SBC Awards North America 2023

Our close relationship with nature is often seen as mythical but it is in fact financial too. For instance, the first million-pound cheque in the world was once signed for coal, and to suddenly declare that trading is no longer based upon gold would cause tremors across the entire global economy. Inextricably, our financial landscape is therefore tied to the natural world and its resources.

Unfortunately, this has historically resulted in the pursuit of financial gain at the expense of the health of the natural world. Time and time again this has been seen in instances like BP’s Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in 2010 and the ivory trade being responsible for the loss of over 80% of African elephants in the last century.

Currently, valuation of land in the rainforest so that it can be exploited to make way for cattle farming is rife. Despite money-making actions therefore having a reputation for damaging our planet, this does not have to be the case. In fact, many financial companies are already proving this. With our natural world on a precipice, this Earth Day we’re keen to share examples of those who are leading the way in a bid to inspire further positive action.

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