AIB: Embedding Sustainability in products, supply chain and with their customers
AIB recently won the Green Large Organisation of the Year award for a wide range of initiatives and its integrated sustainability. 
As part of AIB overall business, they are focused on lending in the Energy Sector. AIB have a dedicated Energy Finance Team and an Energy Efficiency Lending Fund which allows energy savings to be taken into account in repayment capacity launched in 2014. Over €90m was lent to renewable and energy efficient projects in 2014, including over 150 loans to help Irish SMEs cut their energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint.
Financing firsts for AIB include:
- First large scale Anaerobic Digester, providing heat to local pig farm and electricity to the grid all from waste food
- First Energy Service Company (ESCO) financed providing LED lighting to Irish schools
- First small scale wind farms sanctioned and constructed with their partner Enercon
Plans for 2015 include sponsorship of the SEAI Energy Show, the SEAI One Good Idea programme, the GIY Get Ireland Growing Fund and the launch of AIB’s Energy Efficiency Finance package.
Add More Green
AIB’s Add More Green environmental campaign included promotion of the e-statement initiative which provided for an environmental fund donation of €2 for every customer who made the change to e-Statements. As of December 2014, 60 million account statements had been made available electronically, thereby reducing the need for paper, printing and postage or the equivalent of planting 14,500 trees!
Green Supply Chain:
AIB place high emphasis on ensuring that their sub-contractors and suppliers support the Green Business agenda. Baxter Storey, their catering partner, work to source Irish sustainable food products where possible. A large number of suppliers are associated with the Origin Green Initiative run by Bord Bía e.g. Atlantis Seafoods, Ballymaloe Foods Ltd., Java Republic, Keelings and Slaney Foods International to name but a few. All beef, pork and poultry sold in AIB’s canteens are sourced from Bord Bía certified farms.
In 2014, relevant procurement contracts were edited informing contractors that energy efficiency and environmental factors would be taken in account when evaluating submissions.
All paper supplied to AIB for printing comes from a participant of the Global Forest & Trade Network.
AIB have examined every aspect of their business to integrate Green business practices internally, in the supply chain and in their interactions with Irish society, demonstrating that environmental protection and sustainability doesn’t stop at the AIB gates. AIB are conscious of the impact an organisation of their scale can have on the environment and are passionate about making their impact a positive one for the communities in which they live and work.
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