How does Bankers for Net Zero Promote Sustainable Finance?

Bankers for Net Zero was created in 2019 to help the UK finance sector take coordinated action on climate change. 

The initiative emerged following analysis from the WWF showing that a subsection of UK financial institutions financed 805 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2019. 

If treated as a country, those banks and investors would have been the ninth-largest emitter in the world. 

For an industry central to capital allocation, Bankers for Net Zero aims to close the gap between climate commitments and meaningful implementation.

Heather Buchanan, Bankers for Net Zero’s CEO, will be speaking at Sustainability LIVE: The Net Zero Summit in 2026.

Aligning financial institutions with net zero

Bankers for Net Zero, known as B4NZ, is a not-for-profit organisation working with banks, businesses, regulators and policymakers to accelerate the shift to a resilient net zero economy. 

Its approach is rooted in the UK’s policy framework for sustainable finance, but with a practical focus on identifying where targeted regulatory adjustments could unlock progress.

The group’s work centres on three priorities: supporting banks to translate net zero commitments into national-level action, identifying roadblocks that prevent institutions from decarbonising portfolios and enabling cross-sector collaboration. 

B4NZ works alongside organisations including the Green Finance Institute, UK Finance and UNEP FI to ensure its efforts complement wider industry initiatives.

Eric Usher, Head of UNEP FI, says: “This initiative is an important step in helping banks deliver on their commitments under the UN Principles for Responsible Banking. Bold leadership and a collaborative approach will be required in the coming years as we grapple with the transition to net zero. 

“We look forward to working with the B4NZ team, as the UK forges a path to deliver, on the ground, real change that enables the most effective transition to a net zero economy.”

By creating clarity on where regulatory and policy interventions may be needed, B4NZ aims to help banks optimise their contribution to the UK economy while decarbonising operations and lending activities.

A platform for collaboration across finance

B4NZ positions itself as a convener for the financial sector, bringing banks together with businesses and regulators to work through practical challenges related to climate transition. 

The aim is to create what the organisation describes as a positive feedback loop between government, industry and finance, helping each group understand the conditions required for sustained progress.

The initiative also supports work on sector-specific barriers, such as financing for decarbonisation in hard to abate industries, assessing data gaps for transition planning or identifying how banks can scale green finance offerings. 

For financial institutions navigating changing regulatory expectations, B4NZ offers a structured forum to shape responses to those requirements while sharing operational insights.

Leadership with deep policy experience

Bankers for Net Zero is led by CEO and co-founder Heather Buchanan, who has extensive experience advising government, trade bodies and civil society on the relationship between banks and their customers.

Heather’s work through B4NZ gained international visibility in 2023 when the organisation participated as a core partner of the UK Pavilion at COP28. In 2024, she was listed among Reuters’ Trailblazing Women in Climate and was shortlisted as Sustainability Leader of the Year by Business Green.

She says: “By its nature, Bankers for Net Zero are conveners. Predominantly, we bring together banks, businesses and regulators to accelerate this transition and we are extremely proud to work as the bUK Country Chapter of the NZBA and serve as a piece of the huge puzzle of collaboration needed to achieve climate action.”

The initiative continues to develop its programmes and engagement as UK banks work through the operational, regulatory and financial realities of transitioning to a lower carbon economy.

The organisation will have a presence at Sustainability LIVE: The Net Zero Summit in 2026, where Heather will speak about collaborative climate action in finance.

Secure your tickets now to hear Heather present at Sustainability LIVE: The Net Zero Summit in 2026