58% of banks still have no animal welfare policies, report finds.
May 6, 2025 – The financial sector must do more to prevent the systemic funding of industries responsible for animal suffering, environmental destruction, and public health threats. That’s the core message of the 2025 edition of the Banks for Animals assessment, launched today by international NGO Sinergia Animal.
The report analyses and scores 100 major financial institutions worldwide, including banks in countries across Latin America, Asia, and Europe, based on their public policies to mitigate animal welfare risks. It reviews how institutions finance industries such as factory farming, cosmetics that use animal testing, fur, and entertainment.
Despite the critical importance of these issues, the results are sobering.
A Global Snapshot: Most Banks Are Still Failing
The assessment shows that:
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58% of the analysed banks received a score of zero, meaning they have no public policies to prevent the financing of practices harmful to animals. The average score remains extremely low, at just 3%.
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Only two banks, Triodos Bank and Volksbank, achieved leading scores, each earning 92%.
“We understand that transforming the financial system to be more committed to animal welfare is a complex, yet necessary, process,” said Camila Perussi, Financial Institutions Campaigns Lead at Sinergia Animal. “That is why we invite banks to move forward with responsibility and a forward-thinking approach.”
Progress in Isolated Cases, but Widespread Inaction Remains
While the vast majority of banks lag behind, some made modest but meaningful improvements:
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Standard Chartered increased its score by enhancing its policies on slaughter practices, the use of antimicrobials, and animal testing.
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Bank Mandiri, BMO, and Citigroup were credited for beginning to finance more animal-friendly food systems.
Conversely, some high-profile institutions—including BBVA, Bancolombia, Crédit Agricole, Deutsche Bank, ING Group, Rabobank, Société Générale, and Goldman Sachs—saw their scores decrease due to weakened policy language or lack of improvement in previously weak frameworks. In some cases, revised scoring methods penalised stagnant or outdated approaches.
Public Action and Peaceful Demonstrations
To draw attention to the report’s findings and foster dialogue, Sinergia Animal coordinated peaceful demonstrations in front of major banks in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Indonesia, and Thailand. Activists held banners reading: “Banks of [Country], please act for the animals,” accompanied by symbolic representations of animals in confinement. These actions aimed to highlight the real-world consequences of policy inaction and urge institutions to become part of the solution.
“At Sinergia Animal, we promote positive change through collaboration,” said Perussi. “Our message to the financial sector is clear: we need transparent, effective policies to stop financing systems that cause animal suffering and environmental destruction.”
Why It Matters: The Link Between Animals, People, and the Planet
The World Health Organization’s One Health approach and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) both emphasize that animal welfare is fundamentally connected to human and environmental health. Harmful practices in industrial farming and other sectors increase the risk of zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, biodiversity loss, and climate change.
“As an organisation, we believe the financial sector plays a strategic role in addressing global challenges. Adopting stronger animal welfare policies helps reduce the suffering of millions of animals while also tackling public health threats and ecological collapse,” added Perussi.
About Sinergia Animal
Sinergia Animal is an international animal protection organization working in Global South countries to reduce farm animal suffering and promote more compassionate diets. We have been recognized as one of the most effective animal protection NGOs in the world by Animal Charity Evaluators (ACE).