Environmental management

Our commitment

At CaixaBank, we protect the environment when we are performing our activities. We implement the best environmental and energy practices in accordance with our Sustainability Principles .

Our 2022-2024 Sustainable Banking Plan  includes the 2022-2024 Environmental Management Plan, with eight action plans aimed at reducing the direct impact of our activity as a Group:

  1. Governance in Environmental Management
  2. Climate Change: operational carbon footprint, renewable energy consumption and offset of emissions
  3. Environmentally-friendly purchasing and contracting
  4. Environmentally-friendly catalogue of non-financial products
  5. Commitment to circular economy
  6. Sustainable Mobility Plan
  7. Promotion of efficiency
  8. Renewal of voluntary certifications and extension of the perimeter


With this aim in mind, we have defined the following objectives with indicators for each year of the Plan with the perimeter of Scope 1 and 2 for the CaixaBank Group and the Scope 3 concepts detailed in the section on calculating the Carbon Footprint for CaixaBank, S.A: 

OBJECTIVE

INDICATORS

2022
Objective

2022
Real

2023
Objective

2023
Real

2024
Objective

Carbon footprint minimization and offsetting

 

Scope 1 (vs 20211)

-7%

-10%

-10%

-21%

-15%

Scope 2 (MARKET-BASET) (vs 2021)

-100%

-100%

-100%

-100%

-100%

Scope 3 former operational perimeter (vs 2021)2

-12%

-38%

-15%

-35%

-18%

Reduction in CO2 emissions (vs 2021)

-12.9%

-31.74%

-16%

-33%

-19%

Carbon Neutral3. CO2 emissions offset: scopes 1, 2 and 3.6 (business trips)

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100% renewable energy consumption

Consumption of renewable energy

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

Reduction of paper consumption/waste

Reduction of A4 paper consumption (vs 2021)

 -8%

-34.6%

-12%

-27,7%

-15% 

Implementation of energy efficiency measures

Saving in energy consumed (vs 2021)

-6%

-14.1%

 -8%

-22,8%

-10% 

Renewal of certifications and extension of the perimeter

Environmental certifications in main buildings (vs 11 certifications 20214)

2

2

3

3

4


1. The targets related to reducing emissions in scopes 1 and 2, the Carbon Neutral target, 100% renewable energy consumption and its reduction and the number of certifications take into account the entire Group (including 16 subsidiaries) and scope 3 and the reduction in paper consumption are limited to CaixaBank, S.A.

2. For the calculation of base year emissions to determine the Scope 1 emissions reduction target, CaixaBank's refrigerant gas emissions data take the average for the period 2019-2021 as a reference. This means that the total emissions value of this scope in the base year used as the basis for determining the reduction target is 10,649 tCO2eq.

3. The scope 3 (operational) target was calculated based on the calculation perimeter prior to the rescaled operational carbon footprint, partially including the scope 3 categories related to the environmental indicators that were previously monitored, irrespective of their materiality. The corporate travel emissions data included in this target correspond to CaixaBank, S.A. and take 2019 (prior to COVID restrictions) as the base year. This means that the total emissions value of Scope 3 in the base year used as the basis for determining the reduction target is 24,579 tCO2eq.

4. The carbon neutral perimeter includes the CaixaBank Group's scopes 1, 2 and 3.6 (corporate travel). Emissions that could not be avoided, and offset them by purchasing credits on the voluntary emissions offset market, as explained in the section Carbon footprint mitigation strategy.

5. In 2022 CaixaBank sold the certified building located at Paseo de la Castellana 51, transferring most of its employees to the building at Castellana 189, which is also ISO 14001 certified. The baseline data on which we assess the targets has changed to 10 certifications on which two new buildings belonging to BPI were added in 2022 and a third belonging thereto in 2023.

More information in our Climate Report

Management of climate change

Financial entities have a key role to play in achieving the objectives of the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). In February 2019, CaixaBank approved its Climate Change Declaration, which aims to contribute to the transition to a low carbon and socially fair economy, while promoting sustainable economic growth and development.

One of the areas of action in the Climate Change Declaration is to reduce the CO2 emissions from our activities and offset those that cannot be avoided, in accordance with our Carbon Neutral Plan.

Carbon Neutral Strategy

The strategy of the entity to achieve the neutrality of emissions is based on the measurement and reduction of emissions and on the compensation of those that we cannot avoid.

01. Calculation of our operational carbon footprint

icono flecha

02. Reduction of CO2 emissions

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03. Offsetting of unavoidable emissions

01. Calculation of our operational carbon footprint

CaixaBank S.A. prepares an annual inventory of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated from its activities. This is used to calculate its carbon footprint and establish actions to gradually reduce it.

In 2022, the Group performed a materiality analysis with the goal of determining the relevance of indirect GHG emissions categories (scope 3), in order to determine the operational limits to be included in the Group's carbon footprint in the forthcoming years. The scope of the materiality analysis comprised 16 Group companies representing 99.4% of CaixaBank Group employees. The analysis shows that the sole relevant category in this scope, with a weight of 99% of total Scope 3 emissions, is category 3.15, which corresponds to financed emissions. 

However, the following categories were also defined as materials: considering both its volume of associated emissions and the possibilities to influence their control and reduction.

  • 3.1 Purchase of goods and services
  • 3.2 Purchase of capital goods
  • 3.3 Fuel and energy-related activities
  • 3.6 Corporate trips


With the conclusions of the materiality analysis, a new perimeter of calculation of the operational carbon footprintthat includes the globality of emissions from the categories defined as materials for all the Group.

> OPERATIONAL CARBON FOOTPRINT (TCO₂EQ)

CaixaBank

GrupCaixaBank

2021

23.912

28.186

2022

20.885

24.835

2023

20.665

24.400

The following table shows both the emissions associated with the Old Perimeter for calculating the Entity's Operational Carbon Footprint (basis to verify the achievement of the objectives of the Environmental Management Plan) and the New Material Perimeter.

The main difference of this New Perimeter is reflected in categories 3.1 Purchases of goods and services and 3.2 Purchases of capital goods, where 80% of the statement amount has been taken as a basis global of all operating expenses and Investments of the Entity, considerably expanding the concepts included in these categories with respect to the old calculation perimeter.

CaixaBank Group operational carbon footprint (TCO2EQ)

Item Source CaixaBank S.A.

CaixaBank Group

Scope 1  Combustion in fixed sources Boilers or emergency equipment Gas oil C 290.82 467.92
Natural gas 621.62 654.55
Propane gas 3.56 3.56
Combustion in mobile sources Rental vehicles 395.90 3,858.33
Cooling gas leaks Cooling gases 3,376.72 3,438.98
Scope 2 Market-based method
Location-based method 21,082.12 29,383.94
Electricity self-consumption
Scope 3 3.1 Purchase of goods and services OPEX 63,566.73 158,000.89
3.2 Capital goods CAPEX 43,338.53 46,755.71
3.3 Fuel and activities Electricity and fuel value chain and
transmission
3,996.56 6,142.58
3.6 Travel  Aeroplane, train, cars and hotels 9,006.43 10,964.72
Total (Current Perimeter) Scope 1 4,688.62 8,423.34
Scope 2
(Market-based)
Scope 2 (Location-based) 21,082.12 29,383.94
Scope 3 119,908.25 221,863.91
Total (Market-based) 124,596.86 230,287.25
Total (Location-based) 145,678.98 259,671.20
Total per employee (Market-based) 3.45 5.18
Scope 3 (Former
Perimeter)1
3.1 Purchase of goods and services Mains water 162.38 162.38
A4 paper  1,649.59 1,649.59
Other paper  2,346.78 2,346.78
Other goods (toner, vinyl and cards) 575.03 575.03
3.2 Capital goods Towers, laptops, monitors and keyboards 979.45 979.45
3.3 Fuel and activities Value chain and transmission of nonrenewable electricity 0.00  0.00
3.4 Waste generation Toner and IT support 1,436.76 1,436.76
3.5 Corporate travel  Aeroplane, train, cars 8,826.88 8,826.88
Total (Former Perimeter)  Scope 1 4,688.62 8,423.34
Scope 2 (Market-based)
Scope 2 (Location-based) 21,082.12 29,383.94 
Scope 3 15,976.88  15,976.88
Total (Market-based) 20,665.49 24,400.22 
Total (Location-based) 41,747.61  53,784.16
Total per employee (Market-based) 0.57 0.55 

* The Operational Carbon Footprint data presented in the 2021 Consolidated Management Report included the sum of the historical calculation perimeters of CaixaBank and Bankia, which were not the same. This data has been recalculated with respect to the publication of the 2021Consolidated Management Report in order to unify this perimeter and to be able to compare emissions in 2021, 2022 and 2023, as well as the achievement of the targets set.

1 The calculation of Scope 3 for the old perimeter is only calculated for CaixaBank, S.A.

CaixaBank Group operational carbon footprint (TCO2EQ)

Item Source CaixaBank S.A. CaixaBank Group
Scope 1 Combustion in fixed sources Boilers or emergency equipment Gas oil C 326.46 415.48
Natural gas 791.13 892.75
Propane gas
Combustion in mobile sources Rental vehicles 960.40 4,161.52
Cooling gas leaks Cooling gases 3,548.13 4,106.54
Scope 2 Market-based method
Location-based method 31,994.66  42,670.71 
Electricity self-consumption
Scope 3 3.1 Purchase of goods and services OPEX 51,980.66 128,005.67 
3.2 Capital goods CAPEX 50,164.90  60,810.78 
3.3 Fuel and activities Electricity and fuel value chain and transmission 4,584.67  6,715.65
3.6 Travel  Aeroplane, train, cars and hotels 5,809.91  6,794.80 
Total (Current Perimeter) Scope 1 5,626.12 9,576.29
Scope 2
(Market-based)
Scope 2 (Location-based) 31,994.66  42,670.71 
Scope 3 112,540.14  202,326.90 
Total (Market-based) 118,166.26 211,903.19
Total (Location-based) 150,160.92 254,573.90 
Total per employee (Market-based) 3.22  4.80
Scope 3 (Former
Perimeter)1
3.1 Purchase of goods and services Mains water 153.31 153.31 
A4 paper  2,054.94  2,054.94 
Other paper  3,489.20 3,489.20
Other goods (toner, vinyl and cards) 647.63  647.63
3.2 Capital goods Towers, laptops, monitors and keyboards 1,440.47  1,440.47 
3.3 Fuel and activities Value chain and transmission of nonrenewable electricity
3.4 Waste generation Toner and IT support 1,783.20  1,783.20 
3.5 Corporate travel  Aeroplane, train, cars 5,689.98  5,689.98
Total (Former Perimeter) Scope 1  5,626.12 9,576.29
Scope 2 (Market-based)
Scope 2 (Location-based)  31,994.66  42,670.71
Scope 3  15,258.72  15,258.72
Total (Market-based) 20,884.84 24,835.02
Total (Location-based) 52,879.50 67,505.72 
Total per employee (Market-based)  0.57 0.56 

* * The Operational Carbon Footprint data presented in the 2021 Consolidated Management Report included the sum of the historical calculation perimeters of CaixaBank and Bankia, which were not the same. This data has been recalculated with respect to the publication of the 2021Consolidated Management Report in order to unify this perimeter and to be able to compare emissions in 2021, 2022 and 2023, as well as the achievement of the targets set.

1 The calculation of Scope 3 for the old perimeter is only calculated for CaixaBank, S.A.

CaixaBank Group operational carbon footprint (TCO2EQ)

Item Source CaixaBank S.A. CaixaBank Group
Scope 1 Combustion in fixed sources Boilers or emergency equipment Gas oil C 682.61 817.43
Natural gas 970.07 1,017.72
Propane gas
Combustion in mobile sources Rental vehicles 1,291.95 4,096.07
Cooling gas leaks Cooling gases 2,818.00 3,326.17
Scope 2 Market-based method 374.17 1,153.55
Location-based method 32,784.12 43,978.80
Electricity self-consumption —  — 
Scope 3 3.1 Purchase of goods and services OPEX 59,185.22  146,723.85 
3.2 Capital goods CAPEX 36,448.54  45,841.97
3.3 Fuel and activities Electricity and fuel value chain and transmission 6,358.27 8,829.47
3.6 Travel Aeroplane, train, cars and hotels 4,473.40 5,038.83 
Total (Current Perimeter) Scope 1 5,762.63 9,257.38
Scope 2 (Market-based) 374.17 1,153.55
Scope 2 (Location-based) 32,784.12 43,978.80
Scope 3 106,465.44 206,434.11
Total (Market-based) 112,602.24 216,845.05
Total (Location-based) 145,012.20 259,670.30
Total per employee (Market-based) 2.64 4.37
Scope 3 (Former
Perimeter)1
3.1 Purchase of goods and services Mains water 195.14 195.14
A4 paper  3,105.14 3,105.14
Other paper  4,126.67 4,126.67
Other goods (toner, vinyl and cards) 824.34 824.34
3.2 Capital goods Towers, laptops, monitors and keyboards 3,946.41 3,946.41
3.3 Fuel and activities Value chain and transmission of nonrenewable electricity 122.64 122.64
3.4 Waste generation Toner and IT support 1,359.62 1,359.62
3.5 Corporate travel  Aeroplane, train, cars 4,094.93 4,094.93
Total (Former Perimeter) Scope 1 5,762.63 9,257.38
Scope 2 (Market-based)  374.17 1,153.55
Scope 2 (Location-based)  32,784.12 43,978.80
Scope 3 17,774.90 17,774.90
Total (Market-based)  23,911.70 28,185.83
Total (Location-based) 56,321.65 71,011.08
Total per employee (Market-based) 0.56 0.57

* The Operational Carbon Footprint data presented in the 2021 Consolidated Management Report included the sum of the historical calculation perimeters of CaixaBank and Bankia, which were not the same. This data has been recalculated with respect to the publication of the 2021Consolidated Management Report in order to unify this perimeter and to be able to compare emissions in 2021, 2022 and 2023, as well as the achievement of the targets set.

1 The calculation of Scope 3 for the old perimeter is only calculated for CaixaBank, S.A.

One of the milestones reached in 2022 is the certification through Guarantees of Renewable Origin of all the energy consumed by the Group, so that the ZERO EMISSIONS target in Scope 2 has been reached.

CaixaBank has reduced its carbon footprint by 33% since 2021.

We calculate our carbon footprint according to the "The Greenhouse Gas Protocol" and "Corporate Value Chain (scope 3) accounting and reporting standard". The data are verified annually by an independent certifying body in the context of the Statement of Non-financial Information.

Executive Report CaixaBank Carbon Footprint 2023 

02. Reductions

Through the introduction of technological improvements and good environmental practices, we reduce our emissions.

03. Offsetting

Since 2018 CaixaBank offsets all of the CO2 emissions from our activities. This means our offsetting objective includes the emissions associated with both our corporate centres and our entire branch network, which is the largest in the financial sector in Spain. We currently offsetvour emissions from Scope 1, 2 and 3.6 (corporate travels) at the CaixaBank Group scale.

mapa Info Medioambiental

2018

Biogas power generation project (Sonora AWMS GHG Mitigation Project MX05-B-03)

2023

Electricity generation project with gas use (Land FillGas Pichacay - Ecuador)

2015

Biomass energy plant (Viñales Project, 40 GW/year)

2022

Remotion project (Afforestation Forestry in Colombia)

2023

Forest replantation project (Galicia and Castilla y León)

2021

Hydroelectric project (installed capacity of 19.192MW in Rondônia)

2019

Project against the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest in Pará (Cikel Brazilian Amazon REDD APD Project)

2016

Project putting a stop to deforestation of the Amazon (REDD Project in Brazil nut concessions in Madre de Dios)

2017-2023

Own Forest replantation project (16ha in Barcelona and Teruel)

2020

Wind Energy project (40,4MW in Madhya Pradesh and Rajastàn)

2017

Wind power project (30 windturbines in TamilNadu)

2021

Wind power project (250 wind turbine generators in Tirunelveli)

2022

Wind power project (ShangyiWanshigou)

more than 195,000

tCO2 offset Projects with VCS/CDM standard Period from 2015 to 2023

We offset our emissions by purchasing carbon credits (recognised by the Verified Carbon Standard) for projects with positive social and environmental impact, as well as reforestation in Spain, where we also have 2 own reforestation projects of two forests located in Montserrat (Barcelona) and Ejulve (Teruel), whose direct benefits on the territory will be accounted for in te coming years. 

CaixaBank makes the 50% of the offset for its emissions in projects located in Spain. 

  • Membership and registrations.

We register our carbon footprint with the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge's Register of carbon footprints, offsetting and carbon dioxide absorption projects   and we have signed up to the Voluntary Agreements Programme  for the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions run by the Catalan Office for Climate Change (OCCC).




Register of carbon footprints (MTE)


Voluntary Agreements Programme of Generalitat de Catalunya

Environmental and energy management system

At CaixaBank, we have implemented an environmental and energy management system that allows us to reduce the environmental impact of our activities, ensuring a process of continuous improvement.

Our corporate centre in Barcelona has an environmental and energy management system, under the European EMAS regulations and the ISO 14001 and ISO 50001 standards. The scope of our ISO 14001 certification also includes our 5 most important corporate centres in Valencia and Madrid.

logo caixa blanco

ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

CONTEXT

  • Internal and external context
  • Expectations of stakeholders

Plan

Establish processes and objectives

Act

Take steps for
on-going
improvement

Do

Implement processes

Verify

Assess performance

ENVISAGED RESULTS

CONTEXT

  • Internal and external context
  • Expectations of stakeholders

ENVISAGED RESULTS

Plan

Establish processes and objectives

Act

Take steps for
on-going
improvement

Amazonas
logo caixa blanco

ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Do

Implement processes

Verify

Assess performance

Principles

Sustainability Principles

Declaration on climate change

External certifications

EMAS regulation

ISO 14001

ISO 50001

Supervision

Enviromental Risk Management Committee

Corporate Responsibility and Reputation Committee