2022年版スコア改定：農林中金・第一生命が2年連続首位

(See below for English)

Fair Finance Guide Japanでは2022年版のスコアを2021年12月8日に公表しました。

前回首位だった農林中央金庫、第一生命がさらにスコアを伸ばし、格付けトップを守った。特に金融機関としての気候変動対策が評価されスコアの改善が見られたが、同じ基準で格付けをする欧州の金融機関は5か国平均で6.4点となっており、依然大幅な遅れをとっている。

銀行グループの中でトップとなった農林中金は、兵器産業セクターに関する方針を新設し、新たに核兵器、生物・化学兵器、対人地雷の製造を資金使途とする投融資禁止を表明したことなどによりスコアを伸ばした。第一生命は、投資先とのエンゲージメントにおいて労働、人権、ダイバーシティへの対応等を重点的なテーマに設定しており、同テーマにおいて特に他社と差をつけた。

また、りそな銀行は、ラムサール条約指定湿地やユネスコ指定世界遺産へ負の影響を与える事業、絶滅のおそれのある野生動植物の種の国際取引に関する条約（ワシントン条約）に違反する事業への融資を行わない方針を掲げるなど融資方針を強化し、前回最下位だった明治安田生命は、国連グローバル・コンパクトを投融資方針に適用したことなどにより、大きくスコアを伸ばした。他方、ゆうちょ銀行、かんぽ生命、東京海上は最下位となった。

金融機関として、パリ協定の目標達成に向けた資金の流れをつくる動きも進んでいる。今回新たに、三菱UFJ、みずほ、三井住友、三井住友トラスト、第一生命、日本生命、明治安田生命、住友生命、MS&AD、SOMPOが投融資先の温室効果ガス排出量を2050年までにネットゼロとする方針を掲げた。また、農林中央金庫、ゆうちょ銀行、かんぽ生命を除くすべての銀行グループと保険会社は、投融資先の温室効果ガス排出量を公開しており、より充実した気候関連財務情報開示への取り組みが行われている。

(ENG)

The latest set of scores was released by Fair Finance Guide Japan, a coalition of Japanese NGOs that shed light on investment and lending policies of major financial institutions. Norinchukin Bank and Dai-ichi Life, which ranked top in the previous assessment last year, maintained the lead by further strengthening their policies. Most of the assessed financial institutions improved on their climate change policies, but still lag far behind their European counterparts, who score at an average of 6.4 points.

Norinchukin Bank improved their score by strengthening their policies, including a new policy for the arms industry, which states that the Bank will not provide direct financing or investment for the manufacturing of nuclear weapons, biological and chemical weapons, or anti-personnel mines. Dai-ichi Life has a lead over other insurance companies and banking groups, especially on the themes such as labor rights, human rights and diversity by setting these themes as agenda items for engagement with their investees.

In addition, Resona Bank notably improved their score by strengthening their lending policy, which states that the Bank will not finance projects that exert a negative impact on wetland sites designated by the Ramsar Convention or on the World Heritage Sites designated by UNESCO, or projects that violate the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Meiji Yasuda Life, which ranked at the bottom in the previous year, increased their score by clarifying that they expect investees to comply with the UN Global Compact. On the other hand, Japan Post Bank, Japan Post Insurance and Tokio Marine ranked at the bottom this year.

The movement by financial institutions to shift financial flows towards the achievement of the goals of the Paris Agreement has been accelerating. Since the previous assessment, Mitsubishi UFJ, Mizuho, SMBC, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust, Dai-ichi Life, Nippon Life, Meiji Yasuda Life, Sumitomo Life, MS&AD and SOMPO made a commitment to aligning their lending and investment portfolios with net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. Also, all assessed financial institutions except for Norinchukin Bank, Japan Post Bank and Japan Post Insurance disclosed GHG emissions from their lending and investment portfolio - the efforts have been made to enhance climate-related financial disclosure.

The Fair Finance Guide International Methodology aims to promote a race-to-the-top between ESG efforts of financial institutions by scoring social and environmental dimensions of investment and lending policies of major financial institutions and providing the results to the public in an easy-to-understand manner. Dutch NGOs started this initiative in 2009, and Japan has participated since 2014. This is the 9th assessment for Japanese banking groups and the 4th assessment for insurance companies. Currently, the policy assessment is conducted more than in 11 countries.