Sustainable banks in the U.S: what they are and a list of eco-friendly options | Mighty Deposits (2024)

Mighty Deposits Guide, 2023 Edition

For environmentally-conscious consumers, being intentional about where you keep your savings can be a great way to take further control over your environmental impact. If you’re committed to reducing your carbon footprint — perhaps spending time recycling, protesting, and purchasing eco-friendly products — then it’s essential to ensure your own money in the bank isn’t undermining your other efforts.

What is an eco-friendly bank

When you deposit money in a bank, it doesn’t just sit there. Banks use your deposits to make loans and investments for all kinds of projects, and depending on the bank, your money could be funding anything from solar farms to small business loans to coal mining. Broadly speaking, eco-friendly banks are those that acknowledge that their lending and investment choices have an impact on the health of the planet, and take action to decrease funding projects that harm the environment. Some environmentally friendly banks not only refuse to finance projects that contribute to environmental degradation, but also proactively finance renewable energy or climate positive projects. There’s no single gold standard or metric when it comes to eco-friendly banking. Banks aren’t required to publicly report the environmental impacts of all their loans, nor are they required to uniformly disclose fossil fuel financing. However, there are many initiatives and organizations working to highlight sustainable banking options. Below are a few things to watch out for, along with several approaches you can take to go green with your banking.

What to watch out for: greenwashing in banking

Before looking at specific recommendations for green banks, it’s worth a reminder that anyone interested in sustainability and banking must be particularly wary of greenwashing. If you search on bank websites for sustainability commitments, there’s often a list of eco-friendly efforts that are not directly tied to the bank’s financing decisions. If a bank’s commitment to going green stops with their LEED-certified office buildings or paperless statements, proceed with caution. These efforts on their own can be climate-friendly but are ultimately harmful if used as a strategy to detract attention from larger issues, like the bank’s role in financing deforestation or Arctic drilling, for example. A bank’s biggest impact on the environment doesn’t come from how they run their branches. The number one way a bank impacts the environment is through how it invests its money.

Which banks invest in fossil fuels

If you’re like most people in the US with a bank account, your money is likely in a bank that is one of the top funders of fossil fuels. Until recently, many banks have managed to hide from the mainstream the magnitude of their role in the expansion of the fossil fuel industry. Fossil fuel companies need financing in order to start and sustain projects. The U.S. banks that finance the most fossil fuels are JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citi, Bank of America, TD, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs, according to analysis from the Rainforest Action Network. These seven banks are also some of the most popular banks in the country, holding on to nearly half of American bank accounts. Banks play a role in giving the fossil fuel industry the cash they need to extract fossil fuels and commit acts of environmental destruction. And while it’s a great start for eco-conscious individuals to resolve to divest their money from the worst offenders (there are many banks and credit unions that don’t invest in fossil fuels), it’s equally important to think about what you want your money to fund instead. See the list below for alternatives.

Environmentally friendly banking options

There are several certifications or characteristics to look for when evaluating whether a bank aligns with your environmental values.

B-Corp Banks: Certified B-Corporations are businesses “that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.” B-Corp banks are one option for people interested in a bank that aims to use its money and power as a force for good.

Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV) Members: The GABV is a network of financial institutions that use “finance to deliver sustainable economic, social, and environmental development.” Banks and credit unions in the GABV take a triple-bottom-line approach and serve as values-based banking options. Browse all B-Corp or GABV banks. Browse all GABV credit unions.

Environmentally focused neobanks, like Aspiration, ATMOS, and Ando: There are several new digital-only banking providers that partner with community banks to offer services. See our guide to evaluating cause-driven neobanks to learn more about the impact of money held with these banking providers.

Fossil fuel-free banks and credit unions: Though banks are not legally required to disclose all fossil fuel financing, several banks have made public commitments that they do not finance fossil fuels. At Mighty, we’ve invited banks to share this commitment with us, and state that they do not finance fossil fuel extraction or infrastructure. This means no lending or underwriting for projects like tar sands oil, Arctic oil, ultra-deepwater oil & gas, fracked oil & gas, liquefied natural gas, and coal.

Sustainable banks in the U.S: what they are and a list of eco-friendly options | Mighty Deposits (1)

Sustainable banks in the U.S: what they are and a list of eco-friendly options | Mighty Deposits (2)

Below are banks and credit unions that are either a certified B-Corp, a member of the GABV, and/or don’t finance fossil fuels. The list of banks not financing fossil fuels continues to grow, so check back. (Are you a bank that doesn’t finance fossil fuels and would like to be listed?)

Listed alphabetically by HQ state


Interested in these options, but need to confirm they offer everything you need? Check out the searchable database of sustainable banking options, where you can look for bank locations, filter for products and conveniences, and more: browse all B-Corp or GABV banks, or all banks that don’t finance fossil fuels, or both; you can also browse all GABV credit unions, all credit unions that don’t finance fossil fuels, or both.

Sustainable banks you can get started with right now via Mighty

Other community banks and credit unions

There are many community banks and credit unions that don’t finance fossil fuels but haven’t yet commented on this publicly. You can use this guide to find a community bank or credit union near you, and then ask them about the environmental impact of their lending.

Socially responsible banking options

if you don’t find a bank that’s eco-focused that meets your needs, you may be interested in exploring other socially responsible bank options, like banks that invest in low-income communities and communities of color, banks owned or led by people of color, and credit unions investing in low-income communities or communities of color. These banks — by the nature of their business on serving communities in more of a grassroots fashion than large chains — are by default greener options than the largest chains, which are the driving financing force behind the expansion of the fossil fuel industry. The complete guide to socially responsible banking lists additional options.

Impact Banking Tips

Adding impact to your banking portfolio is about reaching out to impactful banks and credit unions when your household or org needs anything from a bank (cash management, loan & other financing, wealth management).

It's not just a one-time "donation" deposit. Impactful banks are full-service banks. There’s more they can do for you than you may have considered.

In summary, here’s how to be eco-friendly with your bank account

1. Check up on your current bank. If you bank with one of the biggest funders of fossil fuels according to the Rainforest Action Network, any move into a community bank or a credit union is an improvement. Even if your money is not currently banked with one of the biggest funders of fossil fuels, you can still be more intentional with your money by placing it in a bank that is vocal about its sustainability efforts.

2. Move your money into a sustainable bank or credit union. If you can’t move all your money today, start with some of it. Use the list above to look for a new banking option or search the complete bank database or credit union database to find options near you and filter for the conveniences you need, like high-yield accounts, mobile deposits, business loans, and more.

3. Monitor what your deposits are up to. Check up on your bank or credit union every once in a while. Are you content with how they invest your money? If you want more detailed information, here’s a guide to see what your bank invests in. If you’d like to be notified when new quarterly data is published on Mighty, you can subscribe here.

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FAQs

Sustainable banks in the U.S: what they are and a list of eco-friendly options | Mighty Deposits? ›

Environmentally focused neobanks, like Aspiration, ATMOS, and Ando: There are several new digital-only banking providers that partner with community banks to offer services. See our guide to evaluating cause-driven neobanks to learn more about the impact of money held with these banking providers.

What bank is environmentally friendly? ›

Environmentally focused neobanks, like Aspiration, ATMOS, and Ando: There are several new digital-only banking providers that partner with community banks to offer services. See our guide to evaluating cause-driven neobanks to learn more about the impact of money held with these banking providers.

What banks don't invest in fossil fuels? ›

Our community suggested these banks below which they have found to be ethical and don't fund fossil fuels!
  • Alternative Bank, Switzerland.
  • Nedbank, South Africa.
  • GLS, Germany.
  • Vancity Credit Union, Canada.
  • Le Credit Cooperatif, France.
  • ASN Bank, The Netherlands.
  • Triodos Bank, Europe.
  • Banca Etica, Italy.
Jul 2, 2020

What bank is the most ethical? ›

CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Fifth Third Bank, National Association, today was recognized by Ethisphere, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, as one of the 2023 World's Most Ethical Companies. Fifth Third has been recognized four times by Ethisphere.

What are the worst banks for the environment? ›

The report shows that overall, U.S. banks dominate fossil fuel financing, accounting for 28% of all fossil fuel financing in 2022. JPMorgan Chase remains the world's worst funder of climate chaos since the Paris Agreement. Citi, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America are still among the top 5 fossil financiers since 2016.

Which bank has green and sustainable deposit scheme? ›

HDFC Limited's Green and Sustainable Deposit is offering an interest rate of 7.2 per cent for a tenure of 61 to 120 months and 7.3 per cent per annum (annual income plan) for a tenure of 36 to 60 months. The interest rates are for deposits up to Rs 2 crore.

Which US states have green banks? ›

More than ten states and territories have established green banks, including Connecticut, Colorado, Hawai'i, Maryland, New York, Nevada and Rhode Island. Funding Mechanism: Funded through a consumer electric bill surcharge, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, federal funding and private capital.

Is Capital One invested in fossil fuels? ›

In conclusion, Capital One is not a fossil fuel free bank, however, their oil and gas investments are relatively small in the fossil finance world.

Does Wells Fargo support fossil fuels? ›

One thing we can do is pay attention to where we bank and invest our money. Wells Fargo Bank is one of the largest fossil fuel investors in the U.S. This corporation is poised to fund the bonding of the Uinta Basin rail project originating in Utah.

Is Capital One a green bank? ›

Capital One is committed to continuously improving the environmental sustainability of our business, and we recognize the wide-ranging impact that climate change will have on the world. We are focused on embedding climate-related considerations throughout our strategy and risk management.

What is the most trusted bank in us? ›

The Lifestory Research 2022 America's Most Trusted® Bank Study found Chase the most trusted bank. The America's Most Trusted® Study is a large-scale survey of consumers in the United States that seeks to identify the brands that people trust the most within their respective industries.

What is the most trustworthy bank in the world? ›

An index score of 100 is average for bank brands. For the third consecutive year, Chase was the overall most trusted bank in the study.

What is the safest bank to deal with? ›

5 Safest Banks in the U.S.
BankAssets
Bank of America$2.42 trillion
Citi$1.77 trillion
Wells Fargo$1.72 trillion
U.S. Bank$585 billion
1 more row
Jun 20, 2023

What banks to avoid? ›

The 10 Worst-Rated Banks in America
  • Wells Fargo.
  • Citibank.
  • Capital One.
  • Discover Bank.
  • Flagstar Bank.
  • Bank of America.
  • Comerica Bank.
  • First National Bank of Omaha.
Apr 26, 2023

What is the most sustainable bank in North America? ›

BMO ranks as most sustainable bank in North America for fourth consecutive year and eighth in the world. BMO has been named to Corporate Knights' 2023 Ranking of the World's 100 Most Sustainable Corporations as the most sustainable bank in North America for the fourth year in a row.

Which banks have the highest satisfaction? ›

Capital One received the highest customer satisfaction score among the largest banks in the United States as of 2022, with a score reaching 694 points out of 1,000 possible.

What is a sustainable deposit? ›

A. Purposeful Investment. to address long-term environmental challenges.

Which banks are leading with ESG? ›

Best Perceived “Stand Out” ESG/Sustainable Finance Provider
Rank% of Total
1BNP Paribas11.4
2Standard Chartered9.3
3Citi8.5
4HSBC8.1
24 more rows
Mar 6, 2023

Is PNC a sustainable bank? ›

Sustainable Financing Bonds

PNC is a registered member of the Green and Social Bond Principles.

Which US banks threaten to leave Green Alliance? ›

Sept 21 (Reuters) - Major Wall Street banks have threatened to leave United Nations climate envoy Mark Carney's financial alliance over legal risks, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing several people involved in internal talks.

Is U.S. Bank environmentally friendly? ›

U.S. Bank partners with organizations to responsibly source materials and reduce our impact on the environment. Learn more about sustainable sourcing and our other environmental initiatives at U.S. Bank.

How many green banks are there in the US? ›

Currently there are 23 green banks in the United States, though many more are being created. They are all members of the American Green Bank Consortium, a program of the Coalition for Green Capital (which creates and supports green banks and is leading the charge to create a national green bank).

Is bottled gas a fossil fuel? ›

LPG comes from drilling oil and gas wells. It is a fossil fuel that does not occur in isolation. LPG is found naturally in combination with other hydrocarbons, typically crude oil and natural gas.

Does State Farm invest in fossil fuels? ›

Insurers are also major fossil fuel investors. The most recent data published by the California Department of Insurance shows that State Farm alone had $30 billion invested in fossil fuels, and the industry had $582 billion in fossil fuel investments.

Which Bank is most invested in fossil fuels? ›

JPMorgan Chase leads investments with 34% more than the next bank since 2016, having provided fossil fuel companies with $382.4 billion in funding since that year. Top investments from banks went to QatarEnergy, Gazprom, Saudi Aramco, ExxonMobil, along with a long list of other oil and gas companies.

Who is the biggest user of fossil fuels in the US? ›

The transportation sector is the largest consumer of primary fossil fuel energy in the United States. Largely due to reliance on petroleum-based motor fuels, the transportation sector consumed over 25 quadrillion British thermal units of fossil fuel energy in 2021.

What is fossil fuels best option? ›

The five primary alternatives to fossil fuels are renewable energy, nuclear power, hydrogen, biomass, and geothermal energy. Renewable energy is defined as power derived from natural sources that can replenish themselves, such as wind, solar, tidal or hydroelectric.

Does Citibank invest in fossil fuels? ›

Citibank is the world's second biggest fossil fuel funder – JPMorgan Chase leads the way – according to the Banking on Climate Chaos report, pumping $333bn into the sector since the Paris climate agreement.

Which bank is the least evil? ›

Find a Less Evil Bank with Fewer Fees and Better Returns
  • Ally Bank (ATM fee reimbursem*nt and a 1.05% checking APY)
  • ING Direct (1.2% on balances over $50,000)
  • USAA (10 ATM reimbursem*nts a month, free checking, no minimum balance)
  • Capital One (no monthly fees or minimum balance)
Jan 26, 2011

What bank did Capital One merge with? ›

22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE: COF) and North Fork Bancorporation, Inc. (NYSE: NFB) announced that, at separate meetings held today, their respective stockholders approved the acquisition of North Fork by Capital One in a stock and cash transaction.

Does Bank of America fund fossil fuels? ›

At the top of that list is JPMorgan Chase, the largest funder of fossil fuels cumulatively since the Paris Agreement on climate change was signed in 2016, according to the report. Citi, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America are also among the top five fossil financiers since 2016, the report found.

Who is the number 1 bank in America? ›

JPMorgan Chase

Which bank is least likely to fail? ›

Wells Fargo (WFC)

Nevertheless, it finds itself as one of the least likely financial institutions to fail.

Which is the world No 1 bank in USA? ›

#1.

JP Morgan Chase & Co. is the largest bank in the United States of America regarding total assets acquired. In 2021, the total assets acquired by this bank were $3.76 trillion. The headquarter of this bank is located in New York.

Where is the safest place to put millions of dollars? ›

What are the safest types of investments? U.S. Treasury securities, money market mutual funds and high-yield savings accounts are considered by most experts to be the safest types of investments available.

Where is the safest place to keep money? ›

Certificate of deposit (CD)

Like a savings account, a certificate of deposit (CD) is often a safe place to keep your money. One big difference between a savings account and a CD is that a CD locks up your money for a set term. If you withdraw the cash early, you'll be charged a penalty.

Which bank is the hardest to get into? ›

Which is the hardest investment bank to get into? Goldman Sachs is notoriously difficult to get into. One statistics recently rolled out was that it received 100,000 applications for just 2,300 global internship positions. This means that it received 24 applications for every job it posted.

Which banks are in trouble in 2023? ›

Over the course of a few weeks in the spring of 2023, multiple high-profile regional banks suddenly collapsed: Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), Signature Bank, and First Republic Bank. These banks weren't limited to one geographic area, and there wasn't one single reason behind their failures.

What are the 3 banks that failed? ›

Government regulators seized and sold off First Republic Bank on Monday, making it the third bank to fail this year after Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank collapsed in March. The three banks held a total of $532 billion in assets.

Where do you put your money during bank crisis? ›

A focus on FDIC insurance and Treasury-only money market or bond fund options can help safeguard investments when a banking crisis threatens.

What will banks never ask for? ›

Protect your Confidential Information.

Your bank will never ask for your account number, social security number, name, address or password in an email or text message.

Which banks are healthy? ›

Share this article
Top 25 Healthiest Banks
RankNameLocation
RankNameLocation
1Denver Fire Department Federal Credit UnionDenver, CO
2California Lithuanian Credit UnionSanta Monica, CA
50 more rows
Apr 15, 2020

Is Wells Fargo in trouble? ›

Wells Fargo has been ordered to pay $3.7 billion in penalties and victims' compensation for alleged illegal practices that caused thousands of the bank's customers to lose their homes and vehicles, federal regulators have announced.

What banks do millionaires use us? ›

7 banks that millionaires use
  • Bank of America Private Bank.
  • J.P. Morgan Private Bank.
  • Wells Fargo Private Bank.
  • UBS Wealth Management.
  • Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Management.
  • Citi Private Bank.
  • HSBC Global Private Banking.
Jun 15, 2023

What kind of banks do billionaires use? ›

Bank of America, Citibank, Union Bank, and HSBC, among others, have created accounts that come with special perquisites for the ultrarich, such as personal bankers, waived fees, and the option of placing trades. The ultrarich are considered to be those with more than $30 million in assets.

What bank is too big to fail? ›

Companies Considered Too Big to Fail

The Bank of New York Mellon Corp. Citigroup Inc. The Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

Which of the Big 4 banks is the most ethical? ›

NAB, the highest scorer of the big 4 banks

One way to measure this is to assess the bank's sustainability score, in terms of it's contribution to meeting the multifaceted global sustainable development goals.

Is US bank environmentally friendly? ›

U.S. Bank partners with organizations to responsibly source materials and reduce our impact on the environment. Learn more about sustainable sourcing and our other environmental initiatives at U.S. Bank.

What is the US Green Bank? ›

The Green Bank offers technical assistance and financing to provide county residents and businesses better loan rates, terms, and credit access for clean energy projects.

Is Capital One a Green Bank? ›

Capital One is committed to continuously improving the environmental sustainability of our business, and we recognize the wide-ranging impact that climate change will have on the world. We are focused on embedding climate-related considerations throughout our strategy and risk management.

Is Wells Fargo an ESG bank? ›

Wells Fargo Vision Investing includes: A comprehensive integration of ESG assessment into the investment management process. Strategies that align investment portfolios with client values.

Is Wells Fargo a sustainable bank? ›

We joined the industry-led Net-Zero Banking Alliance, which represents about 40% of global banking assets and is committed to aligning lending and investment portfolios with net-zero emissions by 2050.

What are the disadvantages of green banking? ›

Startup face: Many banks in green business are very new and are in startup face, generally it takes 3 to 4 years for a bank to start making money thus it does not help banks during recession. Higher operating cost: Green banks require talented, experienced staff to provide proper services to customers.

Which is the largest green bank in the world? ›

Through Australia's green bank, the largest in the world, the country has invested in wind, solar, and hydrogen development in addition to financing the construction of energy-efficient homes.

What is a green deposit account? ›

“A green fixed deposit, also known as an environmentally friendly fixed deposit, is a financial instrument that encourages sustainable development by channelling funds towards projects focused on renewable energy, clean technology, or other environmentally beneficial initiatives,” says Roy.

What is the safest bank to bank with? ›

Asset-heavy, diversified and regulated banks like JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, PNC Bank and U.S. Bank are among the safest banks in the U.S. and should be considered if you are weighing your options.

How do you know if a bank is ethical? ›

Ethical banking is a commitment banks make to address social and environmental issues. Socially responsible banks set policies or initiatives that reflect community needs or values. An ethical bank will often have a certification or designation to adhere to specific requirements.

What are the five ethical issues in banking? ›

What Are the Ethical Issues in Banking?
  • Banking Access and Community Development. ...
  • Environment and Climate Change. ...
  • Holistic Social Responsibility.
Sep 1, 2022

Which banks invest most in fossil fuels? ›

JPMorgan Chase leads investments with 34% more than the next bank since 2016, having provided fossil fuel companies with $382.4 billion in funding since that year. Top investments from banks went to QatarEnergy, Gazprom, Saudi Aramco, ExxonMobil, along with a long list of other oil and gas companies.

Does Wells Fargo fund fossil fuels? ›

WFC is the world's third largest funder of fossil fuels, providing $271 billion in lending and underwriting to fossil fuel companies during 2016-2021, including $37 billion to 100 top companies engaged in new fossil fuel exploration and development.

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