Earth Month spotlight: sustainable finance, built to scale

This Earth Month, BMO is turning its Climate Ambition – to be our clients’ lead partner in their pursuit of energy and climate resilience – into action. Learn how the Enterprise Sustainable Finance Solutions team is helping support and scale solutions for clients from the head of the team, James Burrow.  

Why this team – and why now? 

As the BMO Climate Institute’s 2026 Business Leaders Survey shows, more clients are taking action on climate, while global investment trends point to accelerating momentum – $2.2 trillion flowed into clean energy in 2025. At this scale and pace of change, the need for trusted financial partners to support clients through the transition has never been clearer. 

What are we solving for? 

Innovation has long been central to BMO’s ability to support clients through periods of change. Today, transformation is accelerating across large swathes of the North American economy, including how energy is produced, how people travel and how food is grown –and this change creates new financing and advisory needs. The Sustainable Finance Solutions team serves as a centre of expertise, helping bring together insight, capital and a track record of innovation to help our client-facing colleagues support clients as they navigate this transition. 

What we’re focused on now – and what’s coming next 

Innovation is most useful when it is pragmatic. The team focuses on opportunities with clear client demand, supported by broader market tailwinds such as maturing technology and evolving policy frameworks. Battery energy storage is one example, with declining costs and growing deployment across North America. BMO continues to assess many such emerging opportunities, in line with our risk management framework. 

How we’re scaling solutions 

Ideas come from across the organization. When there is a clear opportunity, the Sustainable Finance Solutions team works in close partnership with colleagues across BMO to develop and refine solutions. Once a new offering is client-ready, we rely on our client-facing colleagues to find opportunities and achieve scale. 

“As more clients take action on climate and capital continues to shift toward clean energy, the Sustainable Finance Solutions team helps BMO move with focus and discipline – turning opportunity into scalable solutions.” 

- John Uhren, Global Head, Sustainable Finance  

How we’ll know we’re making a real impact 

Success is measured through long-term, profitable growth alongside meaningful client and environmental impact. Over time, that means delivering differentiated solutions that respond to evolving client needs and enable tangible social or environmental benefits. BMO is already a leader in sustainable finance, and this team – working in close partnership with client-facing businesses – is positioned to extend that momentum. 

Learn more about sustainability at BMO in our recently launched 2025 Sustainability and Climate Report, which offers a clear look at our strategy, governance and progress across climate, sustainability and risk management.