Your money makes the difference

We don't offer sustainable banking just because we source green electricity, separate our waste, or promote climate-friendly mobility as a company – for example, by providing bikes for our employees. We do it because we're working towards a future where money does good. After all, money is always just a means to an end. And that's exactly where the principle of sustainable banking comes in. If enough money is invested sustainably, conventional banks are left with less capital to put into harmful industries. You can read more about what actually makes a bank sustainable in our magazine article: Why it matters that banks are sustainable.

We make sure our customers' deposits flow into sustainable projects. What exactly are customer deposits? We mean the total amount of money the Tomorrow community holds in their accounts. We call it the "Tomorrow Capital." On top of that comes the money invested in our investment products.

Our commitment: not a single cent of the Tomorrow Capital should flow into harmful industries like weapons, factory farming, or coal power – as is often the case with conventional banks. This "divestment" already achieves a lot, but it's only the beginning. While Tomorrow only has access to part of the customer deposits to finance sustainable projects, the entire volume of our investment products flows into carefully selected, sustainable companies.

A future-proof economy needs financing. That's true for the homeowner who wants to renovate their apartment to be energy-efficient. For the entrepreneur who wants to create new training positions. Or the wind farm that wants to install new turbines. Deciding which projects are sustainable enough for us to direct future funding to isn't a matter of gut feeling. It follows a clear process that makes our banking genuinely sustainable.

Step 1: First, we check whether the project or investment appears on our negative list. We rule out certain industries and business areas from the outset because they are fundamentally harmful to people and our planet – for example, weapons, factory farming, and fossil fuels. Under the "fairness" category, our list also includes practices that are incompatible with sustainable corporate governance, such as tax avoidance, corruption, or human rights violations.

Step 2: Next, we look at whether the project contributes to the United Nations' "Sustainable Development Goals." We've grouped these 17 goals into five main areas: securing basic needs, empowering disadvantaged groups, climate protection, protecting natural resources, and fairness. Only companies that contribute to at least one of these five areas are potentially eligible for financing.

Step 3: The final assessment is carried out by our Impact Council, made up of Marilyn Waite, Kristina Jeromin, Rana Zincir Celal, and Markus Beckmann. They conduct an additional review of selected companies to make sure they meet the defined criteria for inclusion in the fund.

Step 4: Only now are the projects checked for financial viability. For customer deposits, this happens in consultation with the risk management team of our partner Solaris SE. For our investment products, we work together with our partner Evergreen.