The is an independent company that checks the sustainability and fairness of banksFair Finance Guide, which examines how banks perform in various sustainability criteria. You can view the categories on the website and read a more detailed report for each category. TheATMvonTomorrowcompares the results of the Fair Finance Guide with Tomorrow and can also be used to find a fair bank.
This way you can see directly how your bank is doing (if it publishes its figures) and which banks are performing best.
Which bank is the most sustainable?
If we go by the Fair Finance Guide ranking, the most sustainable bank is GLS Bank, with a full 94 percent. There are also other banks that meet different criteria or from which Fair Finance was unable to collect data.
The 7 best ethical banks ranked
The experts at Tomorrow recommend five ethical banks that also compare with the rankingFair Finance Guidecover. The “places” refer to that ranking. The environmental bank is not included in Fair Finance's ranking because they have an exclusive focus on environmental projects.
1st place: GLS Bank
At number 1 in the ranking of ethical banks is theGLS Bank, which, as a cooperative bank, enables its customers to purchase their own shares from 500 euros. They call themselves the “largest sustainable bank in Germany” and only invest in social and ecological projects, with a particular focus on transparency. These include sectors such as renewable energies, nutrition, sustainable economy, housing, education & culture and social affairs & health.
Products:Current accounts, savings investments, securities, retirement provision, asset management, business accounts, construction financing, crowd investing and robo advisors.
Platz 2: Tomorrow
Tomorrowis not a classic bank, but a FinTech company that offers a banking app in partnership with Solarisbank. The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals are important to them – they are also guided by these. Tomorrow says it only uses its customers’ money to finance sustainable industries and projects. That's why she made it to second place in the ranking.
Products:Three different current account models with sub-accounts, sustainable equity funds, crowd investing and the Tomorrow app.
3rd place: Ethics Bank
As the name suggests, this ethical-ecological direct bank only finances loans for ecological and social measures. TheEthics Bankis particularly transparent when it comes to its investments, which often include ethics, women's and environmental projects.
Products:Current accounts, various savings investments, investment funds, deposits, construction financing, consumer loans and business accounts.
4th place: KD-Bank – bank for church and diakonia
DieKD-Bank – bank for church and diakonia– is organized as a cooperative and is a Protestant universal bank with Christian values. According to their own statement, they strive for “sustainable values” and want to do business “efficiently, socially and ecologically”. If the bank invests in funds, then only in those that correspond to its own “sustainability filter” and are structured according to Christian values.
Products:Current account, bank card, credit card, daily money account, various savings investments, funds, securities, loans.
5th place: Triodos Bank
Triodosis aEuropeanSustainability bank and active in five other countries in addition to Germany. They advertise that they only finance projects that “bring about long-term positive changes for people and the environment”. Its three major subject areas include environment, social and culture.
