ASB Appoints Sam Friggens to Role of Climate Transition Lead
In a move further along its quest to accelerate sustainability goals, Auckland Savings Bank (ASB) appoints Sam Friggens as its new Climate Transition Lead. In his new role, Friggens will lead the bank in driving its climate transition strategy and support customers in adopting more
sustainable practices.
Friggsen brings significant clean tech, climate resilience, and sustainability background that will be necessary for ASB in integrating the environment into its operations and offerings. His appointment is part of the bank’s broader thrust to inculcate sustainable business practice within its own ranks as well as among its corporate, business, and rural customers.
Prior to his appointment at ASB, Friggens worked with Mott MacDonald, a global consultancy firm specializing in sustainability initiatives. A UK native, Friggens relocated to New Zealand in 2022 in pursuit of advancing his career in climate and clean technology sectors. During his tenure at Mott MacDonald, he accumulated wide-ranging experience in designations such as working on renewable energy projects and climate resilience; he was mainly concerned with introducing clean technologies to overcome environmental issues.
Friggen is a postgraduate in Environmental Change and Management from Oxford University. Additionally, he has researched academic papers for subjects such as achieving net-zero carbon and renewable energy utilization. His deep expertise and the global perspective will be invaluable to ASB as it strives to produce products and services that help customers transition to more sustainable practices.
As Climate Transition Lead, Friggens’ primary focus will be on helping ASB’s customers adopt and implement climate-friendly solutions. This will involve developing financial products, services, and resources tailored to businesses and individuals aiming to reduce their environmental impact. With New Zealand facing growing challenges related to climate change, Friggens’ role will be crucial in ensuring that ASB remains at the forefront of the country’s push toward sustainability.
In addition to the customer-facing work, Friggens will work closely with ASB’s broader sustainability team; his expertise in clean technology and climate resilience will also shape the bank’s internal strategies to reduce its carbon footprint to ensure the activities of the bank are consistent with the climate transition objectives. The bank has pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions, and Friggens’ appointment is an important step in getting to that target.
The rising need for sustainable investment in infrastructure and business models will also define ASB’s climate transition strategy. Friggens will work toward ensuring ASB’s customers are well-equipped to make the transition toward renewable energy sources while adopting more effective sustainable practices in all businesses.
Some of the biggest challenges Friggens will encounter in his new role include answering the growing demand for sustainable investment options. With climate change increasingly threatening businesses and communities, ASB will look to extend its range of sustainable financial products. This will incorporate investments in renewable energy, carbon offsetting initiatives, and more green technologies. Providing customers with more opportunities to invest in climate-friendly solutions helps the bank accelerate the broader shift towards a more sustainable economy.
Friggens is a strong appointment during a time when businesses across the globe will be faced with ever-increasing demands to reduce their impact on the environment and take meaningful action on climate change. The financial sector can have a significant role to play in this transition, given the ability of banks and financial institutions to influence business and consumer decision-making. Because ASB is a leader on climate action, it has set itself to be a player in New Zealand’s efforts towards achieving its climate goals.
As the Climate Transition Lead, Friggens will also work directly in collaboration with many different organizations and stakeholders that are involved in sustainability initiatives. Working through partnerships such as government agencies, environmental groups, and other corporations, this unifies efforts that allow for shared approaches to dealing with climate change and fosters collaboration in ways that help to share knowledge and resources toward innovative solutions that can start to drive systemic change throughout the economy.
Friggens’s appointment emphasizes that ASB goes on with its commitment to sustainability; the bank remains proactive in facing the challenges of climate change. His expertise on environmental management and climate resilience will be supportive in making ASB’s customers into a low-carbon economy.
Friggens articulated his enthusiasm for the position, saying he is eager to help deliver practical support for ASB’s customers to continue contributing to a more sustainable future. His leadership will be instrumental as the bank continues to work on improving its sustainability efforts and support customers in achieving their own climate-related goals.
Source: ASB Press Release, 2024.