Sustainability

As part of Mizuho Financial Group, we are committed to playing a role in the transition of the global economy to a more sustainable future.

Across our strategic decision making, client financial solutions offering, and all aspects of our own operations, we are rethinking how we steer our business in line with sustainability goals. We recognise that the transition will be a gradual process, and engage with stakeholders to ensure that we remain focused on the long term.

View Mizuho Financial Group's 2024 Sustainability Progress Report here >>>

Our commitments

Mizuho EMEA is working towards contributing to Mizuho Financial Group’s net zero target while helping our clients achieve theirs. We drive key sustainability initiatives at a global level through a group-wide approach.

As part of our responsibility to help tackle some of the world’s most pressing environmental and social challenges, we have set targets in line with our commitments to financial industry initiatives including the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF – joined in July 2021, appointed chair of PCAF Japan coalition in November 2021).

Mizuho Financial Group’s long-term goal of alignment with Paris Agreement targets – limiting global warming to well below 2°C and pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C – serves as a guide to our strategy and activities. At a global level, the following targets have been set:

Extend c.JPY100 trillion in sustainable finance by FY2030, of which c.JPY50 trillion is climate and environmental finance.
Reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the group to achieve scope 1 and 2 carbon neutrality by FY2030 and net zero in our finance portfolio (scope 3) by FY2050.
Interim FY2030 financed emissions targets, including to reach NZ absolute emissions from thermal coal mining by 2030 (OECD) and 2040 (non-OECD). Other targets cover Electric power (intensity); Upstream oil and gas (intensity and absolute); Automotive (intensity and absolute); Shipping (alignment 0%); Steel (absolute); and Real estate (intensity)
Reduce outstanding credit balance for coal-fired power generation facilities by 50% by FY2030 and to zero by FY2040
Continually reinforce our robust ESG policy framework and climate risk management

In 2022, we became the first Japanese Bank to publish a human rights report and disclose our scope 3 financed emissions for 19 sectors, including the 18 sectors recommended by the TCFD, and intend to disclose these regularly going forward.” The Group has also registered as an Early Adopter of the TNFD.

Sustainable Finance

Mizuho has a strong commitment to supporting the sustainable financing requirements of our client base, leveraging our strong franchise, global presence and comprehensive international distribution capabilities. With an extensive track record and a dedicated sustainability team, we are in a position to support each of our clients on their individual decarbonisation journey and sustainability transition path. We offer a range of innovative sustainable finance solutions across:

Bonds

Green Bonds
Social Bonds
Sustainability Bonds
Sustainability-Linked Bonds
Private Placements

Loans

Green Loans
Social Loans
Sustainability-Linked Loans
Renewable Energy Project Finance
Energy Transition Financing

Advisory

ESG Structuring
Industry Insights

Other Products

Sustainable Trade Finance
Green and Social Export Credit

Our experienced sustainable financing team is supported centrally by dedicated sustainability planning and business promotion colleagues, working together across functions and offices in EMEA and globally to deliver an integrated ESG client offering.

The efforts are led globally by the Group Chief Sustainability Officer and locally by the EMEA Head of Sustainable Finance and EMEA Head of Sustainability Strategy, through the regional Sustainability Forum governance structure.

Operations

In the same way that sustainability is growing in importance for our clients, it is also growing in importance for us as a company: besides providing sustainable finance solutions, we are also committed to ensuring that our own operations are sustainable.

We have taken steps to advance this, including by putting in place an environmental management system certified to the ISO 14001 standard for our EMEA head office, to help manage our own operational footprint.

Recognising the systemic nature of sustainability risks, we are actively monitoring our supply chain as well as cooperating with stakeholders including companies whose supply chains we are part of.

London entity Mizuho International plc has been rated by EcoVadis following an assessment of its policies, actions, and results across industry-specific Environment, Labour and Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement criteria.

Having been the first Japanese financial services group to publish a TCFD Report in FY20, we continue to evolve and improve our disclosures of climate-related financial information, both from Mizuho Financial Group and locally in EMEA.

See our Mizuho Financial Group Sustainability disclosures here.

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Latest sustainability news

Press release: Mizuho and LSEG to collaborate in carbon credit area

News: Mizuho joins the International Capital Market Association’s (ICMA) Advisory Council of the Principles Executive Committee

Press release: Mizuho acts as Coordinator and sole Green Loan Coordinator in ACCIONA’s debut JPY45 billion Green Samurai loan

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