Kuala Lumpur-headquartered CIMB Group Holdings is tripling its sustainable finance commitment to 300 billion ringgit ( US$65 billion ) by 2030.

The move positions CIMB among the region’s most ambitious financial institutions in climate-aligned finance, supporting key national and regional priorities such as the Asean Power Grid and Malaysia’s National Energy Transition Roadmap.

This latest pledge, part of CIMB’s Forward30 strategy, builds on a progressively rising commitment, from 30 billion ringgit at launch in 2021 to 100 billion ringgit for the 2021–2024 period.

Now, the bank aims to become a leading capital conduit for decarbonization, biodiversity protection, and inclusive development.

Novan Amirudin, chief executive officer and executive director of CIMB Group, says the scale-up reflects both urgency and opportunity: “Our ambitious sustainable finance target, which is three times higher than our previous target, is anchored on our purpose of advancing customers and society.”

“We understand the many challenges our clients face, from mandatory reporting requirements like IFRS S2, as well as navigating climate, nature and human rights risks, while responding to increasing customer demands on their supply chains. Our role is to help our clients navigate these complex challenges, enabling them to understand and manage sustainability risks to future-proof their businesses, while opening doors to new business opportunities,” he explains.

For corporates, this includes advisory and innovative financing structures, such as nature-based carbon finance and transition loans, to help mitigate exposure to rising carbon costs and sustainability risks. For small and medium-scale enterprises ( SMEs ), the bank’s GreenBizReady and SMEBizReady programmes approved close to 1 billion ringgit  in green-linked financing in 2024, supporting upgrades in digitalization, automation, and environmental performance.

Its consumer banking arm is also offering preferential financing for energy-efficient homes and vehicles, as well as incentives for sustainable spending. Efforts to promote financial literacy, particularly among vulnerable communities, round out the bank’s sustainability push.