CSR

Eco actions

  • Eco activities with customersConservation via digital delivery

    Going paperless to conserve resources

    As an internet bank, Sony Bank uses as little paper as possible in its dealings with customers, such as for receipts, passbooks and product descriptions.

    Investment trusts largely used paper documents in the past, but we are asking customers to switch to digital delivery to conserve paper as well as reduce CO2 emissions generated by traditional mail delivery.

  • Eco activities as a bank

    Sony Bank is committed to fulfilling our responsibilities as a responsible institutional investor and contributing to a sustainable society in accordance with Sony Group's common ESG investment policy.
    We have also set an ESG investment and financing target that considers "Environment", "Social", and "Governance" factors.

    Balance of ESG Investment and Financing

    Target: 250 billion yen by fiscal year 2030
    Actual: 54.1 billion yen as of March 31, 2023 (including 41.7 billion yen Bank of Japan Funds-Supplying Operations to Support Financing for Climate Change Responses)

    Fiscal year 2022 investment examples

    • Sustainable Development Bonds issued by the World Bank
    • Water Bonds issued by the Asian Development Bank
    • Green Residential Mortgage-Backed Securitisation (RMBS) issued by National Australia Bank Limited
    • Green Bonds issued by Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd.
    • Green Bonds issued by the African Development Bank
    • Green Bonds issued by Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc.
    • Sustainability Bonds issued by KDDI Corporation
    • Transition Bonds issued by Transition Bond issued by Hokuriku Electric Power Co.
    • Green Bonds issued by Nippon Steel Corporation
    • Green Bonds issued by Sumitomo Realty & Development Co., Ltd.

    Issue Green Bonds to fund mortgages

    Sony Bank has became the first bank in Japan (according to Nomura Securities Co., Ltd. on April 27, 2022) to issue Green Bonds to fund mortgages for buildings with excellent energy efficiency. Sony Bank has formulated the "Sony Bank Green Bond Framework" to raise funds to further promote such initiatives in the future and has received a third-party evaluation from Rating and Investment Information, Inc. (R&I) for its eligibility as a Green Bond. The funds raised through this Green Bond will be used not only for "new ZEH condominiums," which are eligible for the special interest rate, but also for buildings with excellent energy efficiency such as ZEH and ZEH-M. Through the issuance of this Green Bond, we will actively promote the spread of low-carbon housing, thereby contributing to the conservation of the global environment.

    Carbon offset

    As an online bank, Sony Bank is undertaking initiatives to reduce its environmental footprint. Since fiscal year 2008, Sony Bank has offset 100% of CO2 emissions from all electricity used during its operations (except for subcontracted tasks).
    To offset CO2 emissions, we have been utilizing and practicing the following certificates:

    • Fiscal years 2008-2012, Tradable Green Certificates under the Green Power Certification System
    • Fiscal years 2013-2017, certified credits by the J-Credit Scheme
    • Fiscal years 2018-2020, the Green (Heat) Certification System
    • Fiscal years 2021-present, RE100-certified Non-Fossil Certificate

    We will continue our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

    Tradable green certificate purchase volume:
    Fiscal year 2020 actual purchase volume equivalent 5,366,984MJ (Megajoules)

    FIT Non-Fossil Certificate purchase volume:
    Fiscal year 2021 actual purchase volume equivalent 870,000kWh
    Fiscal year 2022 actual purchase volume equivalent 850,000kWh