BANKING GROUP CHAMPIONS GROWER-FOCUSED INVESTMENT.
LLOYDS Banking Group recently held a panel event with Cambridge Judge Business School, focusing on how environmental, social and governance (ESG) investments can support sustainable agriculture, identifying the benefits for UK growers.
The event was part of Cambridge Judge Business School’s ESG week.
As the largest lender to British agriculture, Lloyds Banking Group provides practical support for UK growers.
Agriculture Sustainability Director at Lloyds Banking Group, Ben Makowiecki, said: “There is a lack of clear and trustworthy information about ESG options because these concepts are relatively new and non-regulated, which is currently a barrier.”
“For ESG investment to be practical, the approach needs to be tailored to suit different farm business models. This is where Lloyds is working to expand its support and lending options.
The banking group offers a Clean Growth Financing Initiative (CGFI), which offers fee-free lending for farm businesses to implement sustainable projects and purchases that reduce their impact across water, waste, energy, and carbon/greenhouse gas emissions. It also supports the Soil Association Exchange (SAX) programme to help growers transition to greater sustainability.
The programme includes on-farm consultanc and help accessing funding mechanisms.
The panel included Helen Avery, Director of Nature Programmes at Green Finance Institute, and Calum Murray, Head of Agriculture and Food at Innovate UK, who discussed the broader landscape of nature markets and the role of agri-tech innovations in improving productivity.
Photo: Adam Smyth Photography
