Wells Fargo named 'greenest' bank

Wells Fargo & Company announced that it ranks number one among banks and insurance companies – and thirteenth overall – in Newsweek magazine’s inaugural Green Rankings of the country’s 500-largest companies.

“A healthy environment is an integral part of positive community development and long-term business success,” said Mary Wenzel, head of Environmental Affairs. "We’ve been working hard to integrate environmental stewardship into everything we do and are proud to be recognized for our efforts."

Wells Fargo has provided more than $5 billion in financing to environmentally beneficial businesses. That includes more than $1.6 billion to support wind and solar energy projects nationwide and more than $3 billion to support the development of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) certified "green" buildings. In addition to financing, Wells Fargo is one of the first companies to earn precertification from U.S. Green Building Council for LEED.

Wells Fargo and its team members are working to make a difference in the communities where we live and work. Wells Fargo Green Teams are organized to help drive sustainability within the company. Volunteering through nonprofit housing organizations that construct and rehab low-to moderate-income housing, team members have worked on nearly 150 homes that meet local or national environmental building standards. In addition, the company is contributing $750,000 to support nonprofit organizations that focus on renewable energy, greener buildings or sustainable agriculture.

The ranking looked at companies’ environmental impacts, environmental policies and strategies, and environmental reputation.