 |
| Green transactions are becoming the new trend at bank teller counters. |
Encourage and reward commitments to "living green".
The trend of adhering to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards in the banking system has shifted from internal governance requirements to specific applications in business operations. During the 2024-2025 period, many credit institutions have integrated ESG into their development strategies, built sustainability reports, and are gradually incorporating "green" elements into their products and services.
According to statistics, by the beginning of the second quarter of 2026, Agribank had implemented the "Green Transaction Point" model at 100% of its Type I and II branches and transaction offices throughout the system. According to published information, the model is directly linked to daily business operations, with specific requirements such as reducing consumable materials, limiting document printing, reducing plastic waste, and enhancing customer guidance on using digital banking services and cashless payments.
According to Agribank branches in Ho Chi Minh City, the rate of customers switching to electronic transactions at the counter has increased significantly since the beginning of the year, especially among individual customers. The provision of support areas right at the transaction points helps customers conduct digital transactions from the first time, thereby significantly reducing the need for paper documents.
Similarly, the “OCB Pin Hunter – Building Green Transaction Points” program continues to expand and is experiencing strong growth. Data up to the beginning of March 2026 shows that in phase 2, the program attracted over 3,000 participants and collected over 2 tons of used batteries at more than 200 transaction points. Previously, nearly 10,000 customers participated in phase 1, collecting approximately 5 tons of used batteries.
According to OCB, the program's goal is not only to collect and process hazardous waste but also to foster the habit of proper battery disposal within the community. Linking battery exchange activities with gifts makes environmental behavior more concrete and accessible to individual customers. Beyond mere incentive activities, some banks have begun to directly incorporate environmental factors into their product structures, linking them to priority customer benefits and incentives.
For example, Sacombank is implementing a green finance package with many integrated products. Among them, the "Green Deposit" product allows customers to receive an additional bonus equivalent to 5% of the actual interest earned. At the same time, the bank issues the Visa Platinum O₂ card, which integrates a function providing estimated CO₂ emissions information for each spending transaction, thereby applying a higher cashback mechanism for transactions deemed environmentally friendly. In the consumer credit sector, the trend of linking incentives with green behavior is also becoming more evident.
Shinhan Bank Vietnam announced a loan package for electric vehicles with preferential interest rates starting from approximately 5% per year in the initial phase. Meanwhile, VIB is implementing 0% installment programs for electric motorbikes and electric bicycles, and offering payment incentives for green mobility services.
According to bank representatives, demand for loans for electric vehicles is increasing rapidly in the first quarter of 2026, especially in major cities, reflecting a new consumer trend emerging among young customers.
Retain customers through sustainable experiences.
According to many experts in the field of green finance and credit, promoting ESG in banks has become an urgent requirement to enhance the resilience of the financial system and fulfill commitments to zero net emissions. This means that, in the long term, credit institutions will not only focus on greening their credit portfolios but will also continue to integrate ESG into their entire operational chain, from operations to product design and customer interactions.
From a business perspective, according to experts from PwC and Deloitte, ESG (Electronic Sales Growth) is becoming a direct competitive factor in the retail banking sector. Many international banks have shifted from simply providing products to designing experiences, where customer consumption behavior is guided through incentive mechanisms. Therefore, the trend of in-depth personalization is driving financial institutions to design transactions tailored to each customer, not only providing services but also shaping consumer behavior.
Experts also believe that many Vietnamese banks are now cooperating with international financial institutions such as IFC, ADB, and JICA in green financing programs. This makes ESG a "standard entry point" in international financial cooperation. Therefore, greening customer behavior not only serves retail banking but also contributes to improving access to international capital, reducing capital costs, and supporting growth strategies.
From a business perspective, according to an analysis by representatives of several commercial banks in Ho Chi Minh City, green behavior incentive programs are still mainly in the experimental stage or implemented individually for each product.
However, in the long term, designing customer behavior will become a cornerstone of retail competitive strategy. Each customer transaction can become a "data point" for banks to analyze, thereby designing incentives and increasing customer lifetime value. This also means that retail teams will have to shift from "processing transactions" to "advising and training customer behavior" to sustainably retain customers in the context of increasingly widespread greening, digitalization, and ESG compliance. At that point, "green behavior pricing" will not only be an ESG trend, but also a way for banks to redesign customer relationships and shape their competitive advantage in the new era.
Source: https://thoibaonganhang.vn/lan-toa-gia-tri-song-xanh-180711.html
Comment (0)