by Robert Prendergast

Mashreq has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the UAE-based fintech firm Fils. This partnership will develop a corporate carbon offsetting offering that helps corporate and institutional clients to integrate carbon offsetting directly from their Mashreq corporate accounts.

Fils is an enterprise-grade digital platform that provides the underlying infrastructure for financial institutions, banks and other organisations across industries to launch standalone, sustainable-focused products such as carbon offsetting.

This approach to the future of fintech facilitates the transition to an environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG)-compliant corporate landscape, enabling companies of all sizes to effortlessly embed sustainable and climate action into their business models and customer journeys across industries. 

In a bid to eliminate the deceptive practice of misrepresenting environmental responsibility through greenwashing, Fils infrastructure uses blockchain technology to track all carbon credits used to avoid double counting and provide transparency.

Historic challenges

The agreement represents the first step in Mashreq’s development of specialised carbon-offsetting financial products, which will launch in collaboration with selected UAE-based Mashreq corporate clients. With the initial solution expected in the first half of 2024, the announcement represents a milestone for the region’s financial sector, underlining a significant shift towards incorporating environmental responsibility within the region’s financial practices. 

Joel Van Dusen, head of the Corporate and Investment Banking Group at Mashreq, said: “This initiative will have a broad impact on Mashreq’s corporate clients, offering a solution designed to contribute towards environmental sustainability. It also reinforces the UAE’s position as a pioneer in integrating sustainability into its economic and financial sectors, aligning with the nation’s role in hosting Cop28 and its ambition to lead global sustainability efforts. Furthermore, the pioneering initiative signifies Mashreq’s dedication to sustainable practices.”

Within the UAE, carbon credits are an increasingly important part of the decarbonisation strategy. The partnership between Mashreq and Fils will create a solution that solves several historic challenges, including the fact that trading markets are not typically accessible directly by corporates.

The account will also solve the problem of minimum purchase amounts that usually apply, whereas Fils will provide fractionalised credits. This removes the complexity and accessibility of dealing directly with the carbon credit markets and simplifies the purchasing, auditing and reporting through Mashreq.

The MoU with Fils is the newest addition to Mashreq’s series of sustainable finance initiatives, forming part of the bank’s wider global ESG platform, Climb2Change.

The international initiative integrates the bank’s wide-ranging ESG milestones with its contribution to shaping a sustainable future and the financial solutions required to combat climate change and achieve an inclusive net-zero future.