Background

Tartan is recognised globally as a symbol of Scottish culture and traditions. Every tartan tells a story, and the Green Finance Tartan tells the story of sustainable finance in Scotland. This is a story that begins a new chapter this year, when Glasgow hosts the United Nations Climate Change Conference - COP26.

A Scottish History of the Tartan describes a kilt of multiple uses; and similarly, the Green Finance Tartan encompasses multiple ‘strands’:

The green and gold represent nature and finance, woven together in the Green Finance Tartan just as they are in practice. Finance can both impact nature – for good or bad – and be impacted by nature; both are inextricably linked. As set out in Article 2.1c of the Paris Agreement, finance must play a leading role in the transition to a sustainable, low-carbon world.

The blue and white symbolises the need to protect our oceans and our atmosphere, and also represents Scotland – host of COP 26, and the home of the Chartered Banker Institute. The Institute, and our mission to enhance and sustain socially purposeful, responsible banking that recognises our stewardship of the environment and creates shared prosperity for all, is identified in the sett of the tartan, which contains elements of the Institute’s own corporate tartan

In the sett too we reference the family tartan of the late Sir Roger Gifford, an Honorary Fellow of the Institute, and a leading advocate for green finance globally. Sir Roger, who was well known to many members of the Institute, very sadly passed away in May 2021.

A tartan was also traditionally designed to help identify others who shared a common bond. The Green Finance Tartan will help bring together those who wish to celebrate COP26 in Scotland and banking and finance professionals globally who share our vision, rooted in our Scottish heritage, of a finance sector that works to conserve our natural resources and create shared prosperity for current and future generations.

Recognising our responsibility to future generations, proceeds from sales of the Green Finance Tartan accessories will be donated to the Chartered Banker Institute’s 2025 Foundation, which supports talented young people from disadvantaged backgrounds who would like to pursue careers in finance. The Foundation, which was set up in anticipation of the Chartered Banker Institute’s 150th anniversary in 2025, is aligned with the original aims of the Institute, namely the promotion of education and development of young bankers entering the profession.

The Institute

The Chartered Banker Institute is the oldest institute of bankers in the world, founded in Scotland in 1875. We are a global professional education body for bankers, with over 30,000 members in over 100 countries and nearly 1,000 financial institutions worldwide.

The Institute continues to lead the development of green and sustainable finance education and training for bankers across the world. In 2018, we launched the Green Finance Certificate, the world’s first benchmark qualification for green finance, now available through a network of partners in 35 countries. The Institute was also one of the first UK organisations to endorse the UN Principles for Responsible Banking, Through developing individuals’ skills, whether that be through qualifications, the Centre for Responsible Banking, the Green Finance Education Charter, and so on, the Institute aims to build a responsible, professional and sustainable banking profession, which is accessible to all.

We have always believed that the banking profession has a key societal role to play beyond a narrow, short-term focus on shareholder returns. This includes traditional aspects such as responsible lending to support individuals, families and businesses, and promoting financial education and inclusion and more recently environmental sustainability and the role of banking and finance in leading the net zero transition.

Together, the Chartered Banker Institute and our members are proud of the professionalism we bring to banking around the world, and of the contribution we are making individually and collectively to a sustainable banking profession and a more sustainable world.

2025 Foundation

The 2025 Foundation will raise £1m to identify and support talented young people who would benefit from financial and other support to start to pursue a career in banking. The Foundation has been set up in anticipation of the Chartered Banker Institute’s 150th anniversary in 2025 and is aligned with the original aims of the Chartered Banker Institute - the promotion of education and development of young bankers entering the profession. More than 1/3rd of our fundraising target has been achieved to date.

The Foundation focuses on proactively attracting individuals who are historically under-represented in the banking profession, including individuals from minority groups and specific socioeconomic backgrounds who display the likely academic talent and drive to gain a professional banking qualification. It will open up the opportunity to pursue a career in banking to those who would not otherwise have this opportunity or who would not otherwise consider such a career. Put simply, the Foundation’s aim is to change lives. The Institute will donate all proceeds from tartan sales to the 2025 Foundation.

Sustainability

The Green Finance Tartan is woven in Scotland by Kinloch Anderson, tailors and kiltmakers to Her Majesty the Queen. Like the Chartered Banker Institute, Kinloch Anderson are committed to sustainability and commit to making conscious decisions that contribute to a more sustainable future, with the mindset of green innovation and sustainable product development.

The Green Finance Tartan is made from wool, which has several sustainable attributes: it is rapidly renewable, biodegradable, recyclable, and can be produced organically. The Institute has also made aconscious decision to limit packaging wherever possible to reduce the environmental footprint of the tartan.

As a UK charity, we have created this Tartan to promote green and sustainable finance and raise funds for the 2025 Foundation, and we regret we can only fulfil individual orders to UK addresses. Please contact us to discuss options for larger, overseas orders.