Our Approach to Sustainability

The firm’s approach to sustainability is founded on two intersecting areas of impact: helping to accelerate the climate transition and helping to advance inclusive growth. These are the areas where we can have the most material impact.

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What We Do

What We Do

Helping our clients achieve their sustainability ambitions and promote more sustainable business practices

How We Do It

How We Do It

Applying sustainability practices to how we manage and operate our own businesses 

How We Address Gaps

How We Address Gaps

Our external partnerships and strategic philanthropy complement our work with clients, driving meaningful change and advancing progress

We can help our clients produce more reliable and affordable energy as well as build a more sustainable and inclusive economy for today's generation and the next. David Solomon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Our Progress

Building on 20 years of experience in sustainable finance, we’re making progress on our commitments. Two years ago we announced that we would deploy $750 billion in financing, investing, and advisory activity by 2030 to accelerate climate transition and advance inclusive growth. By the end of 2021, we reached approximately $300 billion of our total goal.
 


Our Commitment in Action

In the past year, we achieved meaningful outcomes across a number of key initiatives:

Driving Sustainable Growth

Our work is underpinned by the following core principles:

Client Solutions

  • We recognize that our clients will require a diverse set of advice, capital and financing transitions
     
  • We focus on developing innovating solutions to our clients’ sustainability challenges and we help them navigate the complexity of sustainability with confidence

Systems Perspective

  • We leverage our role at the center of global markets to activate the full power of the financial system

  • We collaborate with partners, clients and policymakers across markets, sectors and geographies

Material Impact

  • We power progress through performance, driving real results for our clients, our society and the environment
     
  • We focus our firm in the areas where we can have the most material impact

Real Impact, Real World Results

We’re making a difference where it matters most – for real communities, people and places.

“I really think the biggest opportunity in emerging markets is to pivot from a conversation that this is a price to be paid to a dialogue that says, “Wow, this is an unbelievable opportunity to improve the livelihoods of people.” And I think it happens to be true.”

Ahmed Saeed
Vice President for East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific
Asian Development Bank
 

“In addition to access to capital, we have to provide Black women with a safe space to learn and grow. This is why I am so proud to be a member of the Advisory Council. I look forward to sharing the lessons that I’ve learned as an entrepreneur; as well as growing and evolving with the women in this community.” 

Ayesha Curry
Entrepreneur
TV host and Restauranteur
 

Levers to Progress

Driving real performance and lasting impact is central to our sustainability mandate, whether our teams are investing, financing, advising, or collaborating. Four key levers –technology, partnerships, data, and innovation– serve as organizing themes to our most recent activity to advance sustainable economic growth and financial opportunity.

Technology

New technologies are inherently disruptive. By harnessing the power of change, we can create massive opportunity. 

Partnerships

Collaboration and diversity is at the core of Goldman Sachs, and partnership drives our efforts to build a more sustainable world.

Data

Measuring for gaps is the first step in building progress, and data informs our approach every step of the way. 

Innovation

The challenges we face are rooted in history, but the solutions we need will come from innovation.

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