KBC Group NV – Lobbying Governance & Transparency

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Lobbying Governance

Overall Assessment	Analysis	Score
Moderate	KBC discloses a structured process to keep its climate-related advocacy in line with its group strategy and identifies clear oversight bodies, but it does not publish a specific lobbying-alignment review or describe how it checks the positions of trade associations. The company states that “Consistency of KBC’s climate engagement initiatives is ensured by our group-wide Sustainability Strategy that is embedded in the KBC Group Corporate strategy and deployed group-wide via our Sustainability Governance,” and explains that “The Internal Sustainability Board (ISB), chaired by the Group CEO, is the main platform for driving sustainability at group level, including our climate approach,” while “the Group Corporate Sustainability division monitors implementation and informs the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors on progress twice per year via the KBC Sustainability Dashboard.” Oversight responsibility is therefore anchored at senior levels: “In each core country we appointed a local Sustainability Coordinator… This ensures a swift and group-wide implementation and progress on the centrally decided sustainability and climate matters,” and the ISB’s decisions are “ratified by the Executive Committee,” giving a named committee and individuals ultimate authority over engagement activities. These disclosures show a policy and internal mechanism for ensuring that climate-related engagement is consistent with corporate strategy and identify accountable bodies, indicating moderate governance. However, we found no evidence of a public climate-lobbying alignment report, no description of systematic reviews of direct lobbying positions, and no mention of assessing or correcting misaligned trade-association advocacy; therefore the level of transparency and monitoring remains limited compared with stronger governance practices. View Sources	C

Overall Assessment

Analysis

Score

Moderate

KBC discloses a structured process to keep its climate-related advocacy in line with its group strategy and identifies clear oversight bodies, but it does not publish a specific lobbying-alignment review or describe how it checks the positions of trade associations. The company states that “Consistency of KBC’s climate engagement initiatives is ensured by our group-wide Sustainability Strategy that is embedded in the KBC Group Corporate strategy and deployed group-wide via our Sustainability Governance,” and explains that “The Internal Sustainability Board (ISB), chaired by the Group CEO, is the main platform for driving sustainability at group level, including our climate approach,” while “the Group Corporate Sustainability division monitors implementation and informs the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors on progress twice per year via the KBC Sustainability Dashboard.” Oversight responsibility is therefore anchored at senior levels: “In each core country we appointed a local Sustainability Coordinator… This ensures a swift and group-wide implementation and progress on the centrally decided sustainability and climate matters,” and the ISB’s decisions are “ratified by the Executive Committee,” giving a named committee and individuals ultimate authority over engagement activities. These disclosures show a policy and internal mechanism for ensuring that climate-related engagement is consistent with corporate strategy and identify accountable bodies, indicating moderate governance. However, we found no evidence of a public climate-lobbying alignment report, no description of systematic reviews of direct lobbying positions, and no mention of assessing or correcting misaligned trade-association advocacy; therefore the level of transparency and monitoring remains limited compared with stronger governance practices.

View Sources

Lobbying Transparency

Overall Assessment	Analysis	Score
Comprehensive	KBC Group NV provides a comprehensive account of its climate-policy lobbying, clearly identifying the specific policies it has engaged with, the mechanisms it used, and the outcomes it sought. It names multiple distinct Flemish climate policies—such as the legislation imposing “mandatory minimum energy performance levels” for new and existing homes, the renovation obligation tied to home purchases, and the Flemish interest-free renovation loan (the “0% renovation loan, subsidized by the Flemish government”)—demonstrating transparency around Policy Lobbied. On lobbying mechanisms, the company explains that it “continued to consult, directly and indirectly via the sector organisation, closely with the Flemish and other regional authorities,” and it reports active discussions with the Flemish government, municipalities, and industry groups like Febelfin, as well as participation in local initiatives. Finally, KBC Group clearly articulates the specific policy outcomes it seeks, including improved energy performance requirements for homes, an interest-free renovation loan for homeowners, and tailored credit solutions for building co-owners to fund joint renovations and sustainable energy installations. This level of detail across policies, mechanisms, and desired legislative outcomes indicates a high level of transparency in its climate lobbying.	A