New European Style: Have you caught a glimpse of the latest design?
In a significant step towards sustainability, Santander has announced its plan to transition debit and credit cards to sustainable materials across Spain, Portugal, Poland, and the United Kingdom. The bank, known for its commitment to global sustainability initiatives, is making this move as part of its operations in its ten core markets.
By 2025, the bank aims to have transformed over 1.2 million expired or damaged bank cards into sustainable ones. This ongoing progress indicates a continuous and incremental transition rather than a completed one.
The new cards, already passed usability tests in four One Europe countries, will come in various colours. All In One credit, All In One Basic, and Smart Credit cards will sport a black colour, while One Aplaza cards will remain light blue. Debit One and Debit Smart cards will retain their iconic Santander red colour, and prepaid cards will feature a pastel blue hue.
The switch to sustainable cards is expected to reduce plastic use by 60 tons per year. Furthermore, the new cards are manufactured with recycled material and meet socially responsible standards.
For customers in Spain, the new cards will be issued for new releases, reissues, deterioration, theft, or loss. The new cards also come with a special identification to aid accessibility for blind customers.
The launch of the new cards marks the first tangible result in implementing a common model in the region and is an important step forward in the construction of One Europe. Santander Spain is advancing this initiative by incorporating a new One Card design.
The bank's commitment to sustainability aligns with the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change, as it strives to achieve zero net carbon emissions by 2050. The switch to ecological cards in Europe will avoid the emission of over 1,000 tons of CO2 per year, equivalent to the energy consumption of nearly a thousand households.
Customers can continue to use their cards for mobile payments, ATM withdrawals, and all purchases without incurring any issue or maintenance commission. The bank assures that this transition to sustainable cards will not affect the functionality or convenience of its services.
The bank's transition to sustainable bank cards, aligned with its commitments in environmental-science, reflects its ongoing finance-driven initiatives to reduce plastic use and carbon emissions as part of the global fight against climate-change. With the launch of these cards in Spain, the bank demonstrates progress towards its target of zero net carbon emissions by 2050, as outlined in the Paris Agreement on climate-change.
