APS Bank plc has launched a Responsible Lending Policy (RLP), the first of its kind in Malta. The purpose of this policy, which brings together practices already adopted by the Bank for some years, is to provide clear and transparent assessment criteria for evaluating lending proposals from an environmental, social and governance (ESG) perspective. The Bank’s ESG and Executive Committees have approved the implementation and distribution of the RLP, which has been articulated in line with European Banking Authority (EBA) Guidelines on Loan Origination and Monitoring, outlining responsible lending standards across Europe.
Giovanni Bartolotta, Chief Risk Officer at APS Bank commented, “We are very proud to be at the forefront in terms of using ESG criteria when providing loans to our customers. As a Bank, sustainability is at the core of our business plan and through this framework, we are now able to filter requests and effectively grade them to determine the level of compliance with the principles set out in the policy.”
