WeBank officially signed the United Nations (UN) Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB) as the first digital bank in China to join 300 banks around the world under the PRB. WeBank has also become a member of the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI). This marks an important milestone for WeBank to actively implement its ESG strategy and support the country’s high-quality economic and social development through its financial strength.
The PRB is a unique framework for ensuring its member banks’ strategies and business practices align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement.
As the first digital bank in China, WeBank has been exploring technological innovations to support China’s key national strategies, including inclusive finance, green finance, and rural revitalization, and leveraging featured financial services to fulfill corporate social responsibilities.
Following the signing of the Principles, WeBank will integrate the concept of the UN SDGs to drive the growth of green finance and support the high-quality economic development of China.
Provide better banking for MSMEs
With the mission of “Better Banking for All”, WeBank has served over 340 million individuals by leveraging its fintech capabilities for the past nearly 8 years.
To alleviate the difficulties in accessing affordable financing for micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), WeBank has launched an MSMEs-oriented service called “Weiyedai”. It utilizes three digitization methods of big data risk management, target marketing, and refined operations to improve the user experience, service efficiency, and credit scale of the financing business.
This unique “Weiyedai” service is well received amongst MSMEs customers. As of the end of June 2022, “Weiyedai” is available in 29 provinces and municipalities across the country. It has served nearly 2.8 million MSMEs and granted credit to over one million clients with a total of over RMB 13 trillion in loans issued.
Support green finance for sustainable development
To better support sustainable development, WeBank provides a dedicated service solution of green finance for environmentally friendly enterprises. For example, it helps reduce the cost of financing for green enterprises through targeted interest rate incentives.
In 2022, WeBank furthered its industry research in green credit and optimized its client structure. By analyzing segments of the green industry and providing multiple digital solutions, WeBank collaborates with leading companies in the green industry to provide preferential loan support to distributors across their industry chain.
In the case of auto finance, WeBank provides a multi-dimensional smart assistant toolkit for automobile enterprises, including AI online marketing, to serve wholesale financing needs of different new energy vehicle (NEV) brands. For retail clients, WeBank offers them NEV loans to help promote green transportation.
Leverage fintech for dual-carbon strategy
As a digital bank, WeBank has established a distributed core banking system, which supports its year-round accessible digital finance services. It also reflects WeBank’s response to China’s dual-carbon goals and implementation of the UN SDGs.
Based on this distributed core banking system, the operation of key business units at WeBank is fully digital, which further reduces carbon emission. With its propriety fintech development capabilities, WeBank has decreased power consumption by 25%, effectively reducing energy consumption.
Implement social responsibilities for shared value
WeBank actively fulfills its social responsibilities to create shared value for society while ensuring the steady progress of the business.
Dedicated to providing accessible financial services for everyone, WeBank also develops customized service for people with special needs. Back in 2016, WeBank set up an exclusive service channel for hearing impaired customers, thus becoming the first bank in the country that provides sign language customer services through video. WeBank has optimized information accessibility on its digital products including WeBank App to support visually impaired customers. Meanwhile, WeBank App has also launched a version for elderly customers to serve their user preferences. In 2021, WeBank offered more than 2 million services for hearing or visually impaired, or elderly customers.
WeBank’s barrier-free financial services also extend to rural revitalization. Through the “Weilidai” rural revitalization finance project, WeBank works with banking partners specifically in key counties that are under the national assistance program to support their rural revitalization. By the end of June this year, 38 counties, including 5 key counties receiving assistance for rural revitalization, have adopted the “Weilidai” rural revitalization finance project, contributing over RMB 270 million in tax revenue.
