The bank has been offering green loans since 2002
Two decades after Bendigo and Adelaide Bank issued its first green loan, the bank has reported a 600%-plus surge in green home lending within a year, as an increasing number of Australians seek to reduce their carbon footprint.
Bendigo Bank’s Green Personal Loans help fund spending on sustainable goods such as new and used electric vehicles (EVs), solar panels, solar hot water, grey water treatment systems, double glazing, energy-efficient white goods, solar batteries, and electric vehicle charging stations.
“We were the first Australian bank to offer and reward Australians who purchased goods that were energy efficient or used renewable energy sources with a lower interest rate when launching the loans in 2002,” said Richard Fennell (pictured above), chief customer officer consumer banking at Bendigo and Adelaide Bank. “It’s amazing to see just how far we’ve come since then, with more customers wanting to reduce their carbon footprint than ever before. We simply can’t have prosperous communities unless we consider the impact of decisions made today on future generations.”
Gareth Dixon, a Bendigo Bank customer who recently had his green loan approved for a new Kia EV6 and a home charger, said the process was incredibly straightforward.
“I’ve been wanting to make the switch to an EV for quite some time, and the simplicity of Bendigo Bank’s Green Loan made me finally press the go button,” Dixon said. “I’ve had my charging station installed at my home and my Kia EV6 has arrived. My wife and I were very excited to get behind the wheel, particularly knowing by doing so, we’re doing everything we can for our environment.”
Stacey and Gareth Stewart, from South Australia, also had their application for a new family electric vehicle approved, saying the reason they had their loan written by Bendigo was because the interest rate was competitive, and the features tailored to their needs.
“Electric vehicles like the one we’ve purchased are the way of the future and we feel it’s our way of contributing to the environment in a positive way, as well as being a cost saving for us in the long run due to low maintenance costs,” Stacey said. “Our experience with Bendigo Bank was very positive. The process was quite quick, and the communication was great.”
Term and conditions, fees and charges, and lending criteria apply. For more information about the green loan, visit Bendigo and Adelaide Bank’s Green Personal Loans page.
Have a thought about this story? Include it in the comments below.
