reduction targets for five
key sectors in Danica Pension’s portfolio,
namely energy, transportation, utilities,
cement, and steel. These targets have
been set as part of our commitment
to the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance.
The sector targets for energy, trans-
portation, utilities, cement, and steel
were set in March 2021, accounting for
approximately 35% of the total portfolios
measured CO
2
e emissions, are in align-
ment with the 1.5°C goal of the Paris
Agreement. We are working proactively
through a number of actions to engage
with companies in these sectors, as
outlined in the following section.
Our temperature rating targets for our
life insurance and pension activities and
our real estate portfolio target have been
submitted for validation by the Science
Based Targets initiative.
Please see appendix 3 for an overview
of data sources, methodology, target-
setting and scenarios.
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Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending
38
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
Approach to decarbonising our portfolios
To further reinforce our commitment to supporting the green transition and investing in line with the Paris Agreement, we have
launched a number of initiatives aimed at bringing our life insurance and pension portfolio in line with a 1.5°C scenario over time.
Our initiatives and actions are structured around three areas:
T5
T4
T3
T2
T1
C1
B1
B2
B3
Investing in the green transition
Our ambition is to invest DKK 50 billion
in the green transition by 2023 and
DKK 100 billion by 2030.
Active ownership
We engage with selected companies – either
directly or in collaboration with other investors
and stakeholders – and seek to influence them
to manage their climate issues and reduce
their contribution to climate change. We voice
our opinion at general meetings.
Exclusion
We exclude certain companies that
are involved in activities, practices or
products that materially contribute to
climate change.
Investing in the green transition
At Danica Pension, our ambition is to
invest at least DKK 50 billion in the
green transition by the end of 2023
and DKK 100 billion by 2030 at the
latest. This ambition helps to create
attractive returns for our customers
and contributes to our climate
commitments.
44
Danica Pension’s investments in the
green transition amounted to DKK 37
billion at the end of September 2022
(see figure 6.2). Whereas investments
have been affected by a decline in
market prices for equities and bonds,
the value of sustainability-certified real
estate and green bonds is pulling in the
opposite direction.
Active ownership
As part of our efforts to advance the
transition, we use our pension assets
to encourage and influence investee
companies to commit to reducing their
carbon emissions and aligning their
business with the goals of the Paris
Agreement.
By actively engaging with companies,
not only do we gain a more comprehen-
sive insight but we can also support
the companies in curbing their contri-
bution to climate change – and support
their participation in the transition to a
net-zero economy. We exercise active
ownership through the following three
channels:
1. Individual engagement
We engage directly with company man-
agement and/or boards to gain greater
insight into the company’s climate
strategies. We discuss how companies
can replace fossil energy with greener
alternatives or reduce the climate impact
of their products. Through dialogue, we
can help shape the companies of the
future and encourage them to commit to
contributing to global climate goals.
In 2022, Danica Pension focused on
active ownership and dialogue with
energy companies, discussing the balance
between mitigating the energy crisis and
increasing the contribution made by these
companies to the green transition. In ad-
dition, we held in-depth discussions with
our steel sector customers to significantly
boost climate action through new solu-
tions such as green hydrogen, steel-built
electric trains powered by renewable ener-
gy and facilities to capture and store CO
2
.
More information about our active own-
ership activities is available in our
active
ownership report.
2. Collaborative engagement
Danica Pension is a member of numer-
ous investor initiatives and alliances,
through which we together with other
investors seek to influence companies to
take action on climate issues, curb car-
Figure 6.2: Investment in the green transition progress and targets
DKK billion
100
100
80
60
50
37
10.3
2019
Progress
44
40
20
2022
Targets
2023
2030
0
Source: Danica Pension (2022)
Danica Pension will adhere to the EU Taxonomy from 2024 at the latest when setting future targets for investments in the green transition. When and how this will happen depends on further
maturation of the taxonomy criteria and improved data quality to assess whether activities meet the taxonomy. In addition, government bonds are not currently covered by the taxonomy. This is a
challenge to be addressed in the future objective.
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Asset management
Life insurance and pension
Own operations
Looking to the future
Appendix
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
39
Investments that support the green transition include:
Green infrastructure
Green infrastructure investments cover infrastructure projects related to renewable energy
such as wind, solar, biomass and hydropower. These investments are made through funds
managed by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, Global Infrastructure Partners and others.
For example, Danica Pension has invested in the US offshore wind farm Vineyard Wind I,
which provide renewable energy to cover the annual energy consumption of 400,000
households. In addition, Danica Pension has invested in the Scottish offshore windfarm
Beatrice, which is the fourth largest offshore windfarm in the world and covers the annual
energy consumption of up to 450,000 households.
Green bonds
Green bonds finance solutions and products in areas such as renewable energy, pollution
control, clean water, waste and wastewater management, and energy efficiency. For
example, Danica Pension has invested in green bonds issued by the governments of the
Netherlands, Belgium and Ireland.
Equity and bond investments in the green transition
This covers investments in companies that provide products, technologies or solutions that
focus on areas such as energy efficiency and renewable energy. Examples include equity
and corporate bond investments in Vestas, Ørsted and Rockwool.
Sustainable real estate
We work to ensure that the properties we own have a healthy indoor climate, positive
social qualities, and low climate and environmental impact. As part of this work, we have
sustainability-certified properties that meet high standards. This contributes to the green
transformation and results in attractive properties that provide stable and future-proof
investment returns. Among other things, we use sustainability certifications from DGNB.
bon emissions and contribute to green
transformations. One way we do this is
through the investor-led Climate Action
100+ initiative.
A list of the companies we are in dia-
logue with via Climate Action 100+ is
available
here.
3. Voting
Voting at company general meetings
is a way of influencing and supporting
companies to increase and improve their
work with climate-related matters, there-
by improving the companies’ long-term
value creation. We vote on numerous
proposals related to climate issues, and
we coordinate our voting activities with
our engagement activities to maximise
our ability to influence and support com-
panies’ climate strategies.
In 2022, the focus of Danica Pension’s
voting activities included putting pres-
sure on US banks to contribute to the
green transition. In line with the objec-
tives set out in the Paris Agreement,
Danica Pension supported proposals
made at general meetings to stop banks
from financing new gas, coal or oil
projects.
Details of how and where we vote at
investee company general meetings is
available through our
interactive dash-
board.
Exclusions
Companies must show that they have
plans or the intention to transition to a
green pathway in alignment with the
Paris Agreement. We expect compa-
nies to set climate targets and put in
place specific action plans that create
significant progress in reducing carbon
emissions. If they do not adapt quickly
enough, we may choose to adjust our
investments or ultimately exclude them.
A number of companies have been
excluded for failing to meet our climate-
related expectations. A list of excluded
companies is available
here.
Our work will continue
We will continue to build on our strong
processes to ensure we actively contri-
bute to society and the green transition
though our life insurance and pension
activities in cooperation with our pension
customers and the companies we
invest in.
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Contents
Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending
40
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
Own operations – reaching net zero
Although the largest proportion of our
overall carbon footprint can be attributed
to our lending and investment activities,
it is important that we also minimise the
environmental footprint from our own
operations to achieve our goal of becom-
ing a net-zero bank by 2050 or sooner.
And only by minimising the environmen-
tal footprint from our own operations,
can we take a lead on sustainable
finance and inspire our customers and
other stakeholders in their own transition
journeys.
Within Danske Bank’s business
operations, our focus is to make emis-
sion reductions across all scopes in
line with best-practice and industry-
recognised frameworks.
Our emissions
Our operational carbon emissions across
scopes 1, 2 and 3 in 2022 constituted
6,979 tonnes CO
2
e. The emissions
cover the actual consumption from all
countries across the Group’s opera-
tions
45
.
The categories with the highest
emissions in 2022 were air travel,
purchased electricity and heating,
and working from home. Emissions
from purchased electricity accounted
for 5,840 tonnes CO
2
e, which were
Figure 7.1:
Carbon emissions from own operations in tonnes across
scope 1, 2 and 3 in 2022 (market-based)
Renewable electricity: 0
Working from home: 1,342
Paper: 187
Purchased heating: 1,871
On-site heating: 235
Company cars: 231
Air travel: 2,346
Employee cars: 766
Source: Danske Bank carbon emission calculations
43
45
We extrapolate – based on FTE figures – for those countries where we do not yet have actual data. The reporting period for the year 2022 runs from Q4 2021 to Q3 2022. We report our CO
2
e
emissions based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
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Asset management
Life insurance and pension
Own operations
Looking to the future
Appendix
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
41
compensated for with the purchase
of guarantees of origin for renewable
electricity and are, as such, reported as
zero when market-based accounting is
applied.
Our work to increase the transparency
and scope of our reporting with the aim
of measuring all of our relevant scope 3
categories is ongoing, and throughout
2022 we expanded our reporting to
include emissions from working from
home. We will continue to work on
establishing emissions from other key
categories such as employee commut-
ing, waste and our supply chain.
By 2030, we aim to have reduced our
combined scope 1, 2 and scope 3 car-
bon emissions by 60%. This target has
been set to capture as broad a scope
as possible. We will continue to include
additional scope 3 categories as data
availability improves.
We have also set an 80% reduction
target in 2030 for scopes 1 and 2 only,
ensuring that higher ambitions reflect the
greater level of control and influence we
have over these categories.
Our absolute emission target of 80% for
scopes 1 and 2 of our own operations
has been submitted for validation by the
Science Based Targets initiative.
Please see appendix 4 for an overview
of data sources, methodology, target-
setting and scenarios.
Table 7.2: Overview of own operations emission reduction targets
Own operations targets
Target
Scope
Scope 1, 2 and
currently measured
scope 3 categories
Metric
tCO
2
e
Target-setting
method
Absolute emission
reduction
In addition to our long-term target of
becoming net zero by 2050 or sooner,
we have set intermediate 2030 targets
to steer our transition path within our
own operations. These intermediate tar-
gets have been set based on an analysis
of our operational footprint and are in line
with a Paris-aligned pathway. Danske
Bank’s own-operations targets are sum-
marised in table 7.2.
Reduce carbon
emissions in own
operations by 60%
from 2019 to 2030
Reduce carbon
emissions in Scope 1
and 2 by 80% from
2019 to 2030
Scope 1 and 2
tCO
2
e
Absolute emission
reduction
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Table 7.1
Contents
Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending
42
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
Approach to reducing our own environmental footprint
We have several initiatives across our business operations to reduce our emissions. These range from ongoing efficiency measures
to one-off transitions towards low-carbon alternatives. With these measures, we will work towards reducing our scope 1, 2 and 3
emissions in accordance with our targets.
Table 7.1: Overview of emission reduction initiatives
Target
SCOPE 1
Electric vehicles
Transition to 100% electric company
vehicles
On-site heating
Transition from gas and oil to electric
heating across Northern Ireland portfolio
Scope
The Danske Bank Group
Metric
In progress
Emissions impact
100% emissions
reduction from fuel
100% emission reduction
Danske Bank Northern
Ireland
In progress
In 2022, transition to
electricity was completed
across 100% of free-
standing branch network
In discussions with
landlords
On-site heating
Transition to district heating across
Denmark Portfolio
On-site heating
100% biogas solution for Denmark
Four sites in Denmark
portfolio currently with
on-site gas heating
For those sites where
a transition to district
heating is not possible
or is delayed, purchase
of guarantees of origin
for biogas to neutralise
emissions
The Danske Bank Group
The Danske Bank Group
100% reduction of scope
1 emissions, emissions
from district heating
reported in scope 2
100% emission reduction
Ongoing from 2022
onwards
SCOPE 2
Purchased electricity
100% renewable electricity across portfolio
Purchased heating
Footprint management – energy-efficient
buildings and efficient use of office spaces
Ongoing
Ongoing
100% emission reduction
in market-based reporting
Emissions savings
dependent on project
Ambition to cut air travel
emissions 70% by 2030
in relation to 2019
Ensure that products and
services are produced
responsibly
Emissions from paper use
declined 50% since 2019
baseline year
Impact not currently
tracked
Emissions impact for
waste category not
tracked due to lack of
historical data
SCOPE 3
Air travel
Active management of business travel
Supplier assessment
All active suppliers to be ESG assessed by
new supplier ESG assessment process by
2023
Paper use
Continued focus on digitalisation and tools
to reduce printing
Employee cars
EV charging infrastructure at Danske Bank
sites
Waste in operations
Implementation of Winnow food waste
reduction technology
The Danske Bank Group
Ongoing
The Danske Bank Group
Ongoing
The Danske Bank Group
Ongoing
The Danske Bank Group
In progress
Danske Bank Finland,
Denmark and Lithuania
In progress
Reducing as much as we can and offsetting the rest
Our highest priority is to make reduc-
tions within our emissions categories
and to reduce as much as we can to
minimise our own operational footprint.
However, some emissions are unavoida-
ble, and Danske Bank has been offset-
ting 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
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Asset management
Life insurance and pension
Own operations
Looking to the future
Appendix
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
43
operations, ensuring that every tonne
is compensated for by 1 tonne of CO
2
e
removed from the atmosphere. The
majority of our offset portfolio in the near
future will be built on nature-based remo-
val solutions such as reforestation or
afforestation projects. We will also invest
a smaller proportion of our offsetting into
new technology-based solutions in order
to promote investment and development
in new solutions and innovations in
carbon removal, which are necessary
to enable us to achieve the scientific
net-zero scenarios.
To ensure the quality and additionality
of our actions, 100% of our emissions
from our own operations are offset
through ICROA-approved certified
projects.
Suppliers
In addition to our targets, we have set
an objective that all our active suppliers
will be ESG assessed by 2023, including
all suppliers in active tendering process-
es. As well as safeguarding that the
products and services we purchase are
produced responsibly, our procurement
processes also help our suppliers to
improve their ESG performance.
Footprint management
Energy saving initiatives in our premises
Energy represents one of our biggest CO
2
contributors within our internal opera-
tions and is therefore an ongoing area of focus. We are switching to LED lights,
installing automatic or motion sensors and turning off unnecessary lighting across
our premises in the Nordic countries, India and Lithuania. To minimise heating, we
are running initiatives to reduce the temperature in our offices and are upgrading
ventilation, insulation and cooling operating systems.
Managing and reducing the carbon footprint of our premises to increase space
efficiency also has a large impact on our scope 2 energy consumption.
Impact of initiative
In 2022, energy saving initiatives enabled us to reduced emissions from purchased
heating by 39% in relation to 2021.
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Contents
Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending
44
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
Looking to the future
Climate as our guiding principle
Danske Bank’s Climate Action Plan, Our
Roadmap to Net Zero, sets out Danske
Bank’s ambitions for reaching net zero
by 2050 or sooner.
Several years of work with sustainability
and the climate agenda has made the
publication of this plan possible, and it
sets out our direction based on what we
know today and how we hope the world
to progress.
As a large financial institution, Danske
Bank plays an important role in society
and therefore has a responsibility to
make a positive impact on the climate.
We do so through four impact areas:
Lending:
the money we lend to
customers
Asset management:
the invest-
ments we make on behalf of our
customers
Life insurance and pension activi-
ties:
the pension assets we manage
on behalf of our beneficiaries
Own operations:
the emissions we
generate through daily business
operations
This plan sets out specific targets for
our most important sectors and activi-
ties. Our targets are based on the latest
scientific research and will ensure our
continuing progress towards achieving
our net-zero ambitions.
In addition, we have outlined the activ-
ities and actions we are undertaking
to support our targets. By integrating
climate considerations into our products,
our advisory services and our risk
management systems and processes,
we are able to address the Group’s entire
portfolio, which in turn will support our
customers in adapting to and benefitting
from the green transition.
Investing in the sustainable future
and transformation
Across many sectors, breakthrough
climate technologies will help transform
our society and energy systems – both
in terms of providing green energy
to industries and also in terms of
providing new sustainable business
solutions.
Financing of and investing in such
developing technologies is essential,
examples of which include new ways
of farming and producing food, new
developments of renewable electricity
production and technologies such as
Power-to-X, carbon capture and power
storage technologies.
Danske Bank will be part of the large-
scale investments and commercialisa-
tion needed to utilise and benefit from
these technologies. In addition to relying
on clear, long-term, national and EU poli-
cies, we will also rely on initial public sec-
tor support to minimise the risk involved
with such projects. In our dialogues with
policy makers and societal stakeholders,
we will advocate for balancing the need
for support with the opportunities in
new financing models in public-private
partnerships.
Interconnected crises
Our climate action plan addresses our
climate actions and targets. However,
the climate crisis is interconnected with
other crises such as the loss of biodiver-
sity and the persistent global inequality.
Our economy and our businesses
depend on the natural environment and
its resources. The loss of ecosystems
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Asset management
Life insurance and pension
Own operations
Looking to the future
Appendix
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
45
will have as significant an impact on the
world as climate change, and we need
to address the matter urgently to avoid
negative repercussions for our eco-
systems, our livelihoods, our communi-
ties and ultimately our global economy.
For Danske Bank, preserving biodi-
versity is a high priority, and we have
already begun to assess and incorpo-
rate biodiversity into our business and
risk assessments. However, we require
more knowledge and more data, and this
remains a challenge we need to address.
One solution is science-based indicators,
which will help us to channel capital
towards activities that have a positive
effect on biodiversity. Similarly, we also
need data on how businesses and activi-
ties affect biodiversity.
Our work in this area is already under
way, and we signed the Finance for Bio-
diversity Pledge and committed to The
Partnership for Biodiversity Accounting
Financials (PBAF) in 2022. Through
our commitments, we can develop the
framework and tools necessary to enable
us to address the biodiversity crisis.
Reporting and transparency
We will report on our climate-related
commitments and emission reduction
targets so that our stakeholders can
transparently monitor our progress. This
reporting will be done with an outset in
our baselines and as methodologies and
models improve, our data will be updated
accordingly.
We communicated our first climate-
related disclosure in our TCFD report as
part of our Sustainability Report 2019,
and we have strengthened our reporting
in line with the commitment we made
when we set our net-zero target and
developed our first Sustainable Finance
Policy in 2021.
In addition to detailing the steps we have
taken so far to align with the TCFD’s
recommendations, our TCFD disclosure
also explains how we incorporate
climate-related risk and impact consider-
ations into our financial decision-making
processes and embed climate considera-
tions into our core business operations.
We will increase the amount and
granularity of the information disclosed
year-on-year as our approach matures,
as supporting data improves, and as
our TCFD journey continues. Most
significantly, we will from 2023 include
reporting on our targets set out in this
climate action plan in our TCFD report-
ing, which will be integrated into our
Annual Report.
We will continue to support our
customers in the green transition
We are committed to being a leading
Nordic bank for sustainable finance and
will help our customers to navigate the
transition. We have a profound respon-
sibility to support and advise our cus-
tomers in the transformation of the real
economy, and we will strive to provide
the best financial products to make
becoming a frontrunner and winner
of the green transition an aspirational
objective.
The task ahead of us is enormous and
the timeframe is limited. This is the
challenge we face as a bank, and it is a
challenge that we must address together
as societies.
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Contents
Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending
46
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
Appendix 1 – Lending
Key methodological considerations
Our sectorial target-setting methodo-
logy and scope are aligned with the list
of priority sectors included in the SBTi,
the Net-Zero Banking Alliance and the
Guidelines for Climate Target Setting for
Banks developed by the UNEP FI.
Financed emissions
Data quality:
Data quality scores can
differ between scopes on a single cust-
omer, hence Scope 1&2 data quality
score (see table 4.1 Carbon-mapped
portfolio, p. 15) is calculated by first
picking the worst score of scope 1 and
2 per customer and then calculating an
exposure-weighted average for the seg-
ment. An exception from this approach is
shipping exposures where the emission
estimates are based on the actual ships
used as collateral (this is the case for
14.4 out of the DKK 18.3 billion on-ba-
lance exposure in the shipping segment).
Here, the quality score is always based
on scope 1, which by far makes up most
of the total scope 1 and 2 emission.
Carbon-mapped portfolio coverage:
The reported numbers (end 2020 data)
cover the following segments:
Corporate portfolio: Credit exposure
in core markets related to credits,
loans, and guarantees. Excluding
non-property-related exposure
46
in
Commercial Real Estate portfolio.
Covers 87% of total on-balance
corporate credit exposure (main
uncovered part – about 10% – comes
from excluding leasing and holdings)
Personal customer portfolio: Credit
exposure collateralised by proper-
ties. Covers 95% of total on-balance
personal customers’ credit exposure.
Private housing co-ops. & non-profit
associations
Non-core and other areas (i.e.
everything not in LC&I, PC, BC, or
Northern Ireland)
in production as happened during the
COVID-19 pandemic or are the emission
reductions achieved by our customers
due to efficiency gains in the producti-
on of, for example, power, cement and
steel? Moreover, it encourages Danske
Bank to achieve emission reduction
through customer engagement and
support in their decarbonisation journeys
rather than achieving absolute emission
reductions through divestment.
Our sectorial portfolio intensity averages
are based on intensities reported by
customers and are exposure-weighted.
As we progress and mature calculation
methodologies, and as data sources
become more valid, we will continue to
improve the quality of our estimates.
Reference scenarios/pathways: Our
2030 targets use as reference well-re-
cognised 1.5°C-aligned sector pathways
that are regularly updated. Moreover,
they are built on top of IEA Net Zero by
2050 data, with the addition that they
also calculate scope 2 emissions for
relevant sectors (e.g. cement and steel)
whereas IEA NEZ 2050 data refers to
scope 1 only.
See information on specific scenarios in
the following table: High-level overview of
sources and methodologies.
Product/exposure types not covered:
• Leasing
• Holdings
• Offers
• Trading facilities
• Non-property-related exposure
46
in
the Commercial Real Estate portfolio
(about 6% of on-balance CRE
exposure)
• Non-property-related exposure
46
in the Personal Customer portfolio
(about 3.5% of on-balance PC
exposure)
Financial scope:
Our financed emissi-
ons were calculated according to PCAF
methodology and guidance from Finance
Denmark’s Framework for Financed
Emissions Accounting and hence look at
on-balance exposure at year-end 2020.
Our sector targets focus on both on- and
off-balance exposures, hence departing
from reporting standard. We look at both
on- and off-balance exposures to better
reflect the commitments made towards
our customers and allow us to also
account for the risk of emission-intensive
customers making use of products such
as revolving loans or line of credit faciliti-
es. Furthermore, the financed emissions
are ‘absolute’ whereas most targets are
intensity based. These two differences
mean that our financed emissions can
increase even if our intensity decrease.
Target metric:
For most of our sector
targets, we have set a physical inten-
sity metric
47
(emissions per economic
output, e.g. kgCO
2
/MWh) instead of an
absolute emission metric. This allows
us to take into account the different
decarbonisation paces of different indu-
stries and helps us to understand and
contextualise the reduction causes in an
industry. For example, are the emission
reductions achieved due to a decrease
Carbon-mapped portfolio exclusion:
Segments in credit portfolio not carbon
mapped:
Customer segments not covered:
• Financial institutions
• Public institutions
46
47
For commercial real estate and Personal Customers we treat all exposure collateralised by a property to be property-related exposure, even if some of it is not directly used to finance the property.
For the oil and gas sector, we have decided to set targets that are a mix of absolute emissions and emissions intensity metrics.
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Asset management
Life insurance and pension
Own operations
Looking to the future
Appendix
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
47
High-level overview of sources and methodologies
Emission data
sources
Segment
Methodology Summary
Financed emissions
Portfolio’s weighted emission
intensity and target-setting
Our shipping target focus solely
on vessels in Poseidon Principles
(PP) scope (83% of the shipping
portfolio).
PP alignment delta refers to the
distance of a vessels emission
intensity (AER, expressed as emis-
sions per tonne nautical mile) from
the target AER in a 1.5˚C trajectory
For calculating our AER in 2020 we
used UMAS aggregated upstream
emission factors for marine fuels
based on primary energy sources
(UMAS, 2022)
Scenario
Shipping
Poseidon Principle,
IMO
CDP, ISS, PCAF
emission factor
database
Depending on data availability, and
share of exposure on a custom-
er-group level going to shipping
activities, one of two approaches
are applied:
1. Emission reported through the
Poseidon Principles on actual
vessels. Attribution factor based
on market value of ship at reporting
date.
Where possible, emissions on
small vessels outside the Poseidon
Principles are estimated based on
IMO data.
2. Business-loan approach from
PCAF standard.
The intensity reduction is calcu-
lated based on the preliminary
Poseidon Principles 1.5˚C
developed by UMAS.
Danske Bank seeks to align its
methodology with the Poseidon
Principles (PP).
Should the PP decide on anoth-
er 1.5˚C trajectory than the now
indicated UMAS 1.5, Danske
Bank would revise its target and
seek a new validation for this
from the SBTi.
Oil and Gas
Manually col-
lected disclosed
emissions or own
assessments
CDP, ISS, PCAF
emission factor
database
Emissions are calculated according
to PCAF methodology.
Business-loan approach from PCAF
standard. Upstream and Refiner-
ies are mainly based on manually
collected disclosed emissions,
whereas ‘Other’ is mainly covered
by revenue and assets factors from
the PCAF database.
Our upstream absolute scope 1, 2,
3 financed emission reduction tar-
get covers on and off-balance credit
exposure of E&P customers.
Our downstream portfolio inten-
sity average follows intensities
reported by customers and is
exposure-weighted. It covers on and
off-balance credit exposure of oil
refining customers.
Our downstream refining absolute
scope 1, 2, financed emission
reduction target covers on and
off-balance credit exposure of
refining customers.
Our target follows projections
of how the oil and gas sector
will decarbonise in the Nordic
countries. We seek to update
our approach once a Sector
Decarbonisation Approach
pathway and a Paris Aligned
science-based methodology for
the sector are available.
Power
generation
Manually col­
lected disclosed
emissions or own
assessments
CDP, ISS, PCAF
emission factor
database
Emissions are calculated according
to PCAF methodology.
Mainly based on own collection of
reported numbers. In some cases,
if there are no disclosed emissions
from the customer, and all exposure
is towards purely renewable power
generation, scope 1 and 2 emission
has been set to 0.
Our power generation portfolio
intensity average follows intensi-
ties reported by customers and
is exposure-weighted. It covers
on- and off-balance credit exposure
of customers involved with power
production.
Our portfolio’s weighted emis-
sion intensity in kgCO
2
/MWh
is compared against the 1.5˚C
scenario (world) developed by
the SBTi to serve as reference
to our target.
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Contents
Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending
48
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
Segment
Emission data
sources
Methodology Summary
Financed emissions
Portfolio’s weighted emission
intensity and target-setting
Our steel portfolio intensity average
follows intensities reported by cus-
tomers and is exposure-weighted.
It covers on- and off-balance credit
exposure of customers involved with
steel production.
Scenario
Steel
Manually collected
disclosed emis­
sions CDP, ISS,
PCAF emission
factor database
Emissions are calculated according
to business-loan approach from
PCAF methodology.
Our portfolio’s weighted
emission intensity in tCO
2
/t is
compared against the 1.5˚C
scenario (world) developed by
Transition Pathway Initiative
(TPI) to serve as reference to
our target.
The SBTi is currently developing
a methodology and pathway
for the steel sector. Once it is
available, we will review our
pathway choice.
Cement
Manually collected
disclosed emis­
sions CDP, ISS,
PCAF emission
factor database
Emissions are calculated according
to business-loan approach from
PCAF methodology.
Our portfolio’s emission intensity for
the cement sector is derived from
intensities reported by customers
and is exposure-weighted. It covers
on and off-balance credit exposure
of customers involved with cement
production.
Targets are set in alignment with
the SBTi 1.5°C trajectory tool for the
cement sector.
SBTi’s 1.5˚C scenario (world)
developed (scope 1+2) serves
as reference to our target.
CRE (DK)
EPC data, Energi­
styrelsen, publicly
available property
data
Scope 1 and 2 emission calculated
related to heating. Energy consump-
tion estimated from EPC labels,
or distribution of EPC labels from
properties with similar character-
istics, combined with energy and
emission factors related to primary
heating source.
Following the guidance from Finance
Denmark’s Framework for Financed
Emissions Accounting
Emissions intensity calculated for
Danish residential and non-residen-
tial portfolio.
2030 projection for DK residential
and non-residential taken from the
SBTi 1.5°C tool.
DK portfolio emissions intensity
baseline and projection calculated
by 2020 exposure weighted aver-
age of the DK residential and DK
non-residential emissions intensity
numbers.
DK portfolio emissions intensity and
projection is incorporated into the
whole CRE portfolio by attribut-
ing according to 2020 exposure
weighed average of the DK portfolio
in the total CRE portfolio exposure.
Total CRE portfolio (Denmark,
Finland, Sweden, Norway) target
set based on setting ambition
level above combined 2030 CRE
projections.
CRREM1.5˚C global decarbon-
isation pathway SBTi 1.5˚C
scenario (world) for residential
and non- residential properties.
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Asset management
Life insurance and pension
Own operations
Looking to the future
Appendix
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
49
Segment
Emission data
sources
Methodology Summary
Financed emissions
Portfolio’s weighted emission
intensity and target-setting
Emissions intensity taken from
PCAF database for different building
types per country. Where building
types are not represented in the
database, a simple average of all
building types emissions intensity
was applied.
2030 projection for building type
per country (done separately for
each country – Finland, Norway,
Sweden) taken from CRREM
pathway.
Country portfolio emissions intensity
baseline and projection calculated
by the 2020 exposure weight-
ed average of the building type
emissions intensity within the total
2020 country exposure numbers
(done separately for each country –
Finland, Norway, Sweden).
Country portfolio emissions intensity
and projection is incorporated into
whole CRE portfolio by attributing
according to each country’s (Finland,
Norway, Sweden) 2020 exposure
weighted average in the total CRE
portfolio exposure.
Total CRE portfolio (Denmark,
Finland, Norway, Sweden) target
set based on setting ambition
level above combined 2030 CRE
projections.
Scenario
CRE
(Nordic
countries)
Simple extrapo­
lation
Due to data limitations, estimation
is currently based on simple extrap-
olation from average intensities from
Denmark.
Attribution factors are based on
property value at reporting date.
This deviates from the PCAF stand-
ard’s property value at origination.
This is currently applied for ease of
technical implementation.
CRREM 1.5˚C global decarboni-
sation pathway
SBTi 1.5˚C scenario (world). for
residential and non- residential
properties.
Personal
mortgages
(DK)
EPC data, Energi­
styrelsen, publicly
available property
data
Scope 1 and 2 emissions calculated
related to heating. Energy consump-
tion estimated from EPC labels, or
distribution of EPC labels from prop-
erties with similar characteristics,
combined with energy and emission
factors related to primary heating
source. Following the guidance from
Finance Denmark’s Framework for
Financed Emissions Accounting
Emissions baseline calculated using
energy performance certificates
(EPC), which express the property’s
expected energy usage for heating
and emission factors from its prima-
ry heating source.
For properties without EPCs, emis-
sions are estimated based on prop-
erties with similar characteristics.
Danish expectations are determined
based on projected decrease in
emission intensities given expecta-
tion on future policy-driven energy
mix combined with households
converting from fossils fuels to
greener energy sources or energy
renovation of the least energy effi-
cient properties, i.e. properties with
EPC E, F or G.
SBTi 1.5˚C scenario (world) for
residential properties
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Contents
Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending
50
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
Segment
Emission data
sources
Methodology Summary
Financed emissions
Portfolio’s weighted emission
intensity and target-setting
Emissions baseline for Norway is
calculated using energy per-
formance certificates (EPC) of
properties and applying national
CO
2
e emission factor for power gen-
eration and average energy factor
based on heating source mix.
For properties without EPCs, emis-
sions are estimated based on the
properties with similar character-
istics.
Emission baseline for FI has been
calculated based on published
emissions factor for electricity
sources and applying the energy mix
intensity to our portfolio for property
emissions intensity.
Emissions baselined for SE has
been estimated by comparison to
property characteristics from the
DK portfolio, and adjusting for SE
according to market and country
estimates due to lack of similar data
sources.
Targets have been set based on
expectations on the DK portfolio
together with European Environment
Agency’s projections of emissions
reductions from energy usage in
buildings and from energy sector.
Scenario
Personal
mortgages
(Nordic
countries)
Norway: EPC data,
Miljø-direktoratet,
Statistics Norway,
NVE
Finland: Statistics
from Finland Long-
term renovation
strategy 2020-
2050
Sweden: Averages
from Denmark,
Norway, Finland
Northern Ireland:
EPC reports
Norway: Same general methodol-
ogy as used for Denmark, except
for using one common average
emission factor (based on distri-
bution of heating sources in the
Norwegian building stock) instead
of heating-source specific factors. A
Nordic energy mix was used for the
emission factor for electricity.
Finland: Emission statistics from the
total Finnish building stock split on a
property-type and construction-year
level, and then applied to Danske
Bank’s portfolio.
Sweden: Based on average
emission intensities from the other
Nordic countries.
Attribution factors are based on
property value at reporting date.
This deviates from the PCAF stand-
ard’s property value at origination.
This is currently applied for ease of
technical implementation.
SBTi 1.5˚C scenario (world) for
residential properties
Agriculture
(DK)
ConTerra data
Extrapolations
based on custom­
ers matched with
ConTerra data
Emission from ConTerra’s farm-level
estimates based on size of farm-
land, crop type, animals, fertiliser
use, manure management, etc.
Same methodology and emission
factors as used in the National
Inventory Report.
Attribution factors follow PCAF’s
business-loan approach.
Agriculture
(rest)
Intensity factors
derived from
(Danish) custom­
ers matched with
ConTerra data
Extrapolated from intensity factors
derived from the Danish agriculture
portfolio where ConTerra data has
been applied. Split on main agricul-
tural activity.
Limitations related to biomass as an
energy source:
Biomass is an energy
source based on organic material such
as straw and residues from forestry or
urban and agricultural waste. In
Denmark, biomass accounts for almost
two-thirds of the production of renewable
energy and primarily supplies heat to the
district heating system.
According to the national climate ac-
counting guidelines, energy based on
biomass (bioenergy) that is used for
heating and electricity generation is
accounted as carbon neutral. This ad-
heres to the UN’s rules for calculation for
greenhouse gas inventories, which apply
worldwide. Greenhouse gases – unlike
wind, solar, or hydro energy – are emitted
during the energy production process;
for example, when biomass is combu-
sted in heat and power plants, CO
2
is
discharged into the atmosphere, which
negatively affects the climate. However,
CO
2
is absorbed again as plants grow,
as a part of the natural biogenic carbon
cycle.
Biomass is a limited resource that can
be used for many purposes, but the
global energy demand cannot be met
with bioenergy. Therefore, the resource
must be used sensibly and to a limited
degree and in accordance with highest
sustainability standards. We are aware
of the possible additional social and
ethical dilemmas related to energy based
on biomass, and as a financial instituti-
on, we need to take this into account and
incorporate this into our assessment of
the companies that have biomass in the
business model.
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Asset management
Life insurance and pension
Own operations
Looking to the future
Appendix
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
51
Appendix 2 – Asset management
Key methodological considerations
Our sectorial target-setting methodo-
logies and scopes are aligned with
guidelines from the SBTi, the Net Zero
Asset Manager Initiative (NZAM) and
recommendations of the Task Force on
Climate-related Financial Disclosures
(TCFD).
To fulfil the NZAM commitments,
Danske Bank Asset Management has
leveraged the latest scientific climate
research, as represented by the IPCC,
the IEA net-zero energy system pathway,
and the most relevant and industry-
recognised target-setting methodologies
available.
Assets under management:
Reporting
principles for assets under management
(AuM) are included in the Annual Report
2021.
Financed emissions methodology, data
and coverage:
The financed carbon
emissions of our AuM in Asset Manage-
ment are calculated by measuring scope
1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions
from the companies in the investment
portfolios weighted by our share of
investment. For carbon emission data,
we are using ISS ESG as our data
provider. ISS ESG has a high coverage of
companies worldwide, but not all our in-
vestments are covered by their dataset.
For example, the lack data for sovereign
debt and unlisted companies is larger
than the lack of data for listed compa-
nies. When applying ISS Methodology
for carbon emissions, 68% of our AuM
is covered, amounting to around DKK
600 billion by year-end 2020. If we
look at our listed equities and credits in
isolation, we have a strong coverage of
93%. Out of the covered 68% we have
reliable and reported emission data on
approximately 83% of the holdings. For
the remaining part, ISS ESG have applied
modelled emissions data.
Temperature Rating Approach target
Definition:
Temperature rating metho-
dology allows the global temperature
rise associated with corporate ambition
to be compared. Being a forward-looking
metric, temperature rating targets sup-
plement the engagement and intensity
targets set for both asset management
and life insurance and pension.
Target coverage:
The Asset Manage-
ment temperature rating targets cover
37% of all assets under management,
which stood at DKK 860 billion by year-
end 2020 (baseline year). The coverage
includes our listed equities and credits
within our Investment funds, mana-
ged accounts and pooled investment
vehicles. Our ambition is to include more
of our total assets under management
into our target; at present, however, only
listed equities and corporate credits are
included, and AuM under discretionary
mandates on behalf of our customers
are excluded from the temperature rating
targets. The reason for omitting discreti-
onary mandates with asset owners at
this stage is that it must be based on
specific customer demands and a con-
tractual agreements for each mandate.
In line with our commitment we will over
time engage with asset owners on this
topic
Even though 37% of our portfolio is
covered by our temperature target, 63%
of the AuM in scope currently receive a
default score when using the SBTi tool
and methodology. This is due to the fact
that only limited and trusted data sour-
ces are allowed, and that not all compa-
nies have yet set intermediate emission
reduction targets. The data quality is
expected to improve over time as more
companies set intermediate targets and
make these public through well-recogni-
sed and trusted data sources.
Methodology:
The SBTi currently
recognises one temperature rating
methodology, developed collaboratively
by CDP and WWF. The CDP-WWF tem-
perature rating methodology translates
companies’ greenhouse gas emission
reduction targets into a single metric.
The methodology is open source and
has gone through a separate consulta-
tion process. The methodology includes
three steps: 1) a target protocol, which
converts individual emissions targets to
temperatures, 2) a company protocol,
which aggregates these targets into an
overall company score, and 3) a portfolio
protocol, which weights these company
scores across an investment portfolio.
To convert individual emissions targets
into temperatures, the target protocol
uses the best-available scientific climate
scenarios from the IPCC Special Report
on 1.5°C (2018) scenario database. It
generates simple regression models for
estimated warming in 2100 from clima-
te scenarios with short-, medium- and
long-term trends in absolute emissions
or emissions intensities.
Because companies have multiple
targets, the data is aggregated into
company-level scores. Minimum quality
criteria define a quality of target that can
be included. At the portfolio level, these
company scores are weighted to assess
an index or portfolio of companies, such
as in the context of financial portfolios.
Companies that do not have relevant,
publicly disclosed emissions targets
are by the SBTi tool assigned a default
temperature score which assumes a
business-as-usual temperature pathway.
This enables company-by-company and
portfolio comparisons. SBTi criteria for
setting targets to align the temperatu-
re rating of corporate debt and equity
portfolios with the ambition of the Paris
Agreement include:
Aligning portfolio scope 1 and 2
temperature score with a minimum
well-below 2°C scenario, and in addi-
tion aligning portfolio to a minimum
2°C scenario for the scope 1, 2 and
3 by 2040. Alignment with more
ambitious scenarios is encouraged.
At Danske Bank, we have chosen a
1.5°C trajectory.
Committing to reducing portfolio
temperature scores so that the bank
is on a linear path to the sated goal
by 2040.
Weighted average CO
2
intensity target
Definition:
The net-zero target for asset
management is tied to weighted average
carbon intensity (WACI). WACI measu-
res the carbon emission normalised by
the revenue of the company, and on ag-
gregated levels it discloses our exposure
towards carbon intensive companies. As
of now, this calculation is performed by
including the scope 1 and scope 2 emis-
sions and dividing this by the revenue ge-
nerated by the investee companies. From
2023, asset management will also take
scope 3 emissions into consideration.
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Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending
52
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
Target coverage:
The asset mana-
gement WACI target covers 54% of
all assets under management, which
amounted to DKK 464 billion by year-
end 2020 (baseline year). The coverage
includes our Investment funds, mana-
ged accounts and pooled investment
vehicles. Our ambition is to include more
of our total assets under management
into our target; however, discretionary
mandates on behalf of our customers
are not currently included in the net-zero
target. The reason for omitting discretio-
nary mandates with asset owners at this
stage is that it must be based on specific
customer demands and a contractual
agreements for each mandate. In line
with our commitment we will over time
engage with asset owners on this topic.
Even though 54% of our total AuM are
covered by our target, we are not able
to calculate the WACI based on all of
those assets. The reason for this is a
lack of reliable emission data for a part
of our investment product portfolio
mainly relating to sovereign debt and
unlisted equities. As a result, our WACI
is calculated based on 41% of our total
AuM, amounting to DKK 357 billion by
year-end 2020, where our ESG data pro-
viders have coverage of actual emissions
or estimated data.
Methodology:
IPCC provides four
plausible scenarios each consistent
with net-zero emissions in their Special
Report on Global Warming of 1.5˚C
(2018). Each scenario has distinct
pathways following different assumpti-
ons about technological, economic and
societal progress. The Sustainable De-
velopment scenario is the most aligned
with the principles of systemic transition
to a sustainable future, characterised by
broad focus on sustainability, including
energy intensity, human development,
economic converge and international
cooperation, and enabled by shift tow-
ards sustainable and healthy consump-
tion patterns, low-carbon technology
innovation and well-managed land
systems with limited societal accepta-
bility for carbon capture. Danske Bank
Asset Management supports a broadly
focused sustainability transition, and our
weighted average carbon intensity target
is therefore anchored with this scenario.
The Sustainable Development scenario
implies an approximate 50% reduction
of CO
2
emissions by 2030. We have
therefore set a 2030 target of reducing
scope 1 and 2 WACI in our investment
products with 50% by 2030.
Engagement target
Definition:
Engagement builds on
evaluating companies’ climate transiti-
on strategies and communicating our
expectations to close potential gaps. To
strengthen actions in the real economy,
Danske Bank Asset Management has
also established a Net-Zero Engagement
Roadmap describing clear sector-speci-
fic and time-bound expectations.
Methodology:
One of the key corner-
stones of the NZAM commitment is to
“prioritise the achievement of real eco-
nomy emissions reductions within sec-
tors and companies in which we invest”.
A strong stewardship and engagement
strategy is in our opinion a credible and
effective way of achieving real world
impact. 100 companies contribute to
around three-quarters of Danske Bank
Asset Management portfolio’s measured
financed scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.
Within those 100 companies, five sec-
tors account for approximately 80% of
emissions. In order to achieve effective
real-economy emissions reductions,
Danske Bank has set a target of enga-
ging, either individually or collectively,
with the top 100 emitters in our portfolio
by 2025.
To evaluate companies’ alignment with
the Paris Agreement, Danske Bank
Asset Management leverages the Net
Zero Investment Framework built by
the Paris Aligned Investment Initiative.
The framework describes a methodo-
logy for classifying companies along
a Paris-alignment maturity scale. The
methodology evaluates companies in a
holistic manner using ten criteria. The
criteria are well aligned with those of
Climate Action 100+, which can be seen
as the gold standard for evaluating and
engaging with companies on climate. The
methodology allows Danske Bank Asset
Management to identify company-spe-
cific gaps in their climate strategies as
basis for effective net-zero engagement,
and as such encourages companies to
climb the alignment maturity scale.
To further strengthen evaluation of
companies’ alignment with the Paris
Agreement by the Net Zero Investment
Framework, Danske Bank Asset Mana-
gement defines minimum sector-specific
expectations against certain criteria
based on the IEA’s Net Zero by 2050
roadmap. For example, power generation
is expected to transition first, as an enab-
ler for many other sectors to transition,
as demonstrated by requirement for the
sector in advanced economies to reach
net-zero emissions by 2035, phasing out
all unabated coal plants by 2030 and
renewables generation accounting for
60% of energy mix by 2030.
Appendix 3 – Life insurance and pension
Our sectorial target-setting methodology
and scope are aligned with guidelines
from the SBTi, the Net-Zero Asset Owner
Alliance (NZAOA) and recommendations
of the Task Force on Climate-related
Financial Disclosures (TCFD). Target-
setting under NZAOA follows the
Alliance’s Target Setting Protocol (TSP),
which defines why, how and which tar-
gets members are required to set, track,
review and report. Specifically, TSP calls
for members to set at least three targets
out of the four different target areas
covering engagement targets, sub-
portfolio targets, sector targets and
financing transition targets.
Financed emissions methodology, data
and coverage:
The financed carbon
emissions of our AuM in life insurance
and pension is calculated by measuring
scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas
emissions from the companies in the
investment portfolios weighted by our
share of investment. For carbon emis-
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Asset management
Life insurance and pension
Own operations
Looking to the future
Appendix
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
53
sion data, we use ISS ESG as our data
provider. ISS ESG has a high coverage
of companies worldwide, but not all
our investments are covered by their
dataset. For example, the lack of data
for sovereign debt and unlisted compa-
nies is larger than for listed companies.
When applying ISS Methodology for
carbon emissions, 64% of our AuM
are covered, amounting to DKK 291
billion by year-end 2020. If we look at
our listed equities and corporate credits
in isolation, we have a large coverage
of 81%. Out of the covered 64%, of our
AuM, we have reliable and reported
emission data of approximately 86% of
the holdings, and for the remaining part,
ISS ESG have applied modelled emissi-
ons data.
Temperature Rating Approach target
Target coverage:
The life insurance
and pension temperature rating targets
presented in this report covers 37% of
all assets under management, amoun-
ting to DKK 168 billion by end of 2020
(baseline year). This includes our listed
equities and credits. Our ambition is to
include more of our total assets under
management into our temperature
targets when data and methodologies
allow.
Even though 37% of our portfolio is
covered by our temperature target, 68%
of the AuM in scope currently receive a
default score when using the SBTi tool
and methodology. This is due to the fact
that only limited and trusted data sour-
ces are allowed, and that not all compa-
nies have yet set intermediate emission
reduction targets. The data quality is
expected to improve over time as more
companies set intermediate targets and
make these public through well-recogni-
sed and trusted data sources.
Methodology and definition:
Same as
described above in appendix for asset
management methodology (p. 51)
Real estate target
Definition:
Fully and jointly owned
commercial and residential buildings.
Target includes both landlord controlled
and tenant-controlled areas in line with
the Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor
(CRREM) 1.5°C national pathways, and
is measured as total financed CO
2
e/m
2
/
annum.
Methodology:
TSP recommends that
members set emissions reduction
targets on fully and jointly owned real
estate portfolios in commercial and
residential buildings, in line with either
the overall sub-portfolio target or Carbon
Risk Real Estate Monitor (CRREM)
1.5°C national pathways. Danica Pen-
sion, as part of its real estate sustaina-
bility strategy, decided to set targets to
reduce CO
2
e emissions in its real estate
portfolios by 37% by 2025 and 69% by
2030, against a 2019 baseline. These
targets are more ambitious than the CR-
REM pathways required for buildings in
Denmark, highlighting Danica Pension’s
focus on decarbonisation.
Sector target
Definition:
Intensity-based reductions on
Alliance priority sectors (oil and gas, uti-
lities, steel, and transport (aviation, ship-
ping, heavy and light duty road). Scope 3
to be included wherever possible. Sector
specific intensity KPIs recommended.
Sectoral Decarbonisation Pathways
used to set targets.
Methodology:
TSP encourages mem-
bers to set sector targets to help link
portfolio-level emission reductions to the
energy-efficiency requirements and re-
al-world outcomes. Furthermore, sector
targets are useful in informing stewards-
hip, policy and allocation activities in
these sectors. Sector-specific targets
reflect the specifics of each sector, their
respective energy transition trade-offs
with other sectors, and the role they
are expected to play in the transition to
a net-zero economy. In order to sup-
port real economy progress with high
ambition, Danica Pension decided to
set targets on engagement, financing
transition and sectors.
TSP identifies four priority sectors for
sector targets – oil and gas, utilities,
steel manufacturing, and transportati-
on. Danica Pension identified cement
manufacturing as an additional priority
sector to set targets on, given its relati-
vely high share of emissions in Danica
Pension’s portfolio. TSP advocates using
intensity-based KPIs, including scope 3
emissions wherever possible, and using
Sectoral Decarbonisation Pathways
to set targets. TSP allows using any
credible, science-based sectoral model
for setting targets, but specifically
encourages leveraging the One Earth
Climate Model (OECM). OECM breaks
down global carbon budget consistent
with 1.5°C warming to various sectors.
However, at the time of target-setting, it
only covered CO
2
e emissions on scope
1 and 2. Some of the priority sectors,
such as automobiles within transport,
have a high share of overall CO
2
e
emissions attributed to scope 3. For this
reason, Danica Pension looked for data
and models that better reflect the con-
centrations of emissions within scopes
across sectors.
The Transition Pathway Initiative (TPI)
is considered by many to be one of the
most advanced approaches in that
respect. Among other things, TPI calcu-
lates sector-specific emission reduction
pathways for priority sectors, following
IEA energy transition scenarios. TPI also
calculates company-specific carbon
intensities against these pathways for
highest emitting companies, to evaluate
the alignment of companies’ emissions
profiles and emission reduction targets.
Danica Pension leveraged TPI scenari-
os and company data to guide setting
and calculating baseline for its sectoral
targets. While sectoral pathways by
TPI are somewhat different to those
calculated by OECM, they are concep-
tually aligned with representing sectoral
dynamics to reach certain temperature
outcomes. Finally, in order to set final se-
ctor targets, Danica Pension compared
its baseline figures against requirements
by OECM and TPI scenarios and set
targets that were overall both reflective
of realities within portfolio, scientific
requirements and societal capabilities to
transition to net zero by 2050.
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Contents
Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending
54
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
Appendix 4 – Own operations
Reporting principles and key
methodological considerations
Environmental data covers the actual
consumption from the Group’s ope-
rations in Denmark, Finland, Ireland,
Northern Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Lit-
huania and India, and it also covers the
estimated consumption from the Group’s
remaining operations without registered
data. The reporting period for the year
2022 runs from Q4 2021 to Q3 2022.
We report our CO
2
e emissions based
on the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol
and numbers are rounded to the closest
integer.
CO
2
e emissions scope 1:
Scope 1
comprises CO
2
e emissions from heating
using oil and gas and from the usage
of company cars. The emissions from
heating are calculated on the basis of he-
ating consumption, using either specific
emission factors from energy companies
or average emission factors for heating
for the country from International Energy
Agency (IEA) and the Department of
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DE-
FRA). In accordance with the Greenhou-
se Gas Protocol Guidance, the emissions
from gas consumption in Denmark were
omitted owing to the purchase of biogas
certificates of origin. For transport by
company cars, the emissions are calcu-
lated on the basis of the mileage and
emission factors from DEFRA.
CO
2
e emissions scope 2:
Scope 2 com-
prises CO
2
e emissions from heating and
electricity supplied by external suppliers.
The emissions from heating and cooling
are calculated on the basis of heating
consumption, using either specific emis-
sion factors from energy companies or
average emission factors for heating for
the country from IEA and DEFRA. Simil-
arly, emissions from district cooling are
calculated on the basis of district cooling
consumption and the specific emissions
factor used for district heating. Scope 2
emissions are reported in accordance
with the market-based and location-ba-
sed methodology from the Greenhouse
Gas Protocol Guidance. For the locati-
on-based approach, the emission factors
from electricity consumption are calcula-
ted using a mix of emission factors from
energy companies or average emission
factors for the country from the IEA.
For the market-based methodology, the
emissions from electricity consumption
were omitted owing to the purchase
of renewable electricity certified by
Guarantees by Origin and International
Renewable Energy Certificates.
CO
2
e emissions scope 3:
Scope 3
comprises CO
2
e emissions from paper
usage, business travel by employee cars
and flights and emissions from emplo-
yees working from home (WFH). The
emissions from paper are calculated
based on paper consumption and the
emission factors from DEFRA. For trans-
port by employee cars, the emissions are
calculated on the basis of the mileage
and emission factors from DEFRA. The
emissions from air travel are reported
directly by our travel agency, American
Express. Emissions from WFH are calcu-
lated using EcoAct methodology and
emissions factors used are the same as
for scope 1 and 2 energy calculations.
WFH emissions are calculated using
methodology specified in Ecoact Home-
working Emissions Whitepaper. FTEs
homeworking per quarter is established
using VPN data per country. This is
multiplied by average consumption data
for a homeworking setup per country as
specified in the Ecoact methodology. For
the Nordic countries and Lithuania, only
electricity consumption for a standard
desk set up is incorporated. For India,
electricity consumption for an average
ceiling fan is included for the summer
months. For Ireland and Northern Ire-
land, gas central heating consumption as
specified in the Ecoact methodology is
included for the winter months. Emissi-
ons factors for heat and electricity are
the same used for all scope 1 and 2
(location-based) emissions calculations.
Estimated CO
2
e from operations with-
out registered data:
For operations that
do not have any measured consumption,
we estimate CO
2
e emissions on the
basis of the average number of full-time
employees as provided by Group Finance
and the average emissions per employee
in the Group. These estimates are distri-
buted across the three scopes based on
the share of the individual scope.
Energy consumption:
Data for energy
consumption from electricity and heat is
either based on automatic data transfers
from smart meters or quarterly meter
readings, or it is calculated on the basis
of statements received regularly during
the year from energy companies and
lessors. Data on electricity consumpti-
on is calculated mainly on the basis of
statements from energy companies, and
heat consumption figures for our head
offices are similarly based on actual
readings taken by the energy companies.
If no reading or statement is available,
we estimate consumption based on the
average electricity or heat consumption
per square meter for the country unit.
Data on floor space covers all properties
used by the Group and its subsidiaries,
including the Group’s own premises
and leased premises, for own opera-
tions in various countries. In Sweden,
heat consumption data is calculated on
the basis of information from boverket.
se (energy labelling of buildings). The
consumption figure is calculated on the
basis of the Group’s share of floor space
in the buildings in Sweden. Similarly,
data on heat consumption at properties
without actual consumption in Finland
is calculated by using the key figures for
Sweden because consumption patterns
for locations in Finland are similar to
sites in Sweden.
Renewable energy share scope 1 and 2:
Renewable energy share within scope
1 and 2 is calculated on the basis of
the total energy consumption and the
amount of renewable electricity certified
by guarantees of origin and internatio-
nal renewable energy certificates. The
calculation does not include fuel use
from company cars. With limited data on
the energy mix for heating, it is assumed
that the energy mix is made up of a
variety of different fossil sources. This is
a conservative approach.
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Asset management
Life insurance and pension
Own operations
Looking to the future
Appendix
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
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Appendix 5 – Abbreviations
AER
AuM
AGM
BC
BoD
CCUS
CDP
CII
CO
2
CO
2
e
COP
CRE
CRREM
coZEV
DB
DEFRA
Annual Efficiency Ratio
Assets under management
Annual general meeting
Business Customers
Board of Directors
Carbon capture, utilisation and storage
Carbon Disclosure Project
IEA
Carbon Intensity Indicator
IIGCC
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide equivalent
Conference of the Parties
ISS
Commercial real estate
kg
Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor
Cargo Owners for Zero Emission Vessels
Danske Bank
Department of Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs
Green Building Council Denmark
Denmark
Danish krone
Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index
Denmark’s Export Credit Agency
Executive Leadership Team
Energy performance certificates
MEPC
ESG
ETS
E&P
FI
g
gCO
2
/MJ
Environmental, social and governance
Emissions Trading System
Exploration and production (oil and gas)
Finland
Gram
Gram of carbon dioxide per megajoule
MJ
Mt
MW
MWh
m
2
Marine Environment Protection
Committee
Megajoule
Megatonne
Megawatt
Megawatt-hour
Square metre
kgCO
2
e/m
2
kgCO
2
e/MWh
km
kWh
KPI
LC&I
LED
LULUCF
mDash®
Kilogram of carbon dioxide equivalent per
square meter
Kilogram of carbon dioxide equivalent per
megawatt hour
Kilometre
Kilowatt-hour
Key performance indicator
Large Corporates & Institutions
Light-emitting diode
Land-use, land-use change and forestry
Danske Bank proprietary sustainability
research platform
Kilogram
Institutional Shareholder Services
IPCC
Institutional Investors Group on Climate
Change
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change
International Energy Agency
gCO
2
e/MJ
GDP
GHG
ICROA
Gram of carbon dioxide equivalent per
megajoule
Gross domestic product
Greenhouse gas.
International Carbon Reduction and
Offset Alliance
gCO
2
/tnm
Gram of carbon dioxide equivalent per
tonnes nautical mile
DGNB
DK
DKK
EEXI
EKF
ELT
EPC
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Contents
Message from our CEO
Our role in the green transition
Our plan to achieve net zero
Lending
56
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
NDC
NO
NZAM
NZAOA
NEZ 2050
National Determined Contribution
Norway
Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative
Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance
The IEA’s Net Zero Emissions by 2050
scenario
Other effective area-based conservation
measures
Partnership for Biodiversity Accounting
Financials
Partnership for Carbon Accounting
Financials
Poseidon Principles
Principles of Responsible Banking
Principles for Responsible Investment
Science Based Targets initiative
Sectoral Decarbonisation Approach
Task Force on Climate-related Financial
Disclosures
Tonnes of carbon dioxide
Tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent
Tonnes of carbon dioxide per tonne
Transition Pathway Initiative
Target Setting Protocol
United Nations Environment Programme
- Finance Initiative
United Nations Global Compact
Weighted average carbon intensity
World Resources Institute
OECM
PBAF
PCAF
PP
PRB
PRI
SBTi
SDA
TCFD
tCO
2
tCO
2
e
tCO
2
/t
TPI
TSP
UNEP FI
UN GC
WACI
WRI
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Asset management
Life insurance and pension
Own operations
Looking to the future
Appendix
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
57
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Diclaimer
This publication has been prepared by Danske Bank A/S (“Danske Bank”). Danske Bank is under supervision by the
Danish Financial Supervisory Authority (Finanstilsynet).
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