Last week I wrote about a survey from the Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing indicating that over 80% of institutional investors expected to increase investments in sustainability. Today we see an example of that sentiment in practice. Deutsche Bank, Germany’s largest banking institution and a banking leader in Europe, reported massive increases in sustainable finance volume. ESG Today reports:
“Deutsche Bank reported that its sustainable and transition financing volumes reached €32 billion (USD$35.6 billion) in the third quarter of 2026, increasing by 42% year-over-year, and marking the bank’s strongest quarter since the launch of its sustainability strategy in 2020.
For the first 9 months of the year, Deutsche Bank recorded sustainable and transition finance volumes of €84 billion (USD$93.5 billion), increasing by 25% over the same period last year, putting the bank on track to achieve its goal to achieve €900 billion by 2030, with a cumulative €555 billion achieved from 2020.”
This development further reinforces that ESG is back on an upswing. Interest from investors increases the availability of capital. In turn, more sustainability projects get funded. Despite pullbacks and skepticism from governments, the forces driving sustainability are continuing to do so. The commitments Deutsche Bank has made to sustainable finance remain on track, exemplifying the continued economic opportunities posed by sustainable investing.
Our members can learn more about sustainable finance here.
