Mitigating Climate Risk
An application designed to effectively assess the impact of climate risks in order to achieve Net Zero.
Overview
As global efforts to address climate change accelerate under the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to below 2°C, with a target of 1.5°C, organizations are under growing pressure to align their operations with sustainability objectives. In response, Credit Suisse has pledged to reach Net Zero emissions by 2050. Achieving this goal demands more informed and responsible decision-making within its front office and credit risk analysis functions to ensure alignment with these environmental targets.
Discovery & Research Phase
As our team was new to this domain, we collaborated with business analysts and risk analysts to thoroughly understand and define the detailed requirements. Currently, there is no effective tool to assess and categorize clients based on their environmental impact, carbon footprint, and alignment with sustainability objectives. This lack of a structured, data-driven approach increases the risk of supporting clients whose activities may conflict with long-term climate targets, hindering the company’s ability to meet its environmental commitments. An efficient solution is required to evaluate client risk profiles and promote sustainable decision-making across business activities.
6
User Interviews
100+
Insights
Workflow Mapping
During this time, we utilized insights from our initial research to create a comprehensive map of the entire process. Since this process was new, managed manually, and lacked an existing tool, it was essential to outline the workflow clearly. This effort aims to improve the user experience and meet the unique needs of various stakeholders across different divisions. Establishing this foundation is crucial for driving future improvements to the tool and ensuring its long-term success.
Synthesis of Insights from User Interviews
We returned to the whiteboard to outline emerging themes from user interviews, with the goal of gaining deeper insights into user needs and the overall business context.
Major Challenges Identified
Lack of Tools for Front Office and Credit Risk: The absence of dedicated tools hampers efficient management of client information and risk assessments, leading to delays, increased operational risk, and inconsistent task handling.
Dependence on Excel: Manual execution of key tasks such as data entry and risk analysis in Excel increases the likelihood of errors, creates data inconsistencies, and limits scalability.
Limited Visibility into Client Activities: Poor visibility into client interactions makes it hard to track key risk indicators and engagement history, affecting the management of client relationships and informed decision-making.
Inadequate Support Resources: Users struggle to access timely assistance due to insufficient documentation and training. This lack of support leads to delays and frustration, reducing adoption of necessary processes and tools
Disclaimer
Due to a non-disclosure agreement, I'm unable to share project design screens publicly. Please feel free to reach out for more information.
Outcome
The CETF platform automates workflows to replace manual Excel processes, enhancing efficiency and reducing errors. It centralizes client activity tracking for improved visibility across teams and supports data-driven decision-making.
Designed for front office staff and sustainability risk officers during onboarding, it also helps credit risk analysts evaluate the environmental impact of lending. By analyzing clients' activities, carbon footprints, and climate readiness, CETF categorizes them by sustainability alignment and risk profile, enabling more sustainable financing decisions and supporting long-term climate and net-zero goals.
This project is under non-disclosure agreement. Please feel free to reach out for more information.