Our Journey

As a leading ASEAN bank, CIMB is committed to building a sustainable and low-carbon future for our customers, communities, and the region. We embed economic, environmental, and social (EES) considerations into every facet of our business, aligning our operations, strategies, and partnerships to achieve long-term impact.

Sustainability is central to our ambition to be a purpose-driven organisation. Guided by a two-pronged approach, we strive to minimise negative EES impacts while creating net positive outcomes through our business activities. This means not only managing risks, but actively mobilising capital, resources, and relationships to shape a more resilient and inclusive ASEAN.

With a legacy spanning over a century, we understand that actual progress is measured not just by profits, but by the positive legacy we leave behind. Our mission — Advancing Customers and Society — is brought to life through responsible banking practices that serve current needs while safeguarding the interests of future generations.

At CIMB, sustainability is not a side agenda — it's the foundation for how we do business, create value, and help shape a better tomorrow for ASEAN. We focus on two key levers to deliver meaningful, long-term impact:

Minimising Our Footprint: We work to reduce adverse impacts from our operations and enabled activities by integrating environmental and social risk assessments, adopting best-in-class practices, and decarbonising across our value chain.

Maximising Our Handprint: We create positive change by offering sustainable financial products and solutions, supporting our corporate and SME clients in their low-carbon transition, and promoting financial inclusion through strategic partnerships and capacity-building initiatives.

Our commitment is recognised globally. CIMB was recently ranked #1 among 400 financial institutions in the Financial System Benchmark by the World Benchmarking Alliance — a testament to our leadership in driving sustainable finance. We are also the only Malaysian bank featured in the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook 2025, joining a select group of 66 global banks recognised for their climate strategies, financial inclusion, governance, and risk management.

At CIMB, sustainability is how we bring our purpose to life. It’s not just about responding to risk, it’s about shaping a future where businesses thrive, communities prosper, and no one is left behind.

We drive sustainable finance in ASEAN through long-term value creation and resilience, advancing customers and society. This ambition guides how we embed environmental and social considerations across all parts of the business, ensuring that sustainability is not just an initiative, but a foundation for enduring impact. Our 2030 sustainability strategy is anchored on three key priorities.

Empower our customers in their transition to a sustainable future

We support business activities that align with low-carbon and inclusive development pathways. We work closely with our clients to reduce emissions, adopt responsible practices and remain competitive in a rapidly evolving landscape. Through sustainable finance solutions and advisory, we enable value creation and meet growing demand for climate-aligned financial services. Read more...

Fortify our resilience to sustainability related risks

We focus on ensuring that our portfolios remain resilient and responsibly positioned. We strengthen our approach to managing environmental and social risks by aligning lending practices with our sustainability commitments and integrating these considerations more deeply into decision-making. By facilitating this transition, we help build a future-ready economy and a more resilient bank. Read more...

Drive societal impact

We support vulnerable groups and MSMEs through accessible financial solutions that promote economic participation and inclusion. Beyond financial access, our corporate citizenship initiatives address broader societal needs. Internally, we invest in building the right skills and mindset across #teamCIMB to embed sustainability into how we work, make decisions and serve our communities, ensuring that purpose and impact are part of our everyday actions. Read more...

Our priority matters include Climate Change, Nature and Biodiversity, Economic Inclusion and Financial Literacy and Human Rights and Labour Standards.

Through our ASEAN-wide presence, we can play a significant role in shaping the sustainability landscape in the region. Our pledge of #CIMBforTomorrow means that we aim to use our influence to not only improve the environmental, social and governance practices across our own operations, but also to create net positive impact for everyone connected to the Group. This is encapsulated in our Sustainability Principles, which are embedded in our organisational purpose and Forward30 strategy. We will:

Aim to ensure that the management of its internal operations and employees is consistent with the applicable sustainability policy requirements
Not knowingly engage in business activities or with business relations that do not meet its policy requirements
Always strive to create a net positive impact on our business relations and the community, and we will adopt an inclusive approach to our business relations and strive to positively influence their sustainability performance and their commitment
Engage actively and openly with our stakeholders in the proactive management of sustainability risk and identification of opportunities for sustainable development
Take a proactive approach to integrating economic, environmental and social risk assessments in central processes such as lending, investments, procurement and the management of operational impacts

Sustainable Development Goals

In keeping with our inclusive growth strategy, we support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This definitive plan of action for people, planet and prosperity is anchored by the 17 SDGs.

Based on our material matters, sector exposure, and areas where we have direct impact and influence, we have prioritised 7 of the 17 SDGs. All our sustainability efforts, performance tracking, impact reporting and programmes and initiatives in relation to our focus areas are structured and designed to meet specific targets of our 7 priority SDGs.

Net Zero by 2050

We are committed to achieving net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) Scope 1 and 2 emissions in our operations by 2030 and overall Net Zero GHG emissions by 2050 (including Scope 3 and financed emissions), in line with Nationally Determined Contributions and the 1.5 degrees scenario of the Paris Climate Agreement. As part of this, we have set 2030 targets for six carbon-intensive sectors, aligned with science-based reference pathway scenarios.

Mobilising RM300 billion in Sustainable Finance

We believe that the financial services sector is uniquely positioned to facilitate and support a just transition towards a low-carbon economy and bridge social gaps. Thus, we have made a commitment to mobilising RM300 billion in Green, Social, Sustainable Impact Products and Services between 2021 and 2030.

Phasing out of coal by 2040

We have committed to phasing out coal by 2040. As an interim target, we aim to halve our financing and investment exposure to the thermal coal mining sector by 2030. For more information, please refer to the Coal Sector Guide in the Sustainable Finance Framework and the whitepaper, Our Path to Net Zero – Charting a Course to Decarbonisation.

No Deforestation, No Peat and No Exploitation

In 2022, we rolled out our No Deforestation, No Peat, and No Exploitation commitment to the palm oil, forestry and timber plantation sectors in larger markets, while smaller markets adopted the policy in 2023. We will not finance or facilitate capital raising for companies that are directly involved in the new conversion of High Conservation Value (HCV) areas or peatland, or those that lack legal rights and a policy/commitment on respecting free, prior, and informed consent of indigenous and local communities. Additionally, we will refrain from supporting companies that do not have a policy or commitment to prevent worker exploitation and uphold labour rights.

Investing RM150 million and 120,000 annual volunteer hours in local communities

We believe in leveraging our resources and influence to address social inequalities. We therefore commit to investing RM150 million from 2021 to 2025 in local communities, and to contributing 120,000 volunteering hours annually.

Net-Zero Banking Alliance

We are the first ASEAN bank to join the Net-Zero Banking Alliance. Bank-led and UN-convened, the Alliance comprises leading global banks committed to aligning their lending, investment and capital markets activities with Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative: Principles for Responsible Banking

We became one of the Founding Signatories of the Principles for Responsible Banking, committing to strategically align our business with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. As a signatory, CIMB joins a coalition of more than 345 banks worldwide committed to playing a crucial role in achieving a sustainable future.

Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials

We estimate our financed emissions using the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF) methodology - the recommended calculation approach for financed emissions under the International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) S2 - to support our Net Zero by 2050 commitment.

International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Sustainable Trade Finance Working Group

We are an active member of the ICC Sustainable Trade Finance Working Group, an initiative established in 2016 to develop best practice standards for sustainable trade.

United Nations Global Compact

We are a member of the UN Global Compact Network Malaysia & Brunei, a leading voluntary initiative that encourages global businesses to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies based on 10 principles covering human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption.

CEO Action Network

We co-founded the CEO Action Network (CAN) with our partner, IMPACTO, in 2020 to create a closed-door, peer-to-peer informal network of CEOs and board members committed to driving sustainable action in corporate Malaysia. With more than 70 members from over 20 critical sectors, CAN aspires to catalyse its members and the broader economy towards proactively shaping future-ready, ESG-integrated business models and ecosystems.

Joint Committee on Climate Change

We play an active role in the Joint Committee on Climate Change (JC3), co-chaired by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC). JC3 works to mobilise collective action in Malaysia’s financial sector to promote climate resilience, both within the sector and across the wider economy. The inputs, insights and recommendations arising from JC3 are used to shape sustainability policies and regulations set by BNM and the SC.

Value-Based Intermediation

We are strong advocates of BNM’s Value-Based Intermediation (VBI), which aims to deliver the intended outcomes of Shariah through practices, conduct and offerings that generate positive and sustainable value for the economy, community and environment, and that are consistent with the commitment to delivering sustainable returns and long-term value for shareholders.

OUR ROADMAP

Our Roadmap, covering Economic, Environmental, Social and Governance (EES&G) aspects, operationalises our principles, guiding strategies for sustainable impact. Encompassing our operations and stakeholders, it addresses crucial concerns to deliver net positive effects on the economy, communities and the environment. Aligned with Value-Based Intermediation (VBI) principles, it embodies action based on benefit creation and harm prevention. Visit Our Roadmap page to learn more.

Governance and Risk

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Operational Footprint

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Responsible Finance

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Impact Finance

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Corporate Citizenship

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OUR PRIORITIES

We recognise that the global banking industry is continuously evolving, with increasing pressure and expectations from society. Materiality assessment is one of our key approaches to identifying the critical economic, environmental and social matters for our organisation, and the outcome informs our sustainability strategy and supports our ambition to become an ASEAN sustainability leader. Visit our Materiality Methodology page to learn more.

Based on the outcome of our materiality assessment, we prioritised 13 material topics that represent CIMB’s most significant impacts on the economy, environment and society — and the most significant impacts these areas have on CIMB.

SUSTAINABILITY REPORT

A DIVERSE NETWORK

Malaysia

Indonesia

Singapore

Thailand

Cambodia

Our Sustainability Report 2024

Our Sustainability Report 2024

Sustainability Report 2024

The Cooler Earth Sustainability Series

Our Path to Net Zero

Inclusive and Biodiverse Palm Oil

Banking Towards Tomorrow

Our Pledge Towards Sustainability

At CIMB, sustainability is how we bring our purpose to life. It’s not just about responding to risk, it’s about shaping a future where businesses thrive, communities prosper, and no one is left behind.

Sustainable Development Goals

Net Zero by 2050

Mobilising RM300 billion in Sustainable Finance

Phasing out of coal by 2040

No Deforestation, No Peat and No Exploitation

Investing RM150 million and 120,000 annual volunteer hours in local communities

OUR ROADMAP

OUR PRIORITIES

SUSTAINABILITY REPORT

A DIVERSE NETWORK

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