NatWest Group has formed a new three-year partnership with the University of Edinburgh to facilitate climate education for 16,000 employees across the bank by the end of 2024.

The £1.5 million partnership will support relationship managers and other client facing colleagues, as well as the delivery of its Climate Change Transformation training programme for those in “priority roles” who require a broader level of knowledge.

The bank said that experts from The University of Edinburgh Centre for Business, Climate Change and Sustainability will work alongside Royal Bank of Scotland and its parent brand NatWest’s business banking specialists to deliver three month online education programmes to relationship managers and colleagues in priority roles to help business customers identify the opportunities a net zero economy can create, while helping them become more sustainable operations in the process.

The university will work with NatWest Group to develop the training, tools and content to support colleague education and awareness. In 2022, the bank will also roll out sector specific climate training programmes across commercial real estate, retail and leisure and manufacturing.

“Climate education across the bank is central to us reaching our climate ambitions and the UK’s move to a net zero economy,” said James Close, head of climate change, NatWest Group. “We continue to inspire climate action and innovation through learning and this partnership with the University of Edinburgh will enable us to accelerate this.

“In the next three years we will continue to improve the climate capability of the bank through co-delivery of a robust and specifically tailored programme of education.

“This specialist training will provide the confidence for colleagues to step into climate conversations both within the bank and with customers. Increased knowledge will empower bank colleagues to help businesses across sectors roll out effective and credible transition plans as the UK heads towards a low carbon economy.”

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