Environment

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^{ESG | Environment | Net zero |}
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EDC is determined to continue pursuing a path to sustainability—for ourselves, our customers and Canada’s trade ecosystem.

News and highlights

EDC sets science-based climate targets and sustainable finance objectives

Sustainable business practices are quickly becoming a competitive necessity as more nations, organizations and corporations commit to net zero by 2050. Find out more about our targets and how we’re evolving to support Canadian businesses transition to a low-carbon economy.

Learn more

Report: Exploring Canada’s cleantech sector

Read this EDC Economics report on the challenges and opportunities in this key market.

Learn more

The latest ESG webinars

Find out how environmental, social and governance practices can shape the future growth of your business.

Learn more

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Sustainability has never been more important, with significant and pressing challenges to solve, but also opportunities for growth, innovation and creativity.

The challenge of sustainability is that the environment is an exhaustible resource and we are living beyond our means. As an export credit agency, we understand that the environment and the economy are inextricably linked and that we have a significant role to play when it comes to both, including:

Delivering on our commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050
Supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy through our financial solutions and advice
Making social equity a key element of our approach to environment
Facilitating Canadian environmental solutions
Reviewing and assessing the environmental impacts of projects we consider supporting

Sustainability is too important and complex to pursue alone. We believe collaboration is the key to achieving the tangible results the world needs, and we aim to be a key partner to our customers, peers and stakeholders across the trade ecosystem.

Our climate journey

More than a decade ago, we began our journey to make responsible and sustainable business practices a priority, both for our business and for our customers. We know there's no finish line when it comes to sustainability. It’s a long-term commitment to constantly improve and progress.

2020

Published details of our first target to reduce the carbon intensity of our lending portfolio and published our due diligence framework. Introduced TCFD-aligned disclosure requirements for customers in the oil and gas sector.

2021

Fully implemented our Climate Change Policy and became the first export credit agency to commit to net zero emissions by 2050.

2022

Released our Sustainable Bond Framework, which was the first such framework in North America to include transition proceeds. Set sustainable finance and science-based climate targets to be achieved by 2030, in line with our commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

2023

Published our updates to EDC’s Climate Change Policy and joined the Net Zero Export Agencies Alliance (NZECA), which is part of the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ).

2010

Issued an updated Environmental and Social Risk Management Policy, that expanded on our environmental and social commitments.

2012

Cleantech identified as a corporate priority.

2014

Became the first Canadian financial institution to issue a green bond.

2016

Began measuring and disclosing our annual contribution to the Government of Canada’s climate finance commitments under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

2017

Publicly committed to no longer financing thermal coal power plants. Helped facilitate more than $1 billion in cleantech exports for the first time.

2018

Became the first export credit agency and first Canadian Crown corporation to declare support for the Task Force for Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations.

2019

Established our first dedicated Climate Change Policy and, in our 2018 Annual Report, published our first climate-related disclosure.

Customer stories

Genecis Bioindustries takes circular economy to the next level

Genecis utilizes bacteria to convert food waste into PHA plast

G2V Optics: Casting light on critical sectors

G2V, a cleantech company revolutionizing the aerospace and food industries with light technology.

Miovision: Gearing up for sustainability opportunities ahead

Canadian company finds ways to reduce pollution, as global cities strive to reduce emissions.

By the numbers: Putting our climate commitments into action

Measuring and monitoring our performance is key to understanding where we’re doing well, where we need to improve, and what we want to achieve in the future. Today, we're one of the largest financiers of the cleantech sector in Canada and continue to successfully reduce exposure to our most carbon-intensive sectors, but we need to keep improving. Details on our results and plans are available in our integrated annual report report and accompanying climate-related disclosure.

$12.2B

Cleantech business facilitated in 2023

69%

Reduction in exposure to our six most carbon-intensive sectors since 2018

$397.5M

Climate finance provided in developing countries in 2023

Agreements and memberships

EDC is guided by a number of agreements and standards that form the foundation of our view of best practices when it comes to environmental issues, such as the Equator Principles, the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, and the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials. We’re also a contributing member of organizations setting the standard for sustainable, responsible business such as the Berne Union, Powering Past Coal Alliance and the Equator Principles.

Learn more about our commitments

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^{ESG | Environment | Net zero |}
^{Operational footprint | Priority sectors}

^{ESG | Environment | Net zero |} ^{Operational footprint | Priority sectors}

Date modified: 2024-06-07

News and highlights

EDC sets science-based climate targets and sustainable finance objectives

Report: Exploring Canada’s cleantech sector

The latest ESG webinars

Sustainability has never been more important, with significant and pressing challenges to solve, but also opportunities for growth, innovation and creativity.

Committed to net zero

Sustainable finance

Our operational footprint

Priority sectors

Environmental risk management & customers

Our climate journey

2020

2021

2022

2023

From 2010 - 2019

Customer stories

Genecis Bioindustries takes circular economy to the next level

G2V Optics: Casting light on critical sectors

Miovision: Gearing up for sustainability opportunities ahead

By the numbers: Putting our climate commitments into action

$12.2B

69%

$397.5M

Agreements and memberships

Policies & reports

Climate Change Policy

Due Diligence Framework: Climate Change

2023 Climate-Related Disclosure

Environment and Social Risk Management Policy