How TD Bank Group is aligning to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Amongst financial institutions, there is much talk of the need for an economic transition spurred by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals framework. The uptake within the financial sector has been encouraging, if occasionally disjointed.

In discussing the means of achieving this transition, it is vital that social factors are weighed cohesively in line with economic ones. TD Bank Group, acknowledging this fact, launched a new corporate citizenship platform called The Ready Commitment in 2018.

As part of this multi-year, enterprise initiative, TD is aligning to the UN’s SDGs, firm in the belief that financial institutions have a critical role (and responsibility) to play in supporting the transition to a fairer, low-carbon economy.

Bharat Masrhani, Group President and CEO of TD outlines the group’s position and emphasises the importance of social development in the economy: ‘Climate change is here, it’s a real issue, and we need to work to solve it,’ he begins.

‘It is critical that we find ways to socially develop our economy so that everyone can participate in it. The UN’s SDGs go a long way in doing that.’

The Ready Commitment sees TD build on a rich heritage of positive social, economic and environmental contributions. It includes a partnership with Plug n Drive, a not-for-profit organisation expanding access to electric charging points and nurturing education on the benefits of switching to electric transportation.

In its day-to-day work, TD Bank is collaborating in industry partnerships to develop a cohesive framework by which the industry can measure its environmental performance in line with the goals of delivering long-term and sustainable financial returns.

TD Bank also incentivizes sustainable action in the broader business landscape by issuing, investing in and underwriting green bonds.

In all of this, though, TD has not lost sight of the importance of collaboration, with its colleagues, its customers and its communities.

‘We know that corporations have an important role to play in shaping the world we want to live in and developing an inclusive economy and ensuring that we have a vibrant and sustainable planet,’ said Andrea Barrack, VP Global Corporate Citizenship at TD Bank.

‘Even though we’re a big organisation, we know we can’t do it alone. We’re hoping that, by setting a bold and aspirational vision, that others will work with us to achieve it.’