Events

2022 Virtual Sustainability Workshop

Overview
Program
Speakers
Continuing Professional Development

Overview

Sustainable Finance In Transaction Banking

Sustainability and ESG have become public and private sector priorities. Banks and financial service institutions have altered their strategies to include environmental and social criteria, while governments have been considering a wide-variety of policy initiatives to drive corporate behavior.

For some years, banks have been offering ESG-linked products, including green bonds and sustainable loans, and various markets have developed mechanisms to trade carbon credits. However, in order for sustainability-linked banking to gain traction and ubiquity, there is general agreement that standard market definitions, methodologies, measurements, reporting, and incentives are needed.

Featured Themes

The workshop will provide various viewpoints from leading sustainability experts and speakers including government representatives, regulators, banks, financial institutions, and corporates. Additionally, the program will cover trends in both product offerings and strategies utilized by financial institutions in relation to the incorporation of sustainability internally.

BAFT’s Virtual Sustainability Workshop will allow participants to learn standard definitions of sustainability, sustainable finance, applications of sustainability in transaction banking, and differences in ESG verticals and taxonomies.

Certificate in Sustainable Transaction Banking

Earn the only certificate focused on sustainability in global transaction banking, developed by BAFT and industry members to emphasize the importance of sustainable finance and its impact on transaction banking products and services.

Attendees will have the opportunity to demonstrate their competence and apply their training to the industry following the receipt of BAFT’s Certificate in Sustainable Transaction Banking. A final assessment to test participant’s knowledge will be facilitated following the workshop’s conclusion to assess the knowledge you gained throughout training.

Who Should Attend

  • Chief Experience Officer (CXO), Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO), Director of Sustainability, Director of ESG, Chief Officer of the Environment, Director of Sustainable Finance
  • Senior Leaders, Relationship Managers, Product Managers, Product Sales, Credit Officers, and others involved in cash management, trade finance, and international banking
  • Professional qualification holders requiring CPDs for CDCS, CSDG, CSCF, CTFC, CTFP, and GTC
  • Bankers and financial services professionals looking to demonstrate their knowledge and competence of sustainability to their peers, colleagues, employers and prospects by earning the Certificate in Sustainable Transaction Banking

Learn common challenges faced when adopting ESG within transaction banking and opportunities to implement and explore within your institution.

Program

July 20, 2022
July 21, 2022
July 20, 2022 - Workshop Day 1
08:00 EDT / 13:00 BST / 14:00 CEST / 16:00 GST (3 hours)
Workshop Overview
Session 1 - Definition of Sustainability in Transaction Banking

This module introduces the role of Sustainability in Transaction Banking starting with an overview of the three pillars, the ‘E’ ‘S’ & ‘G’ and subsequently focusing on the importance and the impact of this topic on Transaction Banking.

1.1 Understanding Sustainability and ‘E’ ‘S’ & ‘G’ verticals

    • Defining “Sustainable Finance in Transaction Banking”
    • Challenges in Defining “Sustainable Finance in Transaction Banking”
    • The three pillars: ‘E’ ‘S’ & ‘G’

1.2 ICC Standards for Sustainable Trade & Sustainable Trade Finance

    • The ICC’s proposed definition for Sustainable Trade and Sustainable Trade Finance
    • The ICC’s three dimension of Sustainability: ‘E’ ‘S’ & ‘E’
    • Standards required

1.3 Taxonomy

    • Overview of existing and work-in-progress taxonomies for sustainable finance and their application to transaction banking
    • An overview of taxonomies in different jurisdictions: European Union, USA, Singapore /ASEAN
Session 2 - Views from Stakeholders/Group

This module provides in-depth perspectives of key stakeholders who are instrumental in driving the ESG agenda globally. You will learn the priorities of various stakeholders and understand their objectives for addressing ESG challenges.

2.1 Government & Regulators

    • Tipping point for the Governments action – Paris Climate accord, World Economic Forum. Learn more about the COP meetings.
    • Overview of stances and national commitments  across different regions (including carbon neutrality; green energy projects)
    • Update on the  development of a common set of global principles and measurement criteria
    • What are the regulations on disclosure and transparency? – Central Banks, Supranational and Stock Market Authorities

2.2 Banks & Financial Sector

    • What  commitments have some global banks made towards achieving net zero ambitions
    • What are the strategies adopted by banks to implement and execute the ‘E’’S’&’G’ agenda?
    • What are the notable KPIs implemented on capital/funding transactions of Banks? Green Bond issuances in DCM.
    • Overview of the key challenges confronted by Banks in executing ESG transactions.

2.3 Investors

    • Statistics on sustainable investing.
    • What is Responsible or Impact investing, and why is it important to investors?
    • What are the tools and due diligence measures used to assess ESG impact in making investment decisions? Dashboards, external consultants etc.

2.4 Corporates/Clients  

    • Corporate actions on sustainability and green initiatives. Is the focus predominantly on ‘Environment’?
Day 1 Wrap Up
July 21, 2022 - Workshop Day 2
08:00 EDT / 13:00 BST / 14:00 CEST / 16:00 GST (3 hours)
Session 3 - Sustainability Trends in Transaction Banking

In this module we discuss the emerging sustainability trends in transaction banking. We will cover the products financial institutions are offering and the strategy behind delivering those products. Through interviews with transaction banking leaders, we will also discuss trending client needs around sustainability.

3.1 Products

    • Green Deposits
      • Demand Deposit Accounts and Term Deposits with potential for increased yield based on companies accomplishing their published ESG goals
    • Sustainability linked Guarantees and Letter of Credit
      • Credit facility includes a mechanism to lower the fee if a company meets an annual benchmark (e.g., reduce its carbon intensity)
    • Supply Chain Finance
      • Discounted interest rates on selling receivables based on certain ESG metrics
      • Payable/ Vendor Financing
    • Sustainable Trade Finance Instruments (Trade Loans, LC Refinancing/ Discounting, etc.)
      • Loans for the purpose of sourcing, manufacturing, or raw materials that have proven sustainability attributes or environment
    • Sustainable Smart Contracts
      • Supply chain-linked smart contracts that execute loans or payments based on certain sustainable production measures are adhered to

3.2 Strategy of Financial Institutions

    • Organizational Structure – understanding how ESG teams are structured in organizations.
    • Processes – understanding the processes followed in FIs which work towards sustainability -digitization, e-processing in banking, etc.
    • Rating Methodologies and Pricing Strategies
      • ICC Sustainability Rating System
      • Five Components of Trade – Seller, Good/Service, Buyer, Transportation, Purpose/End use)
      • Three Dimensions of Sustainability – Economic, Human/Social, Environmental
      • A letter grade is assigned to each trade component relative to how it performs on each dimension of sustainability
      • Other Ratings Systems
      • Fitch Ratings, Moody’s S&P Global, MSCI
    • Client needs
    • Focus on Industries/Sectors creating impact on ESG agenda in Transaction Banking
      • Energy & Power
      • Automotive
      • Logistics F&B and Hospitality
    • Corporate lending has been establishing green bonds and sustainability linked loans. Increased appetite from investors for sustainable assets.
    • Corporates are looking to their banks for ideas on how to tailor ESG products within their business model.
    • Banks and corporates are trying to understand how to break down longer-dated ESG goals into tangible steps that can be used for quantitative gain.
Session 4 – Adopting ESG principles in Transaction Banking

This module helps us understand various opportunities and challenges facing ESG in Transaction Banking today. In this section, we will discuss the benefits to all the stakeholders of adopting ESG as well as the various challenges faced by the industry given that this domain is in its infancy and is evolving fast.

4.1 Challenges

    • Common definition of sustainability in Transaction Banking
    • Global vs. minimum standards with adaptation of the standards to each transaction/industry/supply chain. Ways to measure sustainability of a deal
    • Complexity of trade transactions with multiple, diverse parties and (sometimes conflicting) interests. Should sustainability be looked at each transaction level, supply chain level, or should a client’s holistic sustainability efforts be considered when offering sustainability products/incentives to the client?
    • Evaluation of Social and Governance (while E is easier to do)?
    • Engaging the whole financial sector (i.e., only a few banks applying standards is ineffective for the common sustainability goals)
    • How to provide pricing benefit to clients – regulators providing concessions on pricing can be a way because banks’ cost of funds remains the same whether it is sustainable product or not
    • Intended impact vs actual impact in offering sustainability linked incentives – e.g., greenwashing
    • Process, standards, requirements for regulatory reporting
    • Inclusiveness at geographic, industry, client level – developed markets focus more on E while for developing markets, focus is more on S and G.

4.2 Opportunities

For Financial Institutions

    • Banks as the centerpiece and key contributors in having an impact on sustainability and giving sustainable finance products to the entire supply chain.
    • PR exercise for banks, reputation; also meeting their internal sustainability targets for investors/ regulators.
    • Competitive advantage (and may become must have) for banks to offer sustainable TB products

For Companies

    • Linkage of sustainable TB product offering to Corporate Social Responsibility – many regulators/ governments are now incentivizing or mandating companies to undertake CSR activities.
    • Concessional pricing to customers for sustainability deals.
    • Last mile approach – benefits creep to the entire supply chain – e.g., Farmers / SME/ etc.
Session 5 – Way forward for Future Learning on Sustainability in Transaction Banking

This section will suggest means and resources to gain more knowledge, understanding and advanced certifications to audience in Sustainability in Transaction Banking domain.

References to various guidelines, published papers, BAFT courses

    • ICC Papers, Future Leader Papers, etc.
    • More specialized certifications – rating methodologies
Day 2 Wrap Up

Speakers

July 20, 2022
July 21, 2022
July 20, 2022 - Workshop Module 1
Ana Guyatt, CFA
Ana Guyatt, CFA
Executive Director, Trade and Working Capital Products
First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB)
Zlata Huddleston
Zlata Huddleston
Partner, IBM Consulting Sustainability Services & Canada Practice Lead
IBM

Swaroop N L N
Swaroop N L N
Director, Alternate Distribution and Sustainable Trade Finance
HSBC

N L N Swaroop is Director of Sustainable Trade Finance and Alternate Distribution at HSBC. Swaroop has over 16 years of rich experience across banking and insurance in varied roles ranging from risk underwriting, trade financing, business development, general management and coverage banking in across India and the UK. Swaroop is an active industry voice at ICC, BAFT and ITFA in developing trade as an investible asset class by attracting greater institutional capital and embedding ESG in trade finance.

Anna Plewinska-Pijl
Anna Plewinska-Pijl
Director & Senior Area Manager, Europe
ING

Anna has 23 years of wealth experience as banker, sales & product specialist with ING (Leasing, Lending, Payment & Cash, Trade Finance). Founder of FI GreenING Trade framework at ING which puts Trade Finance on the Sustainability map and enables traceability of sustainable trade finance transactions; ING’s ambassador at SIBOS (SWIFT global correspondent banks conference) and other banking conferences as well as trade associations such as BAFT (Bankers Association for Finance and Trade) and ICC (International Chamber of Commerce). Actively profiling digital innovations for Trade Finance space such as API for bank guarantees, Komgo, Xlinq. Driving cultural change and sound green brand in clients’ hearts.

July 21, 2022 - Workshop Module 2
Andrea Freddi
Andrea Freddi
Business Director, Structured Deals and Export Finance
Intesa Sanpaolo

Currently Business Director ¬– Structured Deals – IMI C&IB Division, Andrea has been with Intesa Sanpaolo for more than 11 years. In charge of the ESG aspects of the desk, including: (i) the identification and negotiation of the structure and KPI to be adopted in the deals, (ii) selection of technical advisers and definition of their scope work, (iii) portfolio monitoring activity including analysis of advisers’ reports, indication of remedy plans etc. Overall the role entails discussion with external parties such as clients, advisers, ECAs and other lenders, and internally with coverage teams globally and support functions (marketing, treasury, risk management), and continuous update on the standard adopted by the market and on the changes in regulations.

Kaushik Mukherjee
Kaushik Mukherjee
Senior Vice President & Head of Trade, APAC
Wells Fargo Bank

Kaushik Mukherjee is Senior Vice President and Head of Global Receivable & Trade for Asia Pacific, at Wells Fargo, based in Singapore. Kaushik joined Wells Fargo, Hong Kong in 2011, from Axis Bank, where he spent 14 years working in various leadership roles in Trade Operations, International Banking, Corporate Trade & Cash Management, Credit and Treasury functions as well as Trade Asset Distribution, both at Head Office in Mumbai and its Hong Kong branch. He moved to Singapore in 2014 with Wells Fargo, to manage the trade business for Asia South region involving India sub-continent, South-East Asia and Australia, both for the Corporate and FI clients. He took over the role of heading the GRT business for the entire APAC region in Oct 2020, with team members based in Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Japan, covering the Corporate and FI clients in the region.

Diana Rodriguez
Diana Rodriguez
Vice President, International Policy
BAFT

Diana Rodriguez is Vice President, International Policy at BAFT where she leads the association's global government relations strategy, focusing on prudential, regulatory and global trade policy matters. Her portfolio includes Basel III implementation, Libor transition, and U.S. trade policy. She coordinates joint advocacy with partner trade associations and other global stakeholders to advance BAFT policy priorities. Prior to joining BAFT, Diana served in the Obama Administration as Senior Advisor for International Trade at the U.S. Small Business Administration. There, she advised the SBA Administrator on a global portfolio of trade policy and trade finance matters, and oversaw the Agency’s global entrepreneurship promotion efforts in Asia, Europe and Latin America. Before that, she served as a Director in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s International Affairs Division leading trade policy efforts in Mexico.

FAQ's

Continuing Professional Development

Earn Continuing Professional Development Hours (CPDs)

BAFT is an accredited CPD provider at a number of professional development and training institutions. Such accreditation demonstrates that BAFT’s educational activities represent a quality learning experience.

The BAFT Virtual Sustainability Workshop program has been accredited by The London Institute of Banking & Finance (LIBF) and the ICC Academy as meeting the standards for ongoing CPDs required for recertification of the below professional qualifications.

Accredited certification holders should register to receive CPD credits for recertification. Attendance to all sessions is required to claim CPDs for this particular workshop. CPDs will not be allocated per day or per session.

Certifications Awarding Institution CPDs Available
Certificate for Documentary Credit Specialists (CDCS) LIBF 7
Certificate for Specialists in Demand Guarantees (CSDG) LIBF 7
Certificate in Supply Chain Finance (CSCF) LIBF 7
Certificate in Trade Finance Compliance (CTFC) LIBF 7
Certified Trade Finance Professional (CTFP) ICC Academy 7
Global Trade Certificate (GTC) ICC Academy 7

Claiming CPDs from LIBF for participating in a BAFT program?

Claiming your CPDs from a BAFT educational or events program is easy to do online. LIBF Members and Alumni can log their CPD hours through the MyLIBF web portal. MyCPD is an online tool for LIBF members to log their CPD hours and maintain an accurate CPD record. Alternatively, individuals claiming CPDs may download and fill out the LIBF CPD Log Word Template.

For more information on CPDs from LIBF, please refer to their Continuing Professional Development Information Hub. If you have a question or query about LIBF CPDs, please contact [email protected].

Claiming CPDs from ICC Academy for participating in a BAFT program?

For more information on CPDs from ICC Academy, please refer to their Recertification Hub. If you have a question or query about ICC CPDs, please contact [email protected].

Testimonials

“Excellent insight and enlightenment on the growing importance of sustainability. It was really helpful getting to listen to various stakeholders and practitioners, stimulating thoughts on how we can strengthen our value proposition to clients in Transaction Banking using sustainability goals and objectives. The program was highly commendable as I feel more armed and informed on this very critical area of focus. ”

2022 Workshop Attendee

London, United Kingdom

“Excellent initiative from BAFT and the working group in conducting the virtual workshop on Sustainability in Transaction Banking. It not only helped in sharing the work being done by several organizations in this area but also to bring more awareness for other organizations to join in this important journey.”

2022 Workshop Attendee

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates


Sponsors

Interested in sponsoring the Virtual Sustainability Workshop? We can tailor your sponsorship package to meet your goals.

To discuss your sponsorship options, please contact:

Matthew Kaitz
Director, Business Development
[email protected]
+1 (703) 200-9071