First Abu Dhabi Bank, Etihad and Visa to launch sustainability-linked credit card

Etihad Airways’ loyalty programme Etihad Guest, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) and Visa are launching a sustainability-focused credit card. The FAB Etihad Guest Sustainable Visa Credit Card will introduce a series of benefits to educate and reward members for making sustainable choices.

Ecolytiq, which provides digital infrastructure for green finance, will provide the sustainability-as-a-service technology to track the sustainable spending. This will support the change of behaviour and issuance of rewards for members making sustainable spending choices.

Terry Daly, executive director Guest Experience, Brand and Marketing, Etihad Airways, said the card will allow members “to understand where they can act more sustainably and provide incentives every time they make the sustainable choice in their everyday living and purchasing.”

Futoon Almazrouei, group head of Consumer Banking, First Abu Dhabi Bank, said: “Our partnership with Etihad on the FAB Etihad Guest Visa Sustainable Card is a natural progression of our journey to date and takes our commitment a step further by encouraging our customers to make more sustainable choices in their everyday life. Last year, we became the first bank in the region to commit to net-zero greenhouse gases by 2050, in support of the UAE’s commitment to drive progress.”

Andrew Torre, regional president at Visa (Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa) and that it was “the first partnership globally leveraging Visa Eco Benefits for a sustainability-focused co-branded credit card programme”. Launched in 2021, Eco Benefits is package of sustainability-focused benefits for account issuers designed to enable and encourage their cardholders to engage in sustainable consumption behaviours.

The launch of the sustainably-focused credit card is part of Etihad’s target to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and halve 2019 emissions by 2035. The airline’s Conscious Choices initiative, which was launched last year, gives Etihad Guest members tier miles and rewards for carrying less baggage on board (heavier planes burn more fuel), and offsetting their flights’ carbon emissions using Etihad Guest Miles.

In January, the airline expanded the scope of the ‘green’ initiative by launching the Corporate Conscious Choices programme.

Read more: Abu Dhabi’s Etihad launches green loyalty programme for corporates