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- Digital wallet spend in Europe & North America to increase by 40% in 2019, finds study
- Juniper forecasts mobile money transactions will exceed 200 billion by 2024
- Europe’s big bank problem: too much capital is trapped in the US, says Scope
- Banks can save the world from climate change, says former UN climate chief
- Research by NatWest reveals gender divide over attitudes to saving
- Later-Life lending market set to almost double in the next 10 years, finds report
- Barclays/Cebr report challenges nation to think differently about wealth
- Fifth of UK investors looking to debt investment, new research reveals
- Regtech will play a more important role in PSD2, says Mitek
- Banks turn to Fintech partnerships to improve customer experience, finds Fraedom
- New industry code to tackle fraud must deliver, says Which?
- New TTF report highlights loss of trust in financial services
- Arxan highlights financial app vulnerability epidemic
- SAS asks whether banks really need to choose between operations and innovation
- Which? raises alarm as almost 1,700 free ATMs become fee-charging
- Financial wellness affects half of peoples’ mental or physical health, finds report
- Study finds traditional financial institutions embrace Fintech disruption
- Grass is greener for environmentally friendly businesses, finds Barclays
- Prospective homeowners would consider a 40-year mortgage to escape renting, finds Santander
- Millennials’ needs are changing the face of banking industry, says new report
- FS is putting consumer data at risk by failing to protect mobile apps, says Arxan
- A lack of belief in their ability holds 28% women back in work, says Cambridge & Counties
- ‘Which?’ reveals Scotland has lost over a third of its bank branches in eight years
- Next downturn unlikely to be as bad as 2008, according to S&P
- FCA reveals findings from first cryptoassets consumer research
- US consumers favour single mobile app for banking and payments
- Banks suffering major IT shutdowns every day, ‘Which?’ reveals
- The US will be a key offshore centre in 2019, says GlobalData
- Debit industry changes markedly in 10 years of the Debit Issuer Study
- UK's ‘Big Five’ face ‘too big to compete’ as small challengers secure stellar returns
- Banks as vulnerable now as before crash, says new study
- Leverage ratio a constant conundrum for European and US banks, says SNL
23rd April 2019
Grass is greener for environmentally friendly businesses, finds Barclays
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Barclays has revealed that small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) not considering their eco-credentials could be missing a trick as environmental considerations become an ever-higher priority for consumers.
The research found that 57 per cent of Brits placed going green highly on their personal agenda, with 45 per cent actively seeking to purchase products or services from businesses that are environmentally friendly.
Ian Rand, Chief Executive of Barclays Business Banking, said: “In recent years, consumer trends and habits have clearly swung towards a more eco-based focus, and SMEs need to ensure they are adhering to the same values in order to strengthen and grow."
It’s not just consumers who are paying attention to a business’s approach to green but the workforce too: 70 per cent revealed it is important to them that their current or prospective employer is considered a green business, with the figure reaching 77 per cent amongst Gen-Z.
Research reveals that SMEs are starting to listen to consumer demands, with 22 per cent actively making changes to reduce their carbon footprint and a further 41 per cent looking to make changes within the next year. Over the next 12 months, SMEs in the North East (47 per cent), East Midlands (46 per cent) and the North West (45 per cent), look to be leading the way when wanting to introduce green polices.
To back UK SMEs with their green ambitions, Barclays Business Banking has launched Green Loans to assist business customers with eco-friendly changes to their business. Lending of up to £5m is available to SMEs looking to fund initiatives across energy efficiency, renewable energy, green transport, sustainable food, agriculture and forestry, waste management, and greenhouse gas emission reduction.
Mr Rand concludes: “The launch of our Green Loans product is one way for companies to engage with their employees and customers, giving them the opportunity of accessible lending to adopt green policies across their business.”
