Finance and Borrowing

HSBC Sustainable Farming Pathway

Where a farming business achieves and maintains the required standard of one of the participating schemes within the Sustainable Farming Pathway, they are eligible for discounted loan arrangement fees on applicable products.

Support for farm businesses

Like many markets globally, agriculture in the UK is facing sustainability challenges. The sector needs to meet consumer demand for nutritional food, while supporting human health and protecting the environment.

The HSBC Sustainable Farming Pathway aim is to support farmers transition to more sustainable farming practices and contribute to a more resilient food supply chain, by offering access to discounted loan arrangement fees.

Today we finance a number of industries that significantly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, we have a strategy to help our customers to reduce their emissions and to reduce our own. For more information on this, please visit hsbc.com/climate.

What is the HSBC Sustainable Farming Pathway?

The HSBC Sustainable Farming Pathway enables eligible farm businesses to access discounted loan arrangement fees on applicable products for amounts between £25,001 and £25m and the funds can be used for any corporate purpose.

To be eligible you must hold one of the following:

LEAF – a copy of your LSFR Record of Completion or your LEAF Marque.
Soil Association – Annual Report.
Cefetra Ecosystem Service – Farm GHG Harvest Balance Report.
First Milk - Copy of Annual Pledge and Regenerative Farming.
For Soil Capital - Farm GHG Harvest Balance Report.

Lending is subject to credit status.

Access discounted loan arrangement fees

Eligible farm businesses can access discounted loan arrangement fees on applicable products on amounts between £25,001 and £25m. Lending is subject to credit status.

Applicable products

Flexible Business Loan
Commercial Mortgage
Property Development Loan

Funds can be used for any corporate purpose. To be eligible, you will need to share with us your LSFR Record of Completion or your LEAF Marque certification status. The scheme does not require evidence of use of proceeds.

To find out more about the HSBC Sustainable Farming Pathway, please contact our Agriculture team

Your questions answered

How to be eligible for the HSBC Sustainable Farming Pathway

Farming businesses who’ve attained LEAF Marque certification are eligible for discounted loan arrangement fees under the HSBC Sustainable Farming Pathway.

If you’re still preparing for LEAF Marque certification, you can access the discounted loan arrangement fees upon completion of the LEAF Sustainable Standard Farming Review (LSFR). You’ll need to complete the LEAF Marque audit within 12 months of completing your LSFR to maintain discounted loan arrangement fees on applicable products.

Other agriculture sustainability schemes may be eligible. Please speak with one of our Agriculture Relationship Managers for participating schemes.

What is LEAF?

What is LEAF Marque?

Important information

To participate in the HSBC Sustainable Farming Pathway, you'll need to share a copy of your LSFR Record of Completion or your LEAF Marque or other certification from a participating scheme with us. As part of the application process, we’ll validate these details to confirm you meet the qualifying criteria. To find out how we use and manage your data, please review our Privacy Notice.

Disclaimer

By supplying these materials to you, HSBC UK is not providing confirmation that your business is eligible for such third party’s services nor should it be considered as a recommendation or endorsement to use those services. The information provided is general in nature and is not advice to take particular action.

HSBC UK does not warrant or represent that any information provided by the third party will achieve any sustainability goals you may have or establish or that such information will be suitable for your business.

It is your responsibility to make an independent assessment of the third party’s service and you should seek independent advice as required. HSBC UK does not receive a commission or any other payment from the third party in respect of any products or services they provide to you.

HSBC UK does not accept any liability for any direct or indirect losses incurred by your business because of using any service or product provided by such a third party.

HSBC UK Bank plc. Registered in England and Wales (company number: 9928412). Registered Office: 1 Centenary Square, Birmingham, B1 1HQ. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (Financial Services Register number: 765112).

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