Banco Santander has pledged to transition all 30 million of its payment cards across Europe to recycled plastic within the next four years.
By 2025, the bank aims to ensure that every debit, credit, and prepaid card in Poland, Portugal, Spain, and the UK will be manufactured from sustainable materials, such as recycled PVC or a corn-based plastic alternative. This initiative is projected to cut down carbon dioxide emissions by over 1,000 tons annually—an amount comparable to the energy consumption of nearly 1,000 households. Additionally, it will result in a reduction of plastic usage by 60 tons each year upon completion of the rollout, which commenced nearly two years ago.
Santander Portugal introduced its first collection of PLA cards in 2019, with Santander Spain following suit last year. Alongside this initiative, the bank is enhancing the design of the new cards to include an eco logo, distinct designs for various customer segments for better identification, and a notch at the bottom to improve accessibility for visually impaired users.
António Simões, the regional head of Europe at Banco Santander, stated, “Minimizing unnecessary plastic use is a crucial component of our transition to a sustainable economy. By adopting eco cards, we are lessening our carbon footprint and reinforcing our commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions.”
Recently, Santander announced its goal of reaching net zero carbon emissions across the entire organization by 2050. This commitment encompasses not only the bank’s direct operations, which are already net zero, but also all client emissions resulting from its lending, advisory, and investment services.