This article argues that banks should adopt animal welfare policies in the light of the growing acceptance of the need for ‘responsible banking’, which incorporates environmental, social, and governance analysis into credit risk and due diligence processes. The responsibility of banks for animal welfare is underscored by the drive towards greater investment in animal agribusiness, and the vicious cycle through which animal agribusiness can both contribute to, and be impacted by, climate disruption. The article evaluates, through a desktop review, how leading Australian retail banks and agribusiness lenders are addressing animal welfare and climate disruption in animal agribusiness lending. We find that although most banks have made a commitment to animal welfare and climate policies, these often amount to little more than greenwashing. We call for an ecosystem of industry, regulatory, and civil society action to address this danger.

本文认为，鉴于人们越来越接受“负责任的银行业务”的必要性，银行应采取动物福利政策，将环境、社会和治理分析纳入信用风险和尽职调查流程。银行对动物福利的责任体现在加大对畜牧业企业的投资力度，以及畜牧业企业既可能助长气候破坏又可能受到其影响的恶性循环。本文通过桌面审查评估了澳大利亚领先的零售银行和农业综合企业贷款机构如何在动物农业综合企业贷款中解决动物福利和气候破坏问题。我们发现，尽管大多数银行都对动物福利和气候政策做出了承诺，但这些承诺往往无异于漂绿。